The Humber Estuary is to get two new tugboats when they are officially named in a ceremony later, reports BBC.
The estuary is one of the busiest trading areas in Europe, requiring a large fleet of tugs to keep vessels moving safely.
Environmentally-friendly tugs
SMS Towage said the new, more environmentally-friendly tugs were being unveiled to replace older boats. The vessels, Trueman and Kingsman, will help manoeuvre boats and supertankers at ports in Hull and Immingham.
Built in Turkey, the tugs have four times as much horsepower as a Formula One car and help move tankers coming into port. “On the Humber, any vessels that have a deadweight of 50,000 tonnes have to take a tug,” SMS Towage chairman Paul Escreet said.
Some of the supertankers that carry gas or oil at Immingham can weigh as much as 200,000 tonnes, Mr Escreet added. The tugs are required by the port authorities to keep large vessels under control.
“Go back 60 years and these tugs were single crew, and to get a large vessel you would surround it with tugs. Nowadays, there’s more science attached to it,” Mr Escreet added.
The Humber has a fast and powerful tide, which is why a number of tugs are required.
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Source: BBC
