Svitzer Wijsmuller gets the third of four new tugs from Bilbao

	“Svitzer Bootel” is a sister vessel to “Svitzer Brunel”, which earlier this year was stationed at the South East England station in Swansea. A fourth sister arrives in January 2004.

The Svitzer Wijsmuller group are in the process of taking over the third tug newbuilding from Spanish Astilleros Zamakona S.A. in Bilbao. The tug has been named “Svitzer Bootel” as the third in a series of four, with a new naming system. All four tugs will have Svitzer as prefix, to be

The naming system will continue with the six newbuildings under way at Shipyard Baltija at Klaipeda. The first one – destined for Swedish subsidiary Röda Bolaget – is due for delivery next May and will also be given the name Svitzer as prefix, and all six with get the same first letter in their surname.

Based in Liverpool
The “Svitzer Bootel” is destined to be stationed at Liverpool on the west coast of England. The first two units, the “Svitzer Bristol” and the “Svitzer Brunel”, are on duty at Swansea at the station the company calls South-East England.
    With the arrival of the “Svitzer Bootel”, a decision has been taken to improve the capacity at the Liverpool station. Greater traffic and a higher rate of work for the tugs has made this possible.
    This means that the station will now be served by six tugs instead of five.
    The “Svitzer Bootel”l is a 58,5 ton bollard-pull unit powered by two Japanese-built Niiagata units of type 6L28HX, which develop some 4,087 bhk. The propellers are of azimuth type and placed under the forepart of the tug.
    The dimensions of the hull are 29,5 meters overall length, 11 m breadth, and the draft is 4.0 m. Speed in free water is 12 knots. Tonnage: 366 GT, 109 NT, and 210 deadweight. Class: Lloyd’s +100 A1 – tug.
    The fourth and final tug in the series will be delivered in January 2004, and will also make its way to one of the British stations. After delivery of the tugs, Svitzer Wijsmuller subsidiary Esvagt A/S of Esbjerg have orders for two sophisticated standby/rescue vessels for delivery in mid- and late 2004.

//Bent Mikkelsen

Back to SSG 24, 19 December