HAMBURG-based Fairplay Towage and Dutch towage and salvage specialist Multraship have jointly launched a new company to provide towage services in Antwerp.
Antwerp Towage NV, a 50/50 joint venture between Fairplay and Multraship, is the first new initiative launched by the two companies following the signing of an agreement in August this year by which Fairplay Towage took a 50 per cent stake in Multraship.
A statement says: “The start-up of Antwerp Towage NV this week is an important part of the joint overall philosophy of Fairplay and Multraship to significantly strengthen harbour towage services in north-west European ports. The new company will have an office on the Tavenierkaai in Antwerp and will provide shipowners and charterers with a responsive and efficient tug service in the river areas of the port of Antwerp.”
The tugs deployed initially will be the Fairplay 22, Multratug 5, Fairplay 17, and Multratug 10, providing a four-vessel fleet serving the river areas of the port of Antwerp. Eventually, there are plans to replace these tugs with newbuildings.