CORIMA, part of the Italian Gesmar Group, which is one of the leading shipowners in the country and the largest towage operator in the Adriatic Sea, has ordered a Damen ASD Tug 2810, Damen said in its press release.
The Damen ASD Tug 2810, which has a 60 tonnes bollard pull, will be deployed in the port of Ancona. With the official signing ceremony taking place on January 12, the new tug is due to be delivered at the end of the year.
Riccardo Vitiello, CORIMA President and Managing Director Gesmar Group, explains the reasons behind the order. “We already have a Damen ASD Tug 3110 and have always thought Damen is a very good, high quality shipbuilder. We were looking for a harbour tug but also one that is suitable for offshore terminal towage.”
CORIMA serves two offshore oil terminals (owned by API Refinery) so it wanted a tug with good seakeeping behaviour to be able to operate in open sea. “We have also seen from other Damen 2810 operators that the tug will be able to do over 60 tonnes bp. Coupled with this she is ideally suited for compact harbours.”
Additionally, Mr Vitiello says, the company was keen to get an ASD Tug because it believes the ideal towing configuration is having an ASD bow first, at the stern of a vessel, and then a tractor tug at the bow.
With FiFi 1, the tug will be Italian flagged and will be used to replace a twin-screw tug.