Figueras, Spain based Gondan Shipyard in Figueras, yesterday held a launching ceremony for the third dual-fuelled tug ever built in Europe. The last of a series of three vessel is under construction for the Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi, the shipbuilder said in a press release.
The event was attended by representatives from the ship-owner, from the charterer of the vessels-Statoil- and from the Canadian designer Robert Allan Ltd.
This new escort tug, with 40.2 meters length and 16 meters beam, will provide tug services to Norwegian state-owned energy company Statoil, at the far-north terminal located at Melkøya. Built to withstand freezing cold, the vessel is shaped specifically to grant full operational availability at temperatures of 20 degrees below zero and combines environmental sustainability trough the use of LNG in most of its operations, with the flexibility of diesel power to ensure a high level of operational security.
For the next few months, this new vessel will be moored at the Yard´s quay while being outfitted according to the best shipbuilding standards, until completion, when she will be ready for the thorough sea trials and her following delivery in 2017.
Astilleros Gondan, S.A. (Gondan Shipyard) based in Spain has two facilities, both located in the municipality of Castropol (Asturias). The main factory of the shipyard is situated in the port of Figueras, while the steel-cutting workshop and the equipment warehouse is situated in the Industrial Park of Barres. The majority of the work is carried out in Figueras; steel production, hull assembly, mounting, constructing, outfitting, etc.