The global towage provider and part of Maersk Svitzer has extended its current contract with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) to include two additional tugs to service the Suez Canal.
Svitzer started operating in the Suez Canal in late 2019 with two 32-metre tugs, Svitzer Port Said 1 and Svitzer Port Said 2, providing towage services to the SCA out of Port Said at the northern end of the Suez Canal.
The two tugs were joined by sister vessels Svitzer Suez 1 and Svitzer Suez 2 in December 2021.
Now, according to the contract, two additional tugs are projected to join the fleet in the Suez Canal by the end of May 2022, one of which will be operating out of Port Said and one out of Port Suez.
With the newest additions to the fleet, Svitzer will operate six vessels in the Suez Canal and employ 120 Egyptian seafarers, according to a statement.
“We have had a close and strong collaboration and relationship with the SCA since 2019 based on mutual trust and respect as well as a desire to offer the best services to the thousands of vessels passing through the Suez Canal every year,” stated Nicolai Vinther Friis, managing director of Svitzer Africa, Middle East & Asia (AMEA).
In the meantime, the Turkish tugboat builder Med Marine will deliver the two vessels, both RAstar 2800 75tonnes bollard pull tugs, with firefighting capabilities and escort notation, designed by consulting naval architectural firm Robert Allan.
