Launching of the third Dual Fuel Tug ever built in Europe
Today at Gondan Shipyard in Figueras, at high tide, the third Dual Fuel tug ever built in Europe –the last of a series of three currently under construction at Gondan for the Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi – has been successfully launched. 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.