Illustration of the Damen ASD 2813 ship assist and escort tug. Credit: Foss Maritime
US-based Foss Maritime and Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of at least ten next-generation ship assist and escort tugs for the US market.
The first four in the series will be constructed at the Foss Shipyard in Rainier, Oregon, with delivery planned for 2019.
The tugs will be built to Damen ASD 2813 design, which has been modified to meet the demands US tug assist and escort market.
While Foss will construct the tugs to build up its own their fleet, the tugs in the build series will be available for purchase by other U.S. tug operators.
“This partnership supports our shared goals,” said John Parrott, Foss President and CEO. “It means, we can strengthen our fleet while meeting the demands of our customers, and at the same time Damen has the opportunity to market their innovative tug designs in the U.S.”
“Working with Foss will enable us to strengthen our relationship while serving the North American market with state-of-the-art, cost-effective and dependable vessels,” said Jan van Hogerwou, Damen’s Vice President of New Construction North America. “We’re excited about this collaboration and look forward to working closely with Foss.”
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