Venezuela’s PDVSA Orders 10 Damen Tugs

Venezuela’s PDVSA has placed a 10-tug order with Damen Shipyards as part of the state-owned operator’s strategic shift from chartered-in to owned tonnage.

The new tugs will provide mooring and maneuvering support to tankers in Venezuelan ports and harbors.

The contract calls for the Dutch shipbuilding group to supply ten ASD 2810 type Azimuthing Stern Drive tugs, each with a 60-ton bollard pull rating. Seven of these 28-meter tugs are being supplied by Damen Shipyards Galati (Romania), while the other three will be built at Damen’s joint venture Song Cam yard in Vietnam.

All ten tugs are expected to be delivered by the end of July this year.

While the Venezuelan oil company has several years of experience operating chartered-in tonnage of the ASD 2810 design, this is the first time that Damen has secured a direct contract from PDVSA.

The 10 tugs have each been specified with a number of optional extras, including FiFi 1 capability, an aft towing winch and a larger than usual deck crane featuring a lift capacity of 1.45 tons and 12.6-meter outreach.

Damen indicates that more directs contracts with PDVSA may be on the horizon.

“We are talking to PDVSA about further orders to meet their various requirements as a result of the ongoing tug renewal project,” says Erik Hertel, Damen’s regional sales manager. “We developed a close cooperation with them as part of this project and we hope very much to build a long term partnership over the months to come.”

Photo courtesy Damen Shipyards Group

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