On 13 February 2024, KOTUG Canada Inc., a partnership between KOTUG International B.V. and Canada’s Horizon Maritime Inc., held a steel cutting ceremony for two RAsalvor 4400-DFM dual fuel methanol escort tugs – Robert Allan Ltd. design – to service the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), at Sanmar Shipyard in Turkey.

A steel cutting ceremony is traditionally the first event in the shipyard production process. The steel cutting event signifies a major milestone for the project enabling it to proceed to the construction phase to meet the delivery schedule by mid-2025.

The tugs will escort tankers from the harbor limits of the Port of Vancouver to the open Pacific Ocean through the commercial shipping lanes of the Salish Sea. To provide this service, KOTUG Canada has partnered with the Sc’ianew First Nation from Beecher Bay, strategically located along the shipping route.

These two innovative tugs, to be named SD AISEMAHT and SD QWII-AAN’C SARAH in honor of important members of Sc’ianew First Nation, are scheduled to be the world’s first large purpose-built high bollard pull methanol fueled tugs when they enter service in 2025. They will provide significant environmental benefits by further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and underwater radiated noise.

See the backgrounder for more information about the project and the vessel specifications.