Portland Port has named a new azimuth stern drive tugboat and a fast pilot transfer vessel at its harbour in south England, UK
Expanding cruise ship berths, demand from auxiliary naval vessels, and the need to reduce emissions led Portland Port to order these new assets, which were delivered this year.
Portland Harbour Authority named azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugWyke Castle and the Silverwell pilot boat on a main dock jetty and deepwater berth which opened in 2023.
Portland Port chairman Christopher Langham and chief executive Bill Reeves were joined for the naming ceremony by the UK Royal Navy regional commander for Wales, the west of England and Channel Islands, Tristram Kirkwood and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) commodore Sam Shattock.
“We now have the full toolkit and can grow the business even further,” said Mr Langham.
Damen Shipyards built 21-mWyke Castle to its ASD 2111 design with a 10-m beam and two Caterpillar main engines connected to selective catalytic reduction units to minimise NOx emissions. This tug has a top speed of around 12 knots and 50 tonnes of bollard pull, plus a winch below the wheelhouse with access for towage over the bow or stern, plus a small deck crane for equipment handling and a Furuno radar and navigation suite.
