Svitzer, leading global towage provider and part of Maersk, has announced another extension of its current contract with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) to include two additional tugs to service the Suez Canal.
Svitzer started operating in the Suez Canal in late 2019 with the two tugs Svitzer Port Said 1 and Svitzer Port Said 2, providing towage services to the SCA out of Port Said. In December 2021, the two tugs were joined by sister vessels Svitzer Suez 1 and Svitzer Suez 2 and from end May 2022, two additional tugs will join the fleet in the Suez Canal. – one will be operating out of Port Said and one out of Port Suez.
With the newest additions to the fleet, Svitzer will operate six vessels in the Suez Canal and employ 120 Egyptian seafarers.
Nicolai Vinther Friis, Managing Director Svitzer AMEA commented: “We have had a close and strong collaboration and relationship with the SCA since 2019 based on mutual trust and respect as well as a desire to offer the best services to the thousands of vessels passing through the Suez Canal every year. I am equally happy and grateful that the SCA has awarded Svitzer yet another extension of the existing towage services contract and I look forward to continuing our close partnership with the SCA.”
Turkish tugboat builder Med Marine will deliver the two vessels, both RAstar 2800 75tonnes bollard pull tugs with firefighting capabilities and escort notation, designed by Robert Allan Ltd.
With a fleet of 110 vessels operating in seven ports and 11 terminals across 12 countries in the region, Svitzer is a leading towage provider in the AMEA (Africa, Middle East & Asia) region.