New Durban tug ads three times more power

A NEW tug has arrived in Durban to take up residence as the service vessel at the single buoy mooring (SBM) outside the port where more than 80% of South Africa’s oil imports are handled. Three times more powerful than the vessel it is replacing, the Smit Madura reflects the importance placed by the oil majors and the tug’s operator Smit Marine on creating a safer environment for the facility. Since its inception in 1970 the SBM, which handles about 17 million tonnes of crude oil annually, has not experienced a major spillage or accident but the operators clearly believe a larger more powerful tug is overdue. According to GAC News, tug charges at the SBM are set to increase from R1 760 per hour to R5 9 00 per hour with the arrival of the new vessel.