Damen Shipyards Group has delivered an ASD 2310 Tug to Foyle Port. The official handover of the new vessel – named Strathfoyle – took place at a short ceremony attended by the port’s staff, clients and stakeholders.
Taking the position as most powerful tug at the port, Strathfoyle marks a commitment to ongoing safe and efficient harbour assistance operations at Foyle Port.
Foyle Port is in the North West of Ireland. Located at the south-west end of Lough Foyle, the port’s primary cargos are bulk goods arriving at the Lisahally Terminal and oil products that call at the LSS Oil Terminal. Furthermore, Foyle Port serves as a destination for cruise vessel passengers.
Strathfoyle expands on Damen’s standard ASD 2310 design in certain key aspects. She has been equipped with an aft winch, to give her the potential to conduct salvage work outside the sheltered confines of Lough Foyle, and an additional deck crane to widen the scope of harbour duties that she can perform.
According to Captain Bill McCann, Harbour Master and Operations Director at Foyle Port, the new tug provides the port with increased flexibility in numerous ways: “With the oil terminal and the increasing numbers and size of bulk carriers at the port, we really need the extra bollard pull and manoeuvrability.
“As we are also expanding our Marine Services division, we installed a deck crane for even more all-round capability. In this respect, she is more than a tug, she is a workboat too – a jack of all trades.
“Although the tugs main function is harbour towage the extra equipment also gives us possibilities to charter her out for coastal towage or harbour towage operations at other ports.”
