Kongsberg bags Suez salvage tug design and equipment contract

Image: Kongsberg Kongsberg's UT 722 tugboat has a length of 71.6 metres and bollard pull of 200 tonnes (Kongsberg)[17].jpg
Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to provide the design and equipment for two salvage tugs being built for the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

 The tugs are being built at Alexandria Shipyard, main contractor for the project.

“The tugs will be based on Kongsberg Maritime’s UT 722 CDT design,” Kongsberg said. “The UT 722 tugboat design has a length of 71.6 metres, bollard pull of approximately 200 tonnes, and can operate independently for up to 35 days.”

Egypt’s Alexandria Shipyard is the main contractor for the construction and delivery of the tugs in 2025 and 2026. The yard bid on the contract with the SCA in cooperation with Kongsberg, which said it was to provide technical support, including vessel design, main equipment deliveries, maintenance systems and crew training.

Ever since the Ever Given incident in 2021, the SCA has been mindful of the need to boost towing power on the canal, to avoid costly incidents involving the grounding of vessels and other blockages to the smooth flow of traffic. The effort to increase the SCA’s tug fleet is clearly continuing and has involved the activation of a number of vessels with bollard pull of 200 tonnes and above.

“The Suez Canal Authority’s tendering process for these tugs has been [ongoing] for a long time, and a large number of designers, suppliers and shipyards have been involved in this international competition,” Jørn Heltne, Kongsberg Maritime Vice President for Sales and Contracts, said.

“The Authority recognises the need for increased salvage capacity at the canal, which sees about 70 vessels transit each day and is responsible for about 12% of global trade by volume. The equipment and systems we are providing will ensure these tugs have trustworthy and precise handling and control, as well as the muscle needed to keep the Suez Canal open.”

Kongsberg said the integrated equipment for each tug included its Promas propulsion systems with twin-in-single-out reduction gears, bow and stern tunnel thrusters, propulsion, joystick and integrated bridge control systems, power electric systems including switchboards, dynamic positioning, passive stabilisation systems, deck machinery, and K-Fleet maintenance software systems.

“These new tugs will be key to ensuring the future reliability of the canal for international shippers. We look forward to working with Kongsberg Maritime to build the world’s most important tugboats,” said Rear Admiral Hossam El-Din Ezzat Kotb, Chairman of Alexandria Shipyard.