ENGAGE MARINE has procured a second tug for mid-year deployment to the port of Mourilyan, when the company takes over towage contracts in several North Queensland ports.
In December last year the first Mourilyan-destined tug, Pullinque, arrived in Darwin from South America. Currently registered to Engage Marine Asset Co and temporarily flagged in Tuvalu, the 223 GT, 2004-built, 50 tbp tug is still in the NT port and is still showing its original name on AIS but is due to be renamed Engage Reaper.
Meanwhile, Engage has purchased a sister tug, Pellaifa, from the same owners, Ultragtug of Chile, and the vessel has been under refit and scheduled survey docking at its builder’s yard Asenav, also in Chile. Engage has renamed it Engage Ghost and describes it as a low-hours tug, which has now been equipped with a fixed fire-fighting system.
Final pump fitting and commissioning will be carried out in Australia before entering service.
“With enhanced fire-fighting capabilities, Engage Ghost is now equipped to meet a wider range of port requirements, ensuring greater operational flexibility. We look forward to seeing her in action soon!”, the company said in a LinkedIn post.
Under the Funafuti flag it left Corral on 25 February, called Lirquen three days later and is due Papeete on 28 March en route to Queensland.
In mid-January Engage was awarded long-term towage contracts for Townsville (replacing Smit Lamnalco) and Lucinda, Cairns and Mourilyan (replacing Svitzer) effective 1 July. Engage has two Damen 2813s for Townsville, under construction in Vietnam and due for June delivery, and another 2813, Engage Maverick, which has recently completed sea trials and is due this month in Sydney to replace the chartered Hellfire Bay.
Engage also recently acquired former BHP Port Hedland tugs, Mallina and Boodarie, which will free up two other fleet tugs to go to Cairns.
