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[Robert J Smith]

Two St Vincent registered tugs SVITZER HELENA & SVITZER CELIA in the Thames Estuary this morning bound for Chatham Docks on the Medway, any info about them or their visit?
Their track shows them inbound via the English Channel

[TIMFARROW]

Rumour has it that they are new tugs for the Medway to replace tugs that are going:

Svitzer Warden has been transferred to Liverpool
Svitzer Kent will go to Felixstowe to replace Svitzer Stanford which is going to London.

As a result Medway fleet should comprise:

Svitzer Victory
Svitzer Intrepid
Svitzer Harty
Svitzer Monarch ( renamed Svitzer Helena)
Svitzer Ganges  ( renamed Svitzer Celia)

All happening in the next week or so.

Tim Farrow

[Nick Smith]

From ClydeMaritime Site.

SVITZER HELENA   
2016 -
Svitzer Caribbean Ltd. (Svitzer A/S) - Rio de Janeiro; 25-11-2016 Svitzer Americas Ltd. - Kingstown
Launched 22-01-2016; delivered 06-10-2016 by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd. - Kowloon (5097)   
499 grt; 260 dwt   
PYZT
IMO 9756470; MMSI 710027910   
Newbuilding

No further details found

No picture available

[Robert J Smith]

Thanks guys, got the same info from other sources 

Pity I didn't pick them up a couple of hours earlier, could have got down to Chatham and caught them under their original names 

Regards

Bob

[davidships]

Wrote the following elsewhere when they first appeared in the western Channel on 11/3.  Still trying to suss out the pprent early brazilian connection (if any):

<<<<
In western Channel are SVITZER CELIA and SVITZER HELENA from Panama via Philipsburg for Chatham, showing ETA 1200 13/3.

SVITZER CELIA
IMO  9756468 - type RAStar 3200
492gt 147nt, 29.9/32.0 x 12.8 x 5.4m
built 2016 Hin Lee (Zhuhai) Shipyard Co Ltd, Zhuhai (Yd 314)
(compl) Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd, Hong Kong (Yd 5096)
2 x M16cyl 4SA Vee 3840kW 5220bhp 13.8kn 85tbp 2az, Caterpillar 3516C-HD

11/1/2016 launched
6/2016 completed as SVITZER CELIA (BRA flag) [??]
11/2016 Svitzer Americas Ltd, Tortola BVI (VCT flag, reg Kingstown, ON 11984, c/s J8B5511. MMSI 375684000)
2017 (mng Svitzer Eastlands Ltd, Hull)

SVITZER HELENA - as above, except:
IMO 9756470
Hin Lee (Yd 315), Cheoy Lee (Yd 5097)
22/1/2016 launched
7/2016 completed as SVITZER HELENA
11/2016 (ON 11985,, c/s J8B5512, MMSI 376707000)

Although SeaWeb shows the pair with the Svitzer names/ownership at completion, I am not sure whether they were intended for Svitzer service in Brazil with those names.
They arrived at Panama in 11/2016 and were most of the time at Cristobal (working?) - SVITZER HELENA was briefly in Bunenaventura, Colombia in January.  7/2/2017 sailed Panama, and 15-19/2 were at Philipsburg, St Maarten, presumably being prepared for Transatlantic delivery.

[TIMFARROW]

When they arrived at Chatham they had registry port of Kingstown painted on them, but welded on letters for Rio de Janeiro  (now overpainted) were clearly visible below this confirming original Brazilian registry.

[davidships]

That's very helpful, Tim - thanks.
What about the names?  Do they look original?

[TIMFARROW]

Names are only painted on the side of wheelhouse as is current trend for tugs. They look original and both vessels look very clean and tidy. TOS carried out delivery voyages.

[TIMFARROW]

Just looked again at my photo and name is also on after quarter where original registry was and so looks as if welded also.
Copy of photo attached if anyone is interested.

Tim Farrow

[Nick Smith]

She has now been renamed.

SVITZER MONARCH   
2017 -   
Svitzer Americas Ltd. - Kingstown   
Launched 22-01-2016; delivered 06-10-2016 hull Hin Lee (Zhuhai) Shipyard Co.Ltd. - Zhuhai; completed Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd. - Kowloon (5097)   
32,00 x x 12,40 x x 4,80 m   
499 grt; 260 dwt   
J.8.B-5512   
IMO 9756470   
78 tons BP   
In the fleet in March 2017 renamed from SVITZER HELENA

No picture available

[Robert J Smith]

Now moored at Sheerness.

[TIMFARROW]

Both SVITZER MONARCH and SVITZER GANGES are in service today.
SVITZER KENT has departed for Felixstowe this p.m.
Only requires SVITZER STANFORD to go to Thames for moves to be complete !

Best wishes

Tim Farrow

[Robert J Smith]

At a slight tangent, I note Smit & Kotug tugs in or heading to Southampton

SMIT TIGER & SD SALVOR already there, ZP BOXER en-route in the channel.

New contract?

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