Leading Dutch towage and salvage provider Multraship has won the tender to supply two Emergency Rescue & Towing Vessels (ERTVs) to the Netherlands Coastguard for monitoring shipping safety in the southern section of the North Sea.
The contract for the deployment of the vessels came into effect on 1 July 2022 and it will be for 4.5 years, with options for extensions. Multraship Commander (formerly ALP Ace) will be stationed at the Borssele wind farm. From 1 August, Multraship Protector (formerly ALP Ippon) will be on standby for the Hollandse Kust wind farms. ERTV Guardian, has also been deployed by Multraship from its home port Den Helder monitoring the safety of shipping in the northern section of the North Sea since 2016.
The operations of these two new ERTVs are also directed by the Coastguard. “With the arrival of the emergency tugs, we have found a good way to limit the safety risks associated with these offshore wind farms for shipping in the years ahead,” explains Nicole Kuipers, Director of the Coastguard. “In particular, the Borssele and Hollandse Kust wind farms are surrounded by shipping lanes and anchorage areas. This will be the primary focus of the deployment of these two extra ERTVs.”
The vessels can intervene 24/7 from strategic positions in the North Sea to provide assistance to drifting vessels and vessels in distress in order to prevent damage to the vessel and the wind farms and to take any victims on board. In addition to being used as tugs, the vessels can also be used in search and rescue operations.
Photo: Multraship/Flying Focus.
