New tugs a boost for SA naval operations
Replacement vessels to support harbour activities, conduct voyages
THE SOUTH African Navy is finally getting two new harbour tractor tugs for Simon’s Town to replace the aged tugs De Neys and De Mist that had been serving the naval community’s ships for many years.
The De Neys and De Mist are little ships that are known to several generations of South Africans who had served aboard the navy’s warships over the years.
The sight of one or both these tough little tug boats meeting a Navy vessel was a sure sign to sailors that their ship was entering port and shore leave was not far off after an extended spell at sea.
The first of two commissioned tugs for the South African Navy will arrive in Simon’s Town today.
The navy acquired the tugs to address certain shortcomings that had been identified within the Naval Harbour Services in Simon’s Town, a spokesman said.
“The product specification called for the performance, design, test and logistic support of two identical, highly manoeuvrable, operationally proven, commercial-off-theshelf tractor tugs for the South African Navy,” the spokesman said.
The tugs must be capable of functioning autonomously and in combination with one another in support of naval harbour activities, but also have the ability to do short international voyages.
Damen Shipyards in Cape Town was awarded the contract on January 3, 2014 and the construction of the first of the two tugs, the Imvubu, commenced. Quite within character for the strength and toughness of a tug, Imvubu means hippopotamus.
The building of the second tug, dubbed Inyathi, or buffalo, began six months later.
It took 16 months for the first tractor tug to be completed, after which harbour and sea acceptance trials were conducted. The tug successfully passed scrutiny and was delivered to Simon’s Town today.
Inyathi will be delivered early next year.
The project was managed by the navy project officer, Commander Hermann van Geems, and project engineers Rob Moody (Ret) and Warrant Officer Class 1 James Stewart, under the control of the director of naval acquisition, Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) Alan Claydon-Fink.
The new tugs, at 375 tonnes displace about 100 tonnes more than De Mist and almost 200 tonnes more than De Neys. They are also more manoeuvrable and more powerful.
The smaller De Neys was built in 1969, while De Mist entered service in 1978.