SAAM SMIT Towage (SST), a joint venture between SAAM and Royal Boskalis Westminster which operates in Canada, Mexico Panama and Brazil, has received a new tugboat to join its fleet in Panama. Built in Rumania by Damen shipyard, SST Rambala belongs to the ASD 2913 series and is characterized by being a compact, maneuverable and powerful tugboat, ideal for crowded ports and waterways with limited space, as well as including firefighting capacity, SST said. The new vessel has a length of 29 meters, CAT 3516C 6772 BHP at 1,800 rpm (total) engines, and an 83 tons bollard pull. It will provide services in Manzanillo Terminal Internacional (MIT). "The purchase of SST Rambala is a proactive decision that seeks to prepare our fleet in Panama for the opening of the Canal's new locks, which is expected to increase the size of the ships docking in the country's terminals," explained Marcelo Jullian, CEO of SAAM Smit Towage for Mexico, Canada and Panama.
(Source: MarineLink)