HaiSea Marine orders five tugs for LNG Canada contract
HaiSea Marine, a joint venture of Haisla Nation and Seaspan, has entered into a contract with Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards for a fleet of five tugboats that will support the Anglo-Dutch Shell-led LNG Canada project in Kitimat, on Canada’s west coast.
The tugboat fleet, based on designs from Vancouver naval architect Robert Allen Ltd selected by LNG Canada and HaiSea Marine earlier this year, will consist of two dual-fuel (LNG and diesel) RAstar 4000-DF escort tugs and three ElectRA 2800 battery-powered harbour tugs (banner image), with an option for a sixth. HaiSea Marine announced the contract with Sanmar May 20 on its website, noting the fleet is expected to arrive in BC in 2023.
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The dual-fuel tugs will be built at Sanmar’s Altinova yard in Turkey, while the electric tugs will be built at its Tuzla yard, Sanmar said.
“On behalf of Haisla Nation Council we are happy to see this moment reached through the work of our joint venture,” Haisla Nation chief councillor Crystal Smith said. “The HaiSea Marine joint venture will lead to many opportunities for Haisla members, and reaching this stage with Sanmar Shipyards brings us a step closer to realising these benefits for our members.”
HaiSea Marine, majority-owned by Haisla Nation, was created in 2019 and subsequently awarded a 12-year, C$500mn (US$413mn) contract from the LNG Canada consortium to design, build and operate escort and harbour tugs for the 14mn mt/yr liquefaction and export terminal, expected to enter service as early as 2024.