Officials for Argentina's Port of San Lorenzo are blaming the absence of tugboats for recent allisions, causing "billions" in damages.
"One of the biggest problems ... are that nowadays in the Port of San Lorenzo, the assistance of tug boats for vessels' mooring and unmooring is not compulsory," a port official told TradeWinds.
"In spite of being a service of accessible cost and offering security for navigation, the terminals that make up the port reject its mandatory use with the purpose of reducing port costs."
There are several local tugboat companies for all types of ships, including Cooperativa de Trabajos Portuarios and PGSM, officials said.
"If its use is compulsory, the technical part (of directing incoming ships) would be solved."
In mid-August, the 35,400-dwt Asia Pearl V, an Asia Maritime Pacific-owned bulker, struck TFA Pier, causing damage to it and adjoining facilities.
Four months earlier, Centrans Ocean Shipping's 92,500-dwt post-panamax Ocean Treasure (built 2010) ran into the Terminal 6 North Pier.
As a result of the Ocean Treasure mishap, one of the three towers to Terminal 6 pier's slewing cranes and a conveyor fell into the river, port officials said.
"There weren't any persons with serious injuries, except for one worker, who after the collision was dragged into the water with his office-container."
Cooperativa Portuarias personnel pulled the unit out of the water with a winch, saving the worker inside from drowning.
TFA Pier is expected to be out of commission for four months while Terminal 6 may be out for 18 months, officials said.
"The losses are billons, regarding repairing structures, and the inability to produce, load, unload goods, in a competitive rhythm."
