A Greek-Italian tug and salvage company said it has entered “a new era” by ordering its first newbuilding.
Vernicos Scafi Tugs and Salvage Maritime will take delivery of the 70-bhp Vernicos Scafi III (built 2023) in early September, the company said.
The vessel, described by the organisation as “one of the most modern and powerful tugs in Eastern Mediterranean”, is under construction at Med Marine in Turkey’s Eregli Shipyard — a serial builder of such vessels.
The newbuilding expansion comes to crown a long-term strategy of consolidation in the local tug and salvage scene, in which Vernicos Scafi has been one of the most active drivers in recent years via a series of mergers and joint ventures.
“This investment marks the transition into a new era for our company, which will further strengthen our position and will certainly add value to the fleet of our joint venture in Med Tugs,” Vernicos Scafi director Dimitris Vernicos said.
“Hopefully, the company will order more tugs in the future for projects out of Greece as well.”
Vernicos Scafi Tugs and Salvage is part of the Med Tugs consortium that is active in Greece and other regions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Vernicos Scafi currently has 21 boats in its fleet.
Its new vessel is a versatile ASD tug designed for ship handling, coastal towing, general purpose or escort duties.
Eregli Shipyard is part of Turkey’s Med Marine Group. Located at the Black Sea right next to the Eregli Iron and Steel Works east of Istanbul, the independent shipyard has completed numerous shipbuilding projects since 2004, mainly for tug boats and chemical tankers.
