Sanmar Shipyards has launched the first of two large dual-fuel methanol escort tugs under construction for KOTUG Canada, in what is being hailed as a world first.
The vessels are based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Robert Allan Ltd and will be deployed on Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project. They will escort tankers between the Port of Vancouver and the open Pacific.
At 44 meters in length and with a bollard pull of 120 tonnes, they will be the most powerful escort tugs in Canada. Their dual-fuel methanol design will also deliver significant environmental benefits, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and underwater radiated noise.
KOTUG Canada — a partnership between KOTUG International B.V. and Horizon Maritime — has teamed up with the Sc’ianew First Nation at Beecher Bay to operate the service. A Mutual Benefits Agreement ensures training, jobs, and long-term economic opportunities for the community, while embedding Indigenous stewardship in marine operations.
Alongside escort duties, the tugs are designed for towing, salvage, anchor handling, and spill response, with the largest response capability of any tug on the BC coast.
Sanmar CEO Ali Gürün said the launch marked “a major step forward in the use of alternative fuels to protect our planet,” while KOTUG’s Ard-Jan Kooren called it “a defining moment for the maritime industry.”
