Article

Boluda Towage started towage services at LubminLNG (Germany)


published on 2 January 2023 105 -

Boluda Towage started towing services at the German port of Lubmin for the first installation of a floating LNG storage plant.

The presence in the port is a further step towards strengthening and expanding the activities of the Boluda Towage Division in northwest Europe and the Baltic Sea region.

The Deutsche ReGas LubminLNG import terminal will become the first operational FSRU-based facility in Germany. The floating storage and regasification unit is based inside the port of Lubmin, where an existing gas pipeline allows for a quick connection.

Lubmin, a small port situated in the German Bay of Greifswald, is a major transport and industry hub and an investment location in the German energy sector.
Mid-December 2022, the 2009-built 145,000-cbm “FSRU Neptune”, arrived in Germany’s port of Lubmin to serve the new LNG import terminal. Due to the narrow space of the Lubmin harbor basin big LNG tankers are not able to enter and come alongside the FSRU facility. Therefore, a storage tanker (FSU) will be anchored outside the port and a set of three smaller LNG tankers will provide the shuttling between the FSU storage tanker and the FSRU facility.

Prior to the arrival of the FSRU Neptune, Boluda Towage and Nautitec (a well-known simulation center in Leer, Germany) investigated how to safely maneuver the FSRU Neptune into the small harbor basin of Lubmin (with a maneuver space of < 2 meters). Weeks of intensive simulation training followed, during which our Tug Masters were trained to exactly maneuver with a specialized towing setup and our Towing Master to command the towage with highest accuracy.
Intensive simulation training at Nautitec
Intensive simulation training at Nautitec
Intensive simulation training at Nautitec
Intensive simulation training at Nautitec
Based on this intensive simulation training program, the Lubmin port authorities approved the specified setup for the safe towage operations of the FSRU Neptune into the port of Lubmin. Thanks to the close cooperation with all the partners involved, e.g. Deutsche ReGas, Nautitec, local port authorities, and pilots, the dedicated and well-experienced German crew of Boluda Towage was able to make the necessary preparations for the establishment of the LubminLNG terminal.
Team of Boluda Towage: Tow Masters and Tug Masters
Team of Boluda Towage: Tow Masters and Tug Masters
Team of Boluda Towage: Tow Masters and Tug Masters
Team of Boluda Towage: Tow Masters and Tug Masters

Boluda Towage Germany managing director Boris Szczesik commented: “We enjoy being part of a great team, and are grateful to support DeutscheReGas with the ambition to establish LubminLNG. We would also like to express a special thanks to Nautitec GmbH & Co. KG and Boluda Towage's Tow Masters and Tug Masters for taking on the responsibility. Seeing such commitment to professional preparation and accomplishment by our team makes us proud and is an example of passion for high-quality service and safe towing operations."

A flotilla of tugs from Boluda Towage is escorting the regas unit into the draft-restricted port area. Photo courtesy: Tradewinds
A flotilla of tugs from Boluda Towage is escorting the regas unit into the draft-restricted port area. Photo courtesy: Tradewinds
A flotilla of tugs from Boluda Towage is escorting the regas unit into the draft-restricted port area. Photo courtesy: Tradewinds
A flotilla of tugs from Boluda Towage is escorting the regas unit into the draft-restricted port area. Photo courtesy: Tradewinds

Together with Nautitec GmbH & Co. KG a more specified simulation training will follow for the towing of the small shuttle tankers, which will be carried out by the four Boluda tugs.

FSRU Neptune has been towed by the tugs of Boluda Towage during 14hours in very shallow water, and successfully entered Deutsche Regas terminal #Lubmin port in the narrowest canal an LNG Carrier has ever been. Photo courtesy: Eric Lepesan
FSRU Neptune has been towed by the tugs of Boluda Towage during 14hours in very shallow water, and successfully entered Deutsche Regas terminal #Lubmin port in the narrowest canal an LNG Carrier has ever been. Photo courtesy: Eric Lepesan
FSRU Neptune has been towed by the tugs of Boluda Towage during 14hours in very shallow water, and successfully entered Deutsche Regas terminal #Lubmin port in the narrowest canal an LNG Carrier has ever been. Photo courtesy: Eric Lepesan
FSRU Neptune has been towed by the tugs of Boluda Towage during 14hours in very shallow water, and successfully entered Deutsche Regas terminal #Lubmin port in the narrowest canal an LNG Carrier has ever been. Photo courtesy: Eric Lepesan
At the current start of operations in the port of Lubmin Boluda Towage has a fleet of four powerful tugs (VB Luca, VB Fritzi, VB Ivy, and VB Henny) in a range of 60,2 tons up to 79 tons with bollard pull, and firefighting capabilities. Depending on the needs and requests of customers in this port the required tug capacity can be scaled up.
Great work on 30 December 2022 at the #LNG Terminal Deutsche Ostsee in Lubmin. Great respect for the work of the captains on the tanker
Great work on 30 December 2022 at the #LNG Terminal Deutsche Ostsee in Lubmin. Great respect for the work of the captains on the tanker "Coral Furcata" and also for the tug masters on the tugs of Boluda Towage VB Luca, VB Fritzi, VB Ivy, and VB Henny. Photo courtesy: Frank Borrmann
Great work on 30 December 2022 at the #LNG Terminal Deutsche Ostsee in Lubmin. Great respect for the work of the captains on the tanker
Great work on 30 December 2022 at the #LNG Terminal Deutsche Ostsee in Lubmin. Great respect for the work of the captains on the tanker "Coral Furcata" and also for the tug masters on the tugs of Boluda Towage VB Luca, VB Fritzi, VB Ivy, and VB Henny. Photo courtesy: Frank Borrmann
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video AMPI Conference in Port Moresby

published on 8 July 2024

Australasian Marine Pilots Institute or AMPI held its first ever regional conference outside of Australia in Port Moresby.
The conference opened on Monday night and it continued today and tomorrow with discussions on regulation, pilotage in PNG, training, towage, transfers and technology.

0

Video #InternationalWomensDay: Female Harbour Pilot

published on 12 March 2020

Women’s rights and gender equality are taking centre stage in 2020. But for some women, the fear of gender discrimination has never stopped them from pursuing their dream and Ms Amelia Pickering, a Harbour Pilot, is one of them.
Inspired by her father, she shares how she started her journey in the Maritime industry and some of the challenges she faced being a female Harbour Pilot.

0

Article Inspection Campaign on Pilot Transfer Arrangements (Results from 2021)

published on 16 June 2022

This Notice documents the results of the Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Pilot Transfer Arrangements, which was carried out by the Bahamas Maritime Authority Inspectors and vessel staff between 01 July and 31 December 2021.

1

Article Why pilot movement information is vital for port call optimization

published on 5 May 2022

Accurate and real-time pilot movement information is vital for port communities and their customers, whether you are a ship operator planning an upcoming port call, a terminal operator planning the berth scheduling, or a port agent arranging cargo and husbandry services. By receiving timely updates of scheduled and actual vessel movements at port, this will allow each stakeholder to plan and execute their day-to-day operations accordingly.

0

Article Unconfirmed reports say a pilot boat collided with the container ship GODSPEED in Taipei, Taiwan.

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 9 March 2020

Apparently there were two crew members on board, but no pilot. One of crew was recovered and declared dead, another one, skipper of the boat, is missing.

0

Video 2006 Port of London Pilot Capt. Tom Miller - Hebridean Princess

published on 22 November 2023

In 2006 I was invited to join Port of London Pilot Capt. Tom Miller on one of his last few voyages before his retirement. A pilot cutter ferried us from the Gravesend Port office to the Port of London Terminal where the Hebridean Spirit waited for us to board. Once aboard, the ship's captain manoeuvred the vessel off its moorings and into the channel. After handing the vessel over to Capt. Miller, the Captain joined the ship's company for dinner, and the first offer and a helmsman remained...

0

Video Pilot boat approaching

published on 4 August 2023

0

Article Dissertation: Reducing the subjective impact in maritime simulator assessment (2020)

published on 14 October 2021

"A performance assessment tool for maritime pilotage operations" - by Jørgen Ernstsen, Norway
When the ship is approaching or leaving a port, a local navigational expert, the pilot, is often provided for assisting the bridge team to safely and efficiently navigate the littoral waters.

0

Video Kiel Pilots using VR for next-level shiphandling simulation

by Captain, MSc. Remko Fehr - published on 13 December 2023

Kiel Pilots introducing Morild Interaktiv AS Virtual Reality Simulator for next-level manoeuvring training

1