Pacific Towing (PacTow) has welcomed its newest and most powerful tug, Pacific Responder, to Port Moresby following a 27-day delivery voyage from Zhenjiang, China, marking a milestone in Steamships' investment in Papua New Guinea's maritime infrastructure.
The new-build Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tug arrived on Friday, 6 November, after travelling approximately 4,400 nautical miles across the region.
Following customs clearance, Pacific Responder proceeded to PacTow's dedicated tug base and headquarters at Motukea, escorted by the company's tugs Keera and Tavurvur.
The delivery voyage began on 11 October, with the vessel travelling from Zhenjiang to Zhoushan in China before heading south to the Philippines, where it took on essential supplies, fuel and equipment. A crew change was also conducted during the stopover.
From the Philippines, Pacific Responder sailed towards Papua New Guinea, transiting waters north of Australia and the Torres Strait before arriving safely in Port Moresby.
The voyage included challenging sea conditions, particularly during the passage from China to the Philippines, where the tug encountered heavy swells and strong winds.
Pacific Responder is expected to commence harbour towage duties in Port Moresby once all permits and compliance requirements have been completed, including comprehensive crew training.
Its arrival is expected to strengthen PacTow's towage capabilities in Port Moresby and support increasing shipping activity associated with PNG's growing economy.
Pacific Responder is one of two new-build tugs commissioned by PacTow under a PGK70 million investment in its fleet. The second vessel, Pacific Resolute, is currently en route to PNG.
With bollard pulls of 70 tonnes and 67 tonnes respectively, the two vessels will be the most powerful tugs in PacTow's fleet.
Steamships Marine Logistics general manager Alistair Skingley said the investment represented a significant commitment to strengthening the company's marine services and supporting the future requirements of PNG's shipping industry.
"An investment of PGK70 million in these two harbour towage tugs is a significant commitment by Steamships to Pacific Towing, our customers and the future of Papua New Guinea's maritime industry," Skingley said.
"Pacific Responder and Pacific Resolute will give PacTow greater capacity to support shipping companies operating in PNG, including those bringing larger vessels into our ports. They will also strengthen the reliability, safety and range of towage services we can provide to our customers."
He said the introduction of the vessels would also create opportunities for ongoing training and capability development among PNG's maritime workforce.
"This investment ensures PacTow remains well positioned to support PNG's ports and shipping industry as trade volumes and vessel sizes continue to grow," Skingley said.
The fleet expansion forms part of Steamships' broader investment in maritime services and infrastructure to support the country's growing shipping and trade requirements.
