GLEN class tug boat

Major milestone achieved in the Royal Canadian Navy’s auxiliary fleet renewal

RCN Public Affairs, 09 October 2020.

After 45 years of dependable and steady service, the RCN’s GLEN class tugs will soon be replaced. Their replacement fleet has progressed from drawings and ideas into reality. On September 18, steel was cut for the Naval Large Tug Project, signaling the start of construction.

A heartfelt thanks goes out to the many stakeholders who helped the project team with technical, financial, and management support throughout the project. Truly a team effort, particularly during the unprecedented times of COVID, without which this milestone would not have been achieved.

In April of 2019, a contract was awarded to Industries Ocean Inc. in Quebec to build four new Naval Large Tugs for the RCN. Industries Ocean Inc. selected the RAmparts 2400sx, a 24.4-metre azimuthing stern drive tug, with a maximum 60-tonne bollard pull, for the build. This tug is a Canadian design from Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver.

Since the contract award, the project team has finalized the design with Industries Ocean, completing two design reviews, and this past week was rewarded with seeing steel cut in Hamilton, Ontario. The cut plates will be shipped to Ocean Industries’ Quebec facilities to begin assembly of the first tug starting later this Fall.

The first tug launch will be in the Fall of 2021 with the delivery of the first two tugs to Esquimalt in 2022. The remaining two tugs will follow into service in the MARLANT fleet in 2023.

GLEN class tugs
GLEN class tugs
Share

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *