Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Corpetrolsa Group of Guayaquil, Ecuador, for the supply of three tugs.

The deal includes one Stan Tug 1205 and two Stan Tugs 1606. The tugs will be operated by Corpetrolsa subsidiary DLEN to support its bunkering operation, said a statement from the company.

Corpetrolsa Group operates its own fleet of tankers in the 2,000 to 7,000 DWT range and the three new tugs will be used to assist them in the Ecuadorean ports of Esmeraldas and La Libertad, it said.

The vessels were already in stock at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem and will be supplied in their standard format without modifications.

In all, the time from first contact to the signing of contract was no more than two months, with the delivery of the vessels to just an additional two months, it added.

Vicente Bustos, general manager, Corpetrolsa Group, said: “These are the first tugs that we have owned, and we chose Damen as our supplier based on their strong reputation in the world of tugs.”

“Also the quality is good, the price is right, and they will provide a safe operating environment for our employees,” he said.

“As we previously hired tug service providers to manoeuvre our tankers this deal will actually save us money in the long term,” he added.

Marnix Brouwer, sales manager Latin America, Damen Shipyards Group, said: “This has been a very quick and amiable process that began with an online enquiry and it has been a pleasure to work with Corpetrolsa Group and to be able to meet their needs in such a timely fashion.”

“We look forward to supporting them in the development of their business in the future,” he said.

Bustos added: “Ecuador is modernising rapidly as a country, and in order to do this we need the best technology to the highest standards available.”

“These new tugs will be in tune with that drive to achieve our goals,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service