Abu Dhabi Marine Services (Safeen), an Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiary, has purchased two new tugboats from the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group.

The purchase is part of the AED10bn ($2.7bn) expansion initiative of Khalifa Port.

MEED understands the tugboats will support vessel movements at Khalifa Port’s container terminal as well as the berth dedicated for bauxite shipment destined for Emirates Global Aluminium’s smelter in Al-Taweelah.

Pascal Slingerland, regional sales director for Damen Shipyards Group, said they are confident Safeen’s fleet will be able to handle port operations "for all kinds and sizes of vessels including the world’s largest 400-metre container vessels with 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) capacity.”

Safeen is responsible for pilotage, mooring, vessel handing and towage at Abu Dhabi Ports. The two Damen ASD 2411 tugboats will join its 12 active harbour tugs.

Abu Dhabi Terminals manages Khalifa Port’s Terminal 1 while a Chinese/Abu Dhabi joint venture - Cosco Shipping Port Limited (CSPL) - will be managing the under-construction second container terminal at the port.

Local firm National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) recently won the marine works contract for the second terminal at Khalifa Port.

The contract covers the construction of a 3 kilometre quay wall in addition to deepening the port’s main channel and basin. NMDC was already working on the preparatory works for the project.