Scotland to get a new emergency tug boat for 2017

Ievoli Black will replace the Herakles as Scotland's emergency tug boat on the 31 December 2016. It follows a campaign to save the service which was threatened by funding cuts

TAGS:

21 December 2016

From the new year, Ievoli Black will replace the Herakles as Scotland’s emergency tug boat.

The announcement comes following a commitment by the UK government to guarantee funding to support maritime safety around the Scottish coast for the next five years.

In 2010, the government announced that funding for the Herakles would end in September 2016 as part of cost cutting measures.

But in July, the Department of Transport said the tug would be funded by the government for another five years.

The 70-metre Ievoli Black is some 2283 gross tonnes and has a bollard pull of 139 tonnes.

The vessel is experienced in emergency towing vehicle (ETV) operations, having served in a similar capacity in the Netherlands from 2010-13.

The Ievoli Black has sailed from its current station in the Adriatic and is currently making its way to the UK in time to relieve the Herakles of its duties by 31 December.

The UK minister of state for maritime, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP, commented: “I welcome the arrival of our new tug-boat. Maritime safety is of the greatest importance to the UK Government.”

“This Scottish ETV will stand ready to support commercial vessels which get into trouble at sea and in doing so, will safeguard the Scottish coastline,” stressed the minister.

 

15 July 2016

Scotland’s coastguard tug, the Herakles is the last of four emergency towing vessels based around the UK coastlines.

The vessels were introduced following the 1993 grounding of the oil tanker, Braer in the Shetland Islands.

The disaster saw 85,000 tonnes of crude oil being spilt off Quendale, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of sea birds.

In 2010, the government announced that funding for the Herakles would end in September 2016 as part of cost cutting measures.

But now, the Department of Transport has announced that the tug will be funded by the government for another five years.

Speaking on 13 July, ahead of Chris Grayling’s appointment to the post, the Transport Minister, Robert Goodwill said there was a “strong case” for supporting the “vital service”.

tug boat in Scotland

“The emergency towing vessel in Scotland saves lives and protects the Scottish coast from damaging pollution,” he said.

“I am delighted to confirm the UK Government has secured its future by providing funding for the next five years. This service is absolutely critical to ensuring emergency services can respond swiftly to incidents off the coast of Scotland,” continued the minister.

“We have taken this decision following extensive consultation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. This is an important measure to ensure maritime safety and pollution prevention measures in the waters around Scotland,” he stressed.

The Orkney-based service was reviewed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

It found that the commercial sector could not reliably meet the needs for a dedicated emergency service around the Scottish coast.

The MCA also consulted local stakeholders, members of the shipping industry and the Scottish government.

The Department of Transport says under the new contract, the MCA would, where possible, look to recover costs of the tug from the shipping industry.

Herakles could also be used for low-risk commercial work.