One of the world’s largest maritime services corporations is moving to town.
Last week, Smit Marine Canada announced it will open a tug mooring facility at the Squamish Terminals. The one tug based there will aid the 60 to 80 ships that visit the terminal annually.
All the ships that harbour at Squamish Terminals (ST) require tug assistance, terminal spokesperson Kim Stegeman said. Currently those freighters are accompanied by tugs from Vancouver, she noted.
“It is a long way,” she said of the tugs’ journey. “It is costly for the vessels.”
Having a dedicated harbour towage service in the area is a big step, ST president Ron Anderson said in a statement. Besides the cash savings, the service offers a more efficient option for all deep-sea vessels calling on the terminals, he said.
The tug mooring facility is not exclusive to ST, Stegeman noted.
“There are other marine type business in the sound,” she said.
The tug facility will also serve Port Mellon, Smit Marine Canada president Frans Tjallingii told The Chief. The company is excited to position tugs in Squamish, as it will save fuel costs and be more environmentally friendly, he said, noting some ships that visit Squamish Terminals also stop at Port Mellon.
The company does provide support for the berthing and unberthing of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers. While the company is not a proponent for the proposed Woodfibre LNG export facility tagged for Howe Sound, if the project did go ahead it may open up more opportunities for tug services, Tjallingii said. The Squamish facility is set to open mid-summer.
