OREANDA-NEWS. February 28, 2011. Port "Pivdennyi" at its own expenses has bought the tug, which has no analogues on the Black Sea. The raising of the flag of Ukraine on the tow reinforced ice-breaking class “Eugene Yakovtsev” had place. The first similar ship was sanctified and began its operations on servicing the largest ships December 2010.

"The use of such ship-handling tug increases the security level and meets global market requirements for renewal of such Capesize ships in port "Pivdennyi", the Chairman of Ukrmorrichflot Serhiy Kryzhanovskiy said.

It should be noted that the main feature is the use of vehicles of azimuth principle of movement that provides high manoeuvrability and performance. In addition, the tugs could be used as a fire ship.

Tug has 4.2 thousand horsepower engines capacity, and traction capacity of 50 tons. Length of vessels - 28 meters, width - 10. Purchase cost of tugs by the port made 20 million Euros and expected profit is 4 million per year.

Vessels are built in the Romanian city of Galati in shipyard company "Damen Shipyards" without recourse of loans or budget.

Ships are named after distinguished dockers who have made outstanding contribution to the "Pivdennyi" development - Evgen Yakovtsev and Gennady Saveliev.