New ocean tug for the Navy

On 12 May 2023, the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBwBundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr) awarded the contract for the purchase of the ocean tug “Rota Endurance”.

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Quickly resorting to commercially available or even second-hand solutions to close capability gaps in a timely manner – this is but one of many new approaches currently taken by the Bundeswehr.

By awarding the contract for the purchase of the “Rota Endurance” within a mere six months, the first of two ocean tugs for the German Navy has been successfully procured. The two vessels will replace the more than 50-year-old ocean tugs “Wangerooge”, “Spiekeroog” and “Fehmarn”, whose maintenance will be discontinued for economic reasons.

Before the new tug can be made available to the Navy, the previous shipowner will have to carry out a brief stint of planned maintenance work. Upon completion of this work, the ship is expected to arrive in Kiel in July 2023, where a final inspection will take place and the new crew will be briefed. After that, and as a final measure, the Naval Arsenal in Rostock will make some necessary military adjustments.

The invitation to tender for the procurement of the second ocean tug is already well under way, too.