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Santiago, May 31, 2019. SAAM signed an agreement with the Turkish shipyard Med Marine to buy the high-tech tug SAAM Itza in order to reinforce its fleet at the Guatemalan port of Quetzal.

The new tug, which is in the final construction phase and will be delivered in July, will begin operating in early September and replace the SAAM Amazonas.

The new, high-powered tug, will meet requirements set by Quetzal port authorities (Empresa Portuaria Quetzal) in its contract with SAAM for berthing and deberthing services.

“This is one more example of the agility and technological advancements with which the company’s towage division is upgrading its fleet, thanks to dedicated vessel selection,” commented the Technical Manager of SAAM’s Towage Division, Pablo Cáceres. “The equipment, technology and dimensions of the SAAM Itza make it especially suitable for operating in a port with restricted space, such as Quetzal,” he added.

With 23 meters in beam and Rolls Royce US205 FP azimuth thrusters, the new tug has a bollard pull capacity of 60 tons. It will be used to support the work of SAAM America, one of the company’s first azimuth tugs in Central America, along the coasts of Guatemala.

[quote style=”style-1″]The new tug will begin operating in September of this year and will be used for vessel berthing and deberthing maneuvers.[/quote]

SAAM is a multinational corporation providing services for international trade through its three divisions: Port Terminals, Towage and Logistics.

With 57 years in business, SAAM has operations in 12 countries in North, Central and South America, creating jobs for more than 7 thousand employees.

It is one of the leading operators of port and towage services on the continent.