The French defense procurement agency DGA has awarded French shipbuilder Piriou a contract for the construction of twenty 30-ton tugs for the Marine Nationale (French Navy).
The contract includes fifteen harbor tugs and five coastal tugs, involving a firm order for four units and several optional orders including the related maintenance services.
Chantiers Piriou will build the vessels at its Concarneau site in Brittany, working with its joint venture partner Kership to deliver the project.
These future tugs will be assigned to the naval bases in the French cities of Toulon, Brest, Cherbourg, Fort de France and Papeete. They will have to take charge and support surface vessels and submarines, especially for berthing maneuvers.
The shipbuilder said it would start building the first unit before the end of 2020 for a delivery during the summer 2022, and will deliver four units per year.
The 26-meter tugs will have a bollard pull of 35 tons and will be crewed by four to six mariners.
