Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a contract to provide a new support boat for the Lithuanian Navy.
The deal is for the company’s proprietary 3010 system of the azimuth stern drive (ASD) family of tugs.
Work for the 10.8-million-euro ($11.8 million) project will run for nine months.
Vilnius noted that the 3010 will serve as the first support ship procured in a new condition to complement the navy’s missions.
Previous projects involved the purchase of used or older vessels from NATO partners later reconfigured for the service’s evolving requirements.
“Acquisition of the harbor tugboat strengthens Lithuania’s position as a maritime country and supplements the capabilities the Navy needs,” Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas stated.
Lithuanian Naval Fleet Commander Rear Admr. Giedrius Premeneckas added that “the acquired harbor tug will significantly improve the ability of the Lithuanian Navy to implement its different objectives.”
The ASD Tugboat
Damen’s ASD tugboat offers a large deck for various support tasks. The ship is available in seven different variants but can be modified depending on user requirements.
The ASD configuration measures 18.2 to 32.7 meters (59.7 to 107.2 feet) and has a fuel capacity of up to 148.3 cubic meters (39,176 gallons).
The vessel can accommodate up to 10 personnel and haul a maximum weight of approximately 80 tons.
Recent Lithuanian Military Projects
Lithuania has launched other initiatives to boost its armed forces’ capability amidst growing tensions on NATO’s eastern flank.
The government partnered with Poland in August to jointly procure short-range air defense systems, part of which will be distributed to the frontlines in Ukraine.
In July, Lithuania ordered $123 million worth of mobile short-range air defense weapons from Saab. Vilnius accepted Bolide missiles for the platform the same month.
In May, the Baltic country revealed its plan to integrate Germany’s IRIS-T medium-range missile for its own air defense assets after the warhead’s effects were observed in Kyiv’s conflict with Russia.
Simultaneously, the nation accepted the latest tranche of Javelin medium-range anti-tank systems from the US as part of a $16.6-million contract.