Emergency tow vessel
Encyclopedia
An emergency tow vessel, also called emergency towing vessel, (ETV) is a multi purpose boat used by state authorities to tow disabled vessels on high seas in order to prevent dangers to man and environment. The disabled vessel is either towed to a safe haven or kept in place against wind and current until commercial assistance by tug boats has arrived on site or until it has been repaired to the extent of being able to manoeuvre on its own. The need for ETVs as a preventive measure has arisen since the number of available commercial salvage tug
s was reduced while potential dangers from individual vessels have increased. E.g. Spain
has fourteen, Germany
operates eight, Norway
has seven, France
has five, Sweden
three and the Netherlands
, Poland
, South Africa
, Iceland
and Finland
each have one official emergency tug boat. Australia also operates emergency response vessels. The United Kingdom
's four strong ETV fleet was to be disbanded in September 2011 due to budget cuts but the two vessels operating in Scottish waters received an extension of contract until the end of 2011.
s and general cargo vessels are not required to have a specialized emergency towing arrangement. Depending on the vessel's type and keel laid date, in accordance with the MSC256(84) standard they must have on board an emergency towing procedure manual. This ship-specific manual describes procedures that will allow the vessel to be towed using its own equipment. The procedure should make use of the standard mooring equipment like mooring ropes, bits, rollers and panama chock.
. The vessel can be used for emergency towing, fire-fighting, icebreaking, mine-laying and for combat oil/chemical spills, and other rescue operations. The vessel has a bollard pull of 60 t. YAG Louhi is based at the Port of Upinniemi
approximately 40 km west of Helsinki
in the Archipelago Sea
.
For assistance and salvage, 5 ocean-going tugs and their crews are ready to respond around-the-clock
The tugs are chartered by the French government and manned by a crew of merchant marine seamen. France also shares funding of the Dover
based British ETV.
despite a considerably smaller area to cover there. Equipment and performance of the vessels have been adapted to the size of the vessels in the respective areas of operation and include the ability to operate in shallow waters. Moreover it is mandatory to have one vessel with 200 t of bollard pull and 100 t each in the North Sea and Baltic respectively. Both ship types are also required to be able to operate under hazardous conditions such as explosive areas and gas leaks.
Four out of the eight German ETVs are multi purpose vessels owned by the Federal Water and Shipping Administration while another four have been chartered from tug companies. Since 2001 a cooperation agreement with the Netherlands comprises the Dutch ETV and the German Nordic (successor to ETV Oceanic).
Current fleet:
North Sea
Baltic Sea
has the ICGV Þór. With a bollard pull of about 110 tonnes it has been specified so, that in case of emergency the new Icelandic Coast Guard
vessel will be able to tow stricken tankers of up to about 200,000 dwt
.
operates one ETV on charter. As of June 2010, the anchor handling tug Ievoli Black, bollard pull of 120 t, has been contracted. She is based in Den Helder
and manned by a crew of Svitzer Wijsmuller. The former ETV Waker was damaged by a fire and scrapped.
The Norwegian Coast Guard
owns three Barentshav class OPV
multi-purpose vessels and operates another multi-purpose vessel named NoCGV Harstad
on charter. Their main purpose is the prevention of pollution by oil tankers along the Norwegian coastline. Therefore the ships can also used be used in the ETV role with a bollard pull exceeding 100 tonnes.
Norway also charters the following tugs:
.
has a total of 14 multi-purpose vessels for search and rescue
and pollution prevention
duties.
operates three EVT's. Built by Damen
, these multifunctional patrol and emergency response vessels have a bollard pull of 110 tons.
(MCA) for use in pollution control and towing vessels that are in difficulty. The vessels are a combination of tugboat
, anchor handler, fireboat
and buoy tender.
As of 2010, four ETVs, Anglian Prince, Anglian Princess, Anglian Sovereign
and Anglian Monarch, were based in strategic locations around the UK, with two covering the south coast of England, at Falmouth
in Cornwall
and Dover
in Kent
, and two in Scottish waters, at Stornoway
the Western Isles (the Outer Hebrides), and Lerwick
in the Northern Isles
(Shetland and Orkney). The four strong ETV fleet was intended to be operational 24 hours a day 365 days a year and maintained at 30 minutes readiness to sail, with one tug is allocated to each of the four operating areas on a rotational basis, worked around maintenance schedules. The Dover station was funded jointly with French maritime authorities. A fifth tug, the Anglian Earl, was an anchorhandling and salvage tug regularly used on commercial work, but also fitted the ETV criteria, and acted as cover for any of the four ETV stations as and when required.
In 2010, the Government announced as part of the Department for Transport
's share of cuts in the Comprehensive Spending Review, that the ETV fleet would be no longer be funded by the MCA from September 2011, saving £32.5m over the Spending Review period. The Department stated that "state provision of ETVs does not represent a correct use of taxpayers money and that ship salvage should be a commercial matter between a ship's operator and the salvor".
On 30 September 2011 it was however announced that the two ETVs operating in the Minch
and the Shetland Islands
received a moratorium of three months with an interim funding by the United Kingdom's government.
Salvage tug
A salvage tug is a specialized type of tugboat which is used to rescue or marine salvage ships which are in distress or in danger of sinking, or which have already sunk or run aground....
s was reduced while potential dangers from individual vessels have increased. E.g. Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
has fourteen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
operates eight, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
has seven, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
has five, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
three and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
each have one official emergency tug boat. Australia also operates emergency response vessels. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's four strong ETV fleet was to be disbanded in September 2011 due to budget cuts but the two vessels operating in Scottish waters received an extension of contract until the end of 2011.
External requirements
Distressed vessels that request the service of towing vessels have means to make towing as safe as possible. Oil tankers have emergency towing equipment fixed at the forward and aft part of the vessel that will allow to connect the towing line. The connection of these apparatuses to the vessel's hull is reinforced according with class requirements. Bulk carrierBulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
s and general cargo vessels are not required to have a specialized emergency towing arrangement. Depending on the vessel's type and keel laid date, in accordance with the MSC256(84) standard they must have on board an emergency towing procedure manual. This ship-specific manual describes procedures that will allow the vessel to be towed using its own equipment. The procedure should make use of the standard mooring equipment like mooring ropes, bits, rollers and panama chock.
Finland
The Ministry of the Environment operates the LouhiLouhi (2011)
Louhi is a Finnish multipurpose oil and chemical spill response vessel owned by the Finnish Environment Institute , but manned and operated by the Finnish Navy...
. The vessel can be used for emergency towing, fire-fighting, icebreaking, mine-laying and for combat oil/chemical spills, and other rescue operations. The vessel has a bollard pull of 60 t. YAG Louhi is based at the Port of Upinniemi
Upinniemi
Upinniemi is a village in the municipality of Kirkkonummi in southern Finland. It is located approximately 12 km south of the municipal centre....
approximately 40 km west of Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in the Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters...
.
France
- Abeille BourbonAbeille BourbonThe Abeille Bourbon is a high seas emergency tow vessel , 80 metres long with a tractive power of , a crew of 12, designed by Norwegian naval architect Sigmund Borgundvaag. It was baptised by Bernadette Chirac on 13 April 2005 in the presence of its sponsor Jacques de Chateauvieux...
: based in BrestBrest, FranceBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, bollard pull of 200 tons. - Abeille LibertéAbeille LibertéThe Abeille Liberté is a salvage tug based in Cherbourg, France. It is a sister ship of Abeille Bourbon.It was built at the Myklebust Verft shipyard in Norway, which is part of the Kleven Maritime group. It was delivered in October 2005 and officially inaugurated on 17 November 2005.Abeille Liberté...
: based in Cherbourg, bollard pull of 200 tons. - Abeille FlandreAbeille FlandreThe Abeille Flandre is a high sea tug of the French Navy. She is the property of the French private company Abeilles International, and had been operated by the French Navy since December 1979....
: based in ToulonToulonToulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, bollard pull of 160 tons. - Abeille Languedoc: based in La RochelleLa RochelleLa Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, bollard pull of 160 tons. - Jason: based in ToulonToulonToulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, bollard pull of 124.2 tons.
The tugs are chartered by the French government and manned by a crew of merchant marine seamen. France also shares funding of the Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
based British ETV.
Germany
The German concept of emergency towing prescribes a maximum response time of two hours for any incident in German coastal waters. This requires three ETVs in the North Sea and five in the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
despite a considerably smaller area to cover there. Equipment and performance of the vessels have been adapted to the size of the vessels in the respective areas of operation and include the ability to operate in shallow waters. Moreover it is mandatory to have one vessel with 200 t of bollard pull and 100 t each in the North Sea and Baltic respectively. Both ship types are also required to be able to operate under hazardous conditions such as explosive areas and gas leaks.
Four out of the eight German ETVs are multi purpose vessels owned by the Federal Water and Shipping Administration while another four have been chartered from tug companies. Since 2001 a cooperation agreement with the Netherlands comprises the Dutch ETV and the German Nordic (successor to ETV Oceanic).
Current fleet:
North Sea
- NordicNordic (tug)The Nordic is a German emergency tow vessel stationed on an offshore position north of the East Frisian island of Norderney. It is the most powerful tugboat in German waters.-Construction and commissioning:...
: operating off the East Frisian IslandsEast Frisian IslandsThe East Frisian Islands are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 km offshore...
while based in Cuxhaven, bollard pull of 201 t - Mellum: 5 nmi (9.3 km) southwest off HeligolandHeligolandHeligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
, bollard pull of 100 t - Neuwerk: 5 nmi (9.3 km) southwest off Süderoogsand (NordfrieslandNordfrieslandNordfriesland, English "Northern Friesland" or "North Frisia", is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It includes almost all of traditional North Frisia along with adjacent areas to the east and south and is bounded by the districts of Schleswig-Flensburg and Dithmarschen, the North Sea and...
), bollard pull of 113 t
- Bülk: Kiel FjordKiel FjordKiel Fjord is an approximately long fjord or firth of the Baltic Sea along the shores of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Formed by glacial movement during the last Ice Age, it lies between the Danish Wold and Wagria. It originates at the Hörn in centre-city Kiel and merges into the Bay of Kiel.The...
, bollard pull of 40 t - Scharhörn: Hohwacht BayHohwacht BayHohwacht Bay is a wide bay in the state of Schleswig-Holstein on Germany's Baltic Sea coastline. It is named after the village and seaside resort of Hohwacht. The nearest large town is Oldenburg in Holstein, about 5 kilometres inland...
(between Kiel and FehmarnFehmarnFehmarn is an island and - since 2003 - a town on this island in the Baltic Sea, off the eastern coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and ca. 18 kilometers south of the Danish island of Lolland...
), bollard pull of 40 t - BalticBaltic (tug)The Baltic is a German emergency tow vessel commissioned in 2010.The vessel which was built in Spain by Astilleros Armon is owned by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Küstenschutz of Germany, a consortium of tugboat companies. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development of Germany has...
: WarnemündeWarnemündeWarnemünde is a sea resort and northmost district of Rostock in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, situated on the Baltic Sea in the northeast of Germany at the estuary of the river Warnow.- History :...
, over 100 t of bollard pull. - Arkona: StralsundStralsund- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
, bollard pull of 40 t - Fairplay 25: SassnitzSassnitzSassnitz is a town on the Jasmund peninsula, Rügen Island, in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The population as of 2007 was 10,747....
, RügenRügenRügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
, bollard pull of 65 t
Iceland
IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
has the ICGV Þór. With a bollard pull of about 110 tonnes it has been specified so, that in case of emergency the new Icelandic Coast Guard
Icelandic Coast Guard
The Icelandic Coast Guard is the service responsible for Iceland's coastal defense and maritime and aeronautical search and rescue. Origins of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be traced to 1859, when the corvette Ørnen started patrolling Icelandic waters...
vessel will be able to tow stricken tankers of up to about 200,000 dwt
Deadweight tonnage
Deadweight tonnage is a measure of how much weight a ship is carrying or can safely carry. It is the sum of the weights of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water, provisions, passengers, and crew...
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands CoastguardNetherlands Coastguard
The Netherlands Coastguard or Nederlandse Kustwacht is a national organisation responsible for various services along the Netherlands' coast line ....
operates one ETV on charter. As of June 2010, the anchor handling tug Ievoli Black, bollard pull of 120 t, has been contracted. She is based in Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
and manned by a crew of Svitzer Wijsmuller. The former ETV Waker was damaged by a fire and scrapped.
Norway
Norwegian Coast Guard
The Norwegian Coast Guard, or Kystvakten in Norwegian, is a military force and part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, but has separate vessels, many of which are purpose-built. All coast guard vessels have the prefix KV. Four of these vessels are capable of embarking one or more helicopters...
owns three Barentshav class OPV
Barentshav class OPV
The Barentshav class of offshore patrol vessels will consist of three vessels powered by liquefied natural gas. Ordered for the Norwegian Coast Guard, their main tasks will be EEZ patrol, fishery inspection, search and rescue as well as tug readiness along the shore of Norway which is seeing...
multi-purpose vessels and operates another multi-purpose vessel named NoCGV Harstad
NoCGV Harstad
NoCGV Harstad is a purpose-built offshore patrol vessel for the Norwegian Coast Guard. She is named after the city Harstad in Northern Norway....
on charter. Their main purpose is the prevention of pollution by oil tankers along the Norwegian coastline. Therefore the ships can also used be used in the ETV role with a bollard pull exceeding 100 tonnes.
Norway also charters the following tugs:
- Beta, bollard pull of 118 t
- Normand Jarl, bollard pull of 150 t
- north Crusader, bollard pull of 144 t
Poland
The Polish Ministry of Transport has organised a marine pollution-combatting service in Poland. It operates one ETV on charter, the tug Kapitan Poinc, bollard pull of 74 t.South Africa
The tug Smit Amandla (bollard pull of 181 t) has been contracted for emergency towing. She is based in the port of Cape TownPort of Cape Town
The Port of Cape Town is the port of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated in Table Bay.Because of its position along one of the world's busiest trade routes it is one of the busiest ports in South Africa, handling the largest amount of fresh fruit and second only to Durban as a...
.
Spain
The Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad MarítimaSociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima
The Spanish Maritime Safety Agency, in spanish: Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima also known as SASEMAR or Salvamento Marítimo is a sea search and rescue organisation, that operates in Spain.Is the body in charge of maritime traffic control, safety and rescue operations, as well as...
has a total of 14 multi-purpose vessels for search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
and pollution prevention
Pollution prevention
Pollution prevention ' describes activities that reduce the amount of pollution generated by a process, whether it is consumer consumption, driving, or industrial production...
duties.
- Don Inda Class - 2 sister ETV's based on Ulstein's UT722L design (bollard pull of 228 t.)
- Luz de Mar Class - 2 sister ETV's (bollard pull of 128 t.)
- María de Maeztu Class - 7 sister ETV's (bollard pull of 60 t.)
- Alonso de Chaves - (bollard pull of 105 t.)
- Punta Salinas - (bollard pull of 97 t.)
- Punta Mayor - (bollard pull of 81 t.)
Sweden
The Swedish Coast GuardSwedish Coast Guard
The Swedish Coast Guard is a Swedish civilian government agency tasked with:* maritime surveillance and other control and inspection tasks as well as environmental cleanup after oil spills at sea....
operates three EVT's. Built by Damen
Damen Group
Damen is a Dutch shipbuilding company which was founded in 1927 by Jan and Marinus Damen in a self-built workshop. In 1954 their 200th ship was delivered.-History:...
, these multifunctional patrol and emergency response vessels have a bollard pull of 110 tons.
United Kingdom
Britain's ETV vessels are chartered by the Maritime and Coastguard AgencyMaritime and Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is a UK executive agency working to prevent the loss of lives at sea and is responsible for implementing British and International maritime law and safety policy.This involves coordinating search and rescue at sea through Her Majesty's Coastguard , ensuring that...
(MCA) for use in pollution control and towing vessels that are in difficulty. The vessels are a combination of tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
, anchor handler, fireboat
Fireboat
A fireboat is a specialized watercraft and with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipment....
and buoy tender.
As of 2010, four ETVs, Anglian Prince, Anglian Princess, Anglian Sovereign
Anglian Sovereign
The Anglian Sovereign is a large sea-going tugboat based in Lerwick on the Shetland Islands of the United Kingdom.The vessel is powered by z-drives and was christened on 27 August 2003. Anglian Sovereign is owned by JP Knight which purchased the initial owner Klyne Tugs of Lowestoft in 2007...
and Anglian Monarch, were based in strategic locations around the UK, with two covering the south coast of England, at Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and two in Scottish waters, at Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
the Western Isles (the Outer Hebrides), and Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
in the Northern Isles
Northern Isles
The Northern Isles is a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The climate is cool and temperate and much influenced by the surrounding seas. There are two main island groups: Shetland and Orkney...
(Shetland and Orkney). The four strong ETV fleet was intended to be operational 24 hours a day 365 days a year and maintained at 30 minutes readiness to sail, with one tug is allocated to each of the four operating areas on a rotational basis, worked around maintenance schedules. The Dover station was funded jointly with French maritime authorities. A fifth tug, the Anglian Earl, was an anchorhandling and salvage tug regularly used on commercial work, but also fitted the ETV criteria, and acted as cover for any of the four ETV stations as and when required.
In 2010, the Government announced as part of the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
's share of cuts in the Comprehensive Spending Review, that the ETV fleet would be no longer be funded by the MCA from September 2011, saving £32.5m over the Spending Review period. The Department stated that "state provision of ETVs does not represent a correct use of taxpayers money and that ship salvage should be a commercial matter between a ship's operator and the salvor".
On 30 September 2011 it was however announced that the two ETVs operating in the Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
and the Shetland Islands
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
received a moratorium of three months with an interim funding by the United Kingdom's government.