The 'Abeille Bourbon' has just changed its name. The tug, based in Brest, has been renamed 'VB Abeille Bretagne. The new name of this tug, which ensures the safety of the entire Atlantic coast, and in particular the Ouessant rail, was inaugurated on May 22, 2025,. VB are the initials of Vicente Boluda, president of the Spanish Boluda group, the owner of the tug since June 2024. "Bourbon" referred to the previous owner, which the group has decided to change. Report with photo: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/societe/a-brest-le-remorqueur-abeille-bourbon-devient-officiellement-vb-abeille-bretagne-5327232
News
HULK
Sold/Decommissioned
Just a few days after the tugs "Bülk" and "Kitzeberg" were put up for sale, there were interested buyers from abroad. The "Bülk" has already left Kiel and has berthed at a shipyard in Assens on May 5, 2025. The buyer is the shipping company Oceanteam from Trieste. They have already renamed the tug "Hulk." Many of their approximately 50 tugs were built or operated in Germany before. The shipping company operates in northern Italy, Slovenia, and Montenegro. The "Kitzeberg" found a potential buyer from Tanzania who are plannign to operate the tug in West Africa under the name "Kitzeberg." The buyer was awarded the contract on May 19.
ARATERE
Sold/Decommissioned
KiwiRail has confirmed that the 'Aratere' will be retiring no later than Aug 30 after it was revealed at the end of April that the ferry would be pulled from service on the Cook Strait this year, to make way for the required Picton port re-development in preparation for the two brand-new Cook Strait ferries arriving in 2029. Work on Picton wharf could begin as soon as October, and no later than March 2026. The vessel, which had served the Cook Strait since 1999, required specific loading and unloading infrastructure so it could not use the other Interislander wharf in Picton. KiwiRail has talked to customers and has confirmed a new two-ship timetable and coordinating rail timetable, as well as developing a plan for road bridging during the transition to the new rail-enabled ships. More than 2200 passenger bookings have now been transferred from the 'Aratere' to the 'Kaitaki' and 'Kaiārahi'. If replacement bookings do not suit customers, they can change their booking without any change fee or receive a full refund. Holders of more than 2500 passenger bookings affected by a change in departure time with the move to the new two-ship timetable have also been notified of their new departure time. Freight customers will be contacted from May 20 to lock in their freight requirements.
