Les
Abeilles, created in 1864, is contracted by Marine National for rapid response
rescue and anti-pollution interventions. The
company has carried out more than 200 successful maritime rescue operations
over the last 20 years.
This
acquisition will enhance Boluda Towage’s capacity to act in case of offshore
spills, with highly qualified equipment and state-of-the-art technology. The Spanish firm will also increase its
position as a new player in the offshore wind market, supporting the
construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
The
company will add a total of six vessels to its fleet – four tugs, one
multipurpose vessel, and one AHTS tug.
Three of
the tugs, the Abeille Bourbon, the Abeille Liberté, and the Abeille Normandie, are based on the coasts of the English
Channel while the Abeille Méditerranée is based
in Toulon. The other two vessels to be incorporated are the multipurpose
vessel Jason and the AHTS tug Abeille Horizon.
Boluda
Towage France will take over the management, shore staff, and crews of Les Abeilles
which consist of over a hundred professionals.
In under two weeks, the Spanish firm bought two
companies. Recently, Boluda Towage bought the UK-based SMS Towage and its fleet of 20 tugs.