FFS has sold one of the towboats

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

After six years in the company's service, FFS Amaranth has been sold to a French shipping company. The boat will now serve in the Mediterranean. The reason for the sale is not a lack of assignments.

- It is never appropriate to sell a boat. But buying and selling boats is part of our business model. The buyer needed a towboat at very short notice, and gave us a very good offer, explains Nilsen, who is now looking for a replacement boat.

FFS AMARANTH was built in 1997, and has been widely used for barge towing, harbor mooring and as an assistance vessel. It is 30 meters long and 9.8 meters wide. The boat has been based in Arendal in recent months.

- Previously, I had a more emotional relationship with the vessels in the fleet. But the company cannot be controlled by emotions. Buying and selling is part of our business philosophy. We want to sell when the market is good and buy when it is a little tighter, says Nilsen.

FFS Amaranth has had a crew of six, who worked in rotation. Four of the employees have been reassigned and have been given jobs on the other towboats.

- PERSONAL THINGS is the negative side of a sale. But as I said, we hope to find a replacement for FFS Amaranth before too long, says Nilsen.

The tugboats have had enough to do so far this year. It has been particularly busy for FFS Arion and FFS Athos, both of which are approved for offshore missions.

- THE MARKET IS pretty good now, but I'm looking forward to the fall. There may be a change in trend, says Nilsen.

In addition to FFS Arion and FFS Athos, FFS Atlas is part of the tugboat fleet. In addition, FFS has two crane vessels, FFS Amon and FFS Argo.