Kongsberg Maritime has signed an Extended Thruster Coverage  agreement with KOTUG International to provide long-term propulsion service support for five newbuild Azimuth Stern Drive tugs. The vessels are being deployed for offshore terminal operations in West Africa.

The five vessels share a common configuration and will be treated as a single fleet under the agreement. Each tug is equipped with two US255 fixed pitch thrusters supplied by Kongsberg Maritime. The ETC agreement will establish a structured lifecycle support framework.

Extended Thruster Coverage is Kongsberg Maritime’s long-term service concept designed to deliver maximum thruster reliability, availability, and cost predictability throughout the contract period. It is built on an OEM-defined preventive maintenance plan, with condition monitoring applied as a predictive layer. This enables maintenance and component replacement to be based on actual equipment condition, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime and supporting stable, cost-controlled operations at a fixed annual fee.

Since its introduction, the ETC programme has built credibility across the maritime industry, demonstrating its ability to raise maintenance standards and reduce operational risk for all vessels operating with Kongsberg Maritime thrusters.

Morten Steffens, Head of Aftermarket Sales, Maintenance, Repair & Operations, Kongsberg Maritime, said: “We are pleased to be supporting KOTUG International on this fleet of LNG terminal tugs. These are demanding operational environments where reliability and availability are critical, and ETC is designed precisely to deliver that. This agreement demonstrates that the model is proving its value and that the concept gains traction in the broader maritime industry to enhance cost control and predictability.”

Marcel van Meel, Corporate Technical Manager, KOTUG International: “Our customers depend on us to deliver safe, reliable, and uninterrupted operations every day. This agreement with Kongsberg Maritime supports that commitment by providing a proactive maintenance approach that maximises vessel availability and reduces operational risk. It is an important step in ensuring the long-term performance of this fleet.”

KOTUG International is an established operator in the global towage market. With the company now operating ASD vessels fitted with Kongsberg Maritime thrusters, the ETC agreement represents the start of a structured long-term service relationship between the two organisations.