Hi Max and David, thank you both for the input ind info. I'm sorry for the late reply, I've been away for the weekend since Thursday.

Cheers,
Jens

Hi, Concerning the harbour tugs in Hamburg, I have some information: As far as I know, the biggest and strongest ones are Bugsier 9 & Bugsier 10 (485Gt, pollard pull: 86t).
The biggest and strongest Kotug-tug in Hamburg was RT Rob after all.
Regards, David

Thanks Jens! ah, well, that explains about the Pilots using the ferry pontoon...but that tugs serve the pilots as well seems new to me. Concerning the largest tug, I saw a massive new one, SD DOLPHIN, assisting GEORG MAERSK: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2084092 Might be the newest now... Cheers, Max

Rap? ... sorry, I meant "really":-)

Hi Max, thank you:-)

About the tugs... I must admit I don't know which is Hamburg's biggest one, the newest is Bugsier 7, but I think it isn't larger than Bugsier 5 or 9.
The biggest one could have been Exact between February 2012 and February 2013.

Have you noticed the container building on the parking lot at Bubendey Ufer, Max? That's the temporary pilot station at the moment, the other building is under renovation. That's why tugs and pilot boats drop the pilots at Bubendey...

Last but not least, you got a rap nice photo there:-)

Cheers,
Jens

Good Photo! Seeing how tugs, along with containerships, got much more massive lately, it seems surprising that one of the smaller ones is head tug here. Have you noticed that pilot vessels and tugs regularly head to Bubendey Ufer to drop crew? They didn't do that a while back. Do you know why? Maybe they need more crew to handle the megaboxers. Anyway, it is a good photo opportunity for us, as I could see this week (http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2084000) Regards, Max

Thank you Shaun! A red Hamburg Süd vessel in the sun - always a guarantee for a nice photo:-)

Super shot of another one of the handsome mega boxboats to sail on your Elbe!