Our brand new $15m tug has a name: Tug Ōtepoti.

Port Otago has a habit of giving new marine fleet vessels the name of historical predecessors. There have been two New Era dredges, two Otago tugs and a pilot launch and tug that were both named Taiaroa.

Fast forward to 2025 and our new 70-tonne Damen ASD 2312 tug. In the reflective spirit of Port Otago's 150-year anniversary, it felt right to bring forth a name from the company’s history. Tug Ōtepoti is named after the Otago Harbour Board’s Tug Dunedin, launched 111 years ago. Ōtepoti is the Māori name for the upper harbour area where Dunedin city was developed and, when our CE had a chat with Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou Upoko Edward Ellison, they thought using the Te Reo version was appropriate.

The original Tug Dunedin was steam-powered and unfortunately “blew her boiler” - so spectacularly that she was condemned and eventually sunk by the USS Mills, which used her as target practice fodder in 1964. Tug Ōtepoti should fare better, given she has no boiler to blow to pieces. She is instead powered by the latest Caterpillar 3512 engines.

Tug Ōtepoti’s build in Damen's Changde shipyard (China) is now complete and she leaves for Port Chalmers in about a week.