SAAM Towage christened the 80-tonne bollard pull SAAM Petrel at Arica on September 29, marking the first IMO Tier III-certified tugboat in its Chilean fleet and the latest addition to a regional fleet renewal program spanning South American terminals.

The ceremony at the northern Chilean port gathered local authorities, port community representatives, and SAAM employees, with longtime team member Jenny Muñoz — 25 years with the company — serving as the vessel's godmother and breaking a bottle against the hull in maritime tradition.

What does Tier III certification change for Arica berthings?

IMO Tier III enforces the strictest nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission thresholds for marine engines operating in designated emission control areas, cutting NOx output by roughly 70% compared with Tier I baselines. For Arica, where the Petrel will support ship berthing and unberthing maneuvers, that means the port's harbor assist capacity now comes backed by cleaner-burning propulsion without sacrificing pulling power.

Who built the Petrel?

The tug was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver and constructed at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey. SAAM kept its naming convention of drawing from the marine life local to each vessel's operating waters; the petrel is a seabird native to Chile's coastline. The 80-tonne bollard pull puts the Petrel in the mid-heavy harbor assist class — sufficient for the containership, bulk carrier, and reefer mix that calls at Arica on the Pacific.

What did SAAM's leadership say?

SAAM CEO Hernán Gómez framed the christening around the operator's commercial mission: "The christening of the Petrel truly embodies our purpose as a company: driving sustainable global trade that fosters development and well-being for all. Investing in these capabilities enables us to keep connecting Chile to the world through services that are increasingly efficient, reliable, and environmentally responsible."

Javiera Hevia, SAAM Towage's Southern Cone Cluster Manager, stressed the operational angle: "Experiencing this tradition in Arica alongside authorities and our people is a great source of pride. The Petrel not only brings cutting-edge technology to swiftly meet customer demands, but it also reflects our crews' day-to-day commitment to operating under the highest safety standards."

How does this fit SAAM's wider fleet program?

The Petrel is the newest vessel in SAAM Towage's regional fleet renewal initiative, which has been adding Tier III-ready tugs across the company's South American terminals over the past several years. Arica handles a mix of Bolivian transit cargo, Chilean mining exports, and containerized imports, and reliable berthing windows are a commercial prerequisite for carriers scheduling those calls.

What shippers and carriers should watch next?

For liner services calling Arica, the Petrel reduces the risk that emission compliance windows — tightened progressively in Chilean and broader Pacific port-state enforcement — will force older tugs out of the rotation during peak calls. SAAM's continued investment in Tier III capacity points to a fleet-wide transition that should keep Arica's harbor assist competitive as environmental scrutiny on port emissions intensifies through the rest of the decade.