The only tug owned by Smit Tak (Valletta) Ltd which was set up on Tuesday 3rd March, 1987 was the 1976 built tug SMIT FLORIANA.
She was launched in February 1976 and delivered July 1976 by Mitsui Ocean Development & Eng. Co., Ltd. at Tokushima, Japan as yard number S-071 and named F 32 for Compania Dragados Internacionales SA (Van Hattum & Blankevoort) ,Panama. In 1985 she was bought by Smit International (Smit Middle East – Bahrain) and renamed SMIT FALCON wearing Smit Tak Colours. In 1987 she entered Grand Harbour, Malta and few days later she was renamed to SMIT FLORIANA berthing at Timber Wharf.
She was 34.80 metres long with 9.22 metres wide and 3.99 metres draught with radio callsign as 9H 2575. She had 2 x 4SA 6 cylinder Niigata type 6MG25BX diesel engines, 2,500 bhp with maximum speed of 11.5 knots. In 1991 ownership was changed to Smit Tak BV (Naviera Armamex S.A.de C.V. and she left Malta forever bound to Dos Bocas, Mexico.
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Published – Wednesday 27th January 2021.