Off-the-shelf solution

When ships are older than their crew members and consume huge sums of money in maintenance, it is time for a replacement. As replacements were urgently needed for the salvage and sea tugs, the BAAINBw facilitated the purchase of two used ships - and at the same time expanded the capabilities of the navy.

Almost half a century ago, the Bundeswehr last procured ships via the civilian commercial second-hand market. At that time, the RHÖN-class fuel transporters were purchased for use in the former German Navy, which are still in service today. Now this path has been taken once again and two different ocean-going tugs have been acquired on the civilian-commercial second-hand market, which will perform their service for the German Navy under the names RÜGEN and BORKUM.

This has become necessary because the former salvage and sea tugs FEHMARN, WANGEROOGE and SPIEKEROOG, which were planned and built as military units, have become uneconomical due to their age and disproportionately high maintenance costs. In addition, the