Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence has inaugurated a Dutch-made support tugboat into the naval service in Klaipėda.
The vessel, developed by Damen Naval, is based on the company’s proprietary azimuth stern drive 3010 hull design offered for harbor and portway operations.
The deal for the ship’s construction was awarded in August 2024 and is valued at 10.8 million euros ($12.1 million).
A recent ceremony was attended by Lithuanian defense agency representatives, the navy leadership, and the tugboat’s sponsor.
Named “Lokys,” or as “bear,” the tugboat received the official designation of “LNS H-24.”
“The geographical positioning and importance for economic, as well as our national security interests, cannot be overstated, therefore we must dedicate due attention and resources to the Lithuanian Navy,” Vice Defence Minister Karolis Aleksa remarked at the event.
“We can see and we perceive clearly the threats, therefore we are developing maritime capabilities and continue to do so, while this brand new H-24 harbor tugboat is just one example of it.”
The Lokys System
Lithuania’s Lokys tugboat measures 30 meters (98 feet) in length and weighs more than 300 tons (272,155 kilograms).
It is fitted with modules for rescue, maritime resource protection, and firefighting tasks.
The vessel is operated by a crew of eight, and sails at up to 13 knots (24 kilometers/15 miles per hour).
More Naval Vessels
Lithuania’s tugboat adoption followed the country’s procurement of two multi-purpose attack craft from Finland in April.
These warships will be used to maintain peace along the Baltic state’s coastlines and areas near the Russian border.
In January, Vilnius unveiled the design of its future Thunder-class patrol boats to be assembled for specialized missions and critical infrastructure protection.
-
-
-
-
-
