HKSTS Wins the Tug of the Year 2025 Award: Charting a Greener Course

(22 May 2025 – Hong Kong) Hongkong Salvage & Towage Services Limited (HKSTS) is proud to announce that its dual-fuel LNG (liquefied natural gas)-diesel electric propulsion standby tug, LNG SENTINEL I, has received the prestigious International Tug & Salvage (ITS) Tug of the Year 2025 Award in Antwerp, Belgium. The award is presented to the owner, designer, and builder of a tug delivered in the last 12 months that sets industry benchmarks through innovative design and efficient operations.

"Winning the Tug of the Year 2025 Award is a tremendous honour," said Ms. Angelina Lei, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTS. "LNG SENTINEL I and its sister vessel, LNG SENTINEL II, exemplify our commitment to pioneering green technologies that are transforming Hong Kong's maritime sector. These vessels showcase operational excellence and are integral to our commitment to sustainability."

The Director of Marine, Mr. Wong Sai-fat, congratulated HKSTS on receiving the award and said, "The government promulgated the Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering in November last year to foster Hong Kong's development of green marine fuel bunkering. Hong Kong's first locally licensed LNG diesel dual-fuel tug, LNG SENTINEL I, has won the International Tug & Salvage Tug of the Year 2025 award, marking an important milestone in maritime innovation and affirming the local marine industry's commitment to switching to green marine fuels to reduce carbon emissions. The government will continue to collaborate with industry partners to develop Hong Kong into the region's preferred high-quality green maritime fuel bunkering centre, enhance its status as a green-friendly port and establish an organic and symbiotic green fuel trading centre."

LNG SENTINEL I and LNG SENTINEL II are designed to serve and safeguard the world's largest Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and the Hong Kong Offshore LNG Terminal by providing 24 x 7 patrol and traffic surveillance, assisting the berthing and unberthing of FSRU, and carrying out oil spill control, fire-fighting and rapid evacuation in the event of an emergency. These two vessels feature an advanced LNG-diesel electric propulsion system, which enables a 25% reduction in storage space while being equipped with four highly efficient generators that provide a maximum bollard pull of 115 tonnes. This configuration ensures enhanced stability and operational efficiency, even in adverse weather conditions.

This recognition underscores HKSTS's leadership in developing innovative solutions using new fuels, advancing towards the International Maritime Organization's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by 2050. It also aligns with the Hong Kong Government's Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering, contributing to a greener future for the Port of Hong Kong.


Mr. Vicente Boluda Ceballos (left 1), Executive Chairman Boluda Towage and Vice Chairman of HKSTS, received the Tug of the Year 2025 Award in Antwerp, Belgium, as the owner of LNG SENTINEL I.



LNG SENTINEL I, the pioneering dual-fuel LNG diesel electric propulsion standby tug, is set to revolutionise maritime operations in Hong Kong with its innovative design and sustainable technology.