On May 12, the new purchase LNS H–24 tugboat was inaugurated into the Lithuanian Navy and baptized at a ceremony at the Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal. The brand new ASD 3010 class design harbor tugboat built by the Netherlands’ DAMEN was given the baptismal name of Lokys, the Bear, and inaugurated into the Naval Flotilla.
“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. 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,”
Lithuanian Vice Minister Karolis Aleksa
Senior Chaplain of Klaipėda Garrison Lt Col Rimas Venckus blessed the new vessel, the Navy service colors and the commissioning pennant, as well as the crew to serve under command of 1st Lt Justas Lekšas. The blessed colors and pennant were hoisted in a solemn ceremony on the ship’s fore topmast. In the shipping tradition it is a sign the tugboat and her crew has been commissioned in the Naval Flotilla ranks and ready to execute the designated tasks.
“This is the first time in the history of the Lithuanian Navy that we have received a brand new vessel. She has been built to match our requirements, every detail of the construction having been coordinated with Navy experts who worked on this project. This is a truly special feeling and I am certain that this day ushers in a new era for the Lithuanian Navy. We are also about to receive two brand new attack craft as well and look forward with anticipation in terms of acquisition of new multirole patrol ships, we hope that the new capabilities will strengthen the guard of Lithuania’s maritime boundary and the territorial waters,”
Commander of the Navy RADM Giedrius Premeneckas
Spouse of the Mayor of Klaipėda Ilona Vaitkuvienė became the godmother of the tugboat. “I wish to this tugboat the following seas, loyal crew and meaningful duty. May it sail under the name of Lokys,” naming the ship, she noted, and broke a bottle of champagne on the ship’s board to bring luck and safety as longstanding ship baptizing traditions go.
The Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence signed a contract with the DAMEN company of the Netherlands on 2 August 2024 on acquisition of a new harbor tugboat. The contract committed DAMEN to build the ship for Lithuania within the period of 9 months. The contract worth EUR 10.8 million has been completed successfully.
The new tugboat nearly spans 30 meters in length and 12 meters is width, over 300 tons in capacity, and sails at up to 13 knots. She will be used for the full range of harbor functions: to tug warships of Lithuania and even larger ones of NATO Allies on port calls in Klaipėda. Her functions also encompass rescue, pollution control, firefighting and maritime safety operations. It will be versatile addition to the Navy’s routine and emergency capabilities at sea. The tugboat will be operated by 8 career seamen.
