Blue and white river tug underway on a wide river

Representative photo. Your order is made to your specification by a verified seller. Photo: “Comet Tugboat at Mississippi River, New Orleans; September 2019” by Bernard Spragg. NZ, CC0.

Bicycles, vehicles and ships · Ships and boats

Tugboat manufacturer in Bangladesh

Looking for a tugboat manufacturer in Bangladesh? Tell us the duty, the waters and the bollard pull you need. We source the tug from a verified yard, write the pull test into the order, check class records and trials, and arrange the handover.

Verified sellers
Checked before it ships
Delivered by Roptan

Prefer to deal with suppliers yourself? Post it on the requirement board

Buying tugboats in Bangladesh

A tugboat moves other vessels by towing or pushing them. Harbour tugs assist ships in port, seagoing tugs tow over open water and river tugs push barges. In Bangladesh, ports, terminals and barge operators buy them, and on inland waterways most barges are pushed rather than towed.

A tugboat manufacturer in Bangladesh can only price a tug against a defined duty, because the duty decides the hull, propulsion and towing gear. Roptan writes the duty, bollard pull and test method into one specification, sources from verified yards, compares their quotes and checks class records and the pull test before acceptance.

Kinds of tugboat

Harbour ship-assist tugs

Generally smaller than seagoing tugs and usually omni-directional, with azimuth stern drives, azimuth tractor drives or cycloidal drives whose propellers turn 360 degrees. Choose one to berth and unberth ships.

Conventional propeller and rudder tugs

Fixed propellers and rudders, which the trade finds more efficient for towing from port to port. Choose one for towing work where all-round manoeuvring in a tight harbour matters less.

River tugs and pushboats

Also called towboats. A flat bow lines up with the square stern of a barge, often with pushing knees, and there is usually no significant towing winch. Choose one for barge trains on rivers.

Seagoing tugs

Built for towing over open water, usually on a wire from a towing winch. Choose one for coastal tows of barges, pontoons or disabled vessels.

How to brief a tugboat manufacturer in Bangladesh

Duty list: List every job: ship assist, barge towing, pushing, and any other work such as support to dredging or bunkering. A missing duty usually means missing equipment.
Bollard pull: State the minimum bollard pull in tonnes-force or kilonewtons. For ship assist, ports usually set a minimum by the size of the vessel escorted, so get that figure first.
Engine power: Tug diesel engines typically produce 500 to 2,500 kW. Size the power to the bollard pull you need, not to the length of the hull.
Towing and pushing gear: Say whether you need a towing winch, a towing hook or push knees, and the line or wire size the winch must hold.
Propulsion type: Choose azimuth stern drive, tractor drive, cycloidal drive or conventional propeller and rudder, by how much the tug must turn and push sideways.
Redundancy and fire-fighting: Many tugs carry two of each critical engine part for redundancy, and deluge guns for fire-fighting in harbours. Say which you need.

Tests, class and trials for a tugboat

Bollard pull test: A test at full power against a shore bollard through a tow-line, usually in calm water with no tide, level trim and enough depth and side clearance for the propeller stream.
Classification society: IACS has twelve member societies. A class certificate from a society the register recognises is needed to register the tug and to insure it.
Sea trial plan: Sea trials are usually planned and reported along the lines of ISO 19019:2005, with speed, steering, manoeuvring and the pull test listed in the contract.
Inland ship survey: River tugs and pushed barges usually count as inland ships under the Inland Shipping Ordinance 1976: plan approval first, then construction survey, stability calculation and inclining test. Confirm the process with the Department of Shipping.

What moves the price of a tugboat

Installed power: small harbour tugs carry about 4.0 to 9.5 kW per gross register tonne, against 0.35 to 1.20 for cargo ships, so engine power is the first figure to fix.
Bollard pull required: a higher pull usually means more power, a larger gearbox and stronger towing gear.
Propulsion type: azimuth, tractor and cycloidal drives form a different machinery package from a conventional shaft and rudder.
Redundancy: duplicated critical engine parts add equipment and space in the engine room.
Fire-fighting and deck gear: deluge guns, their pumps, a towing winch or push knees each add to the outfit.

Lead times and delivery

We give no typical build time for a tugboat. The date moves with the power and propulsion type, delivery of the imported engines and drives, class drawing approval, the yard's order book and any change to the duty after contract. Roptan confirms the dates and the minimum order in the quote.

In Bangladesh the tug is accepted after its trials and bollard pull test, with the class certificate, survey records and the signed test record. Ask for the engine and drive manuals and a spare parts list, and for the crew to see the towing gear worked before they take the tug over. A VAT invoice (Mushak 6.3) follows where the law requires one.

Buying tugboats for export

Bangladesh records tug exports in its own line: EPB lists HS 8904, tugs and pusher craft, with exports in FY2025-26. A foreign owner names the class, flag and the bollard pull test witness in the contract, and agrees how the tug reaches its port. Roptan confirms the delivery terms and the documents in the quote.

What we check for this order

Duty and port figuresWe check that the duty list is complete and that the bollard pull meets the minimum the port sets.
Pull test written inWe put the test method, test conditions, minimum pull and the witness into the contract before steel is cut.
Engine and drive papersWe check that the fitted engines, gearboxes and drives match the specification and the class-approved plans.
Class records and trialsWe check class survey records during the build and compare trial results with the contract before acceptance.

Questions buyers ask

How much bollard pull does my tug need?

For ship assist, ask the port first: ports generally set a minimum horsepower or bollard pull by the size of the vessel the tug escorts. For barge work, the barge size, the current and the speed you need decide it.

Can a river tug work at sea?

No. A river tug or pushboat has a flat bow for barges and a hull that would make open-ocean work dangerous, and pushing by notch or knees is used where sea and swell are small, because push wires can part. For coastal tows, choose a seagoing tug.

Why is the test pull higher than what I get in service?

Because bollard pull is measured in ideal conditions: calm water, no tide, level trim and plenty of depth. It is a convenient figure that must be adjusted for real currents, waves and towing speed. Allow a margin.

Can a tug do other work besides towing?

Often, yes. Tugs are also used to support dredging and to bunker ships, and many carry deluge guns for fire-fighting in harbours. Put every duty in the specification, because each one changes the deck layout, pumps and equipment the yard prices.

Who approves a river tug for inland service?

Under the Inland Shipping Ordinance 1976 the design and plans are usually approved before building; the authority then surveys the construction, calculates stability, runs an inclining test and issues a certificate of compliance, and the Government can delegate this to a classification society it empowers. A temporary plying permit of up to 45 days can cover the tug while the certificate of survey is pending.

How soon will I hear back about ships and boats?

Within 48 hours of a complete requirement, with a price and a delivery date. A requirement is complete when it has the quantity, where it is needed and by when.

Who do I deal with?

With Roptan, when Roptan manages the order: we buy from the verified seller and deliver to you. With the supplier directly, when you post on the requirement board and choose a quote yourself.