European towage heavyweight Boluda has moved to strengthen its position in Southeast Asia, taking over tug assets and towage operations from Singapore’s Seatrium Group in one of the world’s busiest port hubs.

The deal hands Boluda control of Seatrium’s harbour tug fleet and associated towage services supporting its shipyard activities, marking another step in the Spanish group’s steady expansion across the region.

Singapore sits at the centre of global shipping flows, and the latest move gives Boluda a stronger foothold in a market where demand for reliable towage remains closely tied to port efficiency and vessel turnaround times.

The company said the acquisition builds on a five-year push into Asia-Pacific, where it has been growing its presence across key port clusters. Boluda already operates a fleet of 156 tugs in the region, covering Singapore, Malaysia and a wider network stretching into Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The addition of Seatrium’s assets strengthens its position in both Singapore and Malaysia, while linking into an existing footprint that includes Hong Kong and Timor-Leste.

The move follows a busy period of dealmaking. In October 2025, Boluda completed the acquisition of Boskalis’ towage operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea, expanding its reach in Oceania. The company also struck a landmark deal with MSC, merging its MedTug business in exchange for a 49% stake held by the liner giant — a transaction that pushed Boluda to the top of the global towage rankings, ahead of long-time leader Svitzer.