Since Karl was put into operation, it has been out on nine assignments.
- There is great value in having a tugboat in the municipality, says Eva Strömkvist (S), chair of the operations and service committee.
Exercises are done about once a month to keep the knowledge up as Karl does not go on assignments so often. The boat was assisted by the Coast Guard and trained to tow and place their ship KBV 003 right along the quay.
Normally, the Coast Guard rarely needs towing assistance as their engines and propellers are sufficiently powerful. But their ships are reminiscent of ships that Karl usually needs to help.
- It went really well today. It is important to practice so that nothing goes to the pips turn, says Pelle Pettersson, port manager in Karlskrona municipality and commander on board Karl.
The tug Karl has been with the municipality for almost a year, but has only been in operation since March. Since then, Karl has been on nine external efforts.
P4 Blekinge told on Friday that the Christian Democrats' group leader Billy Åkerström is disrupting the profitability of having a harbor tugboat under the auspices of the municipality.
- I think those who bought the boat have shot themselves in the foot, today when both care, school and care need money is not good, says Billy Åkerström to the radio.
It cost the municipality SEK 6.8 million to buy in Karl, whose mission has so far raised more than SEK 200,000. But neither Pelle Pettersson nor Eva Strömkvist (S), chair of the operations and service committee, agree that it is a waste.
- There is great value in having a tugboat in the municipality, for cruise ships and other vessels, she says.
- The alternative is to take a tug here from Karlshamn or Copenhagen, which takes much longer and it also becomes a cost.