Svitzer is one of the largest towage and marine solutions companies in the world, operating in 32 countries with a fleet of more than 440 vessels. The company has been delivering towage services since 1833 and is a fully owned subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk. Solar Solve Marine has been part of its supply chain for more than two decades, supplying SOLASOLV® Type Approved anti-glare screens to Svitzer tugs across its global fleet.
The relationship is not a one-off order. It is a sustained commercial relationship built on consistent product performance and repeat purchases across multiple Svitzer locations worldwide — the kind of track record that is built only when a product delivers what it promises, vessel after vessel, year after year.
Svitzer — A Global Towage Operator
Svitzer was founded in 1833 and has grown into one of the world’s most significant towage and marine solutions businesses. The company provides port towage, terminal towage, and emergency response services across major ports and terminals in 32 countries. Its fleet of more than 440 vessels includes harbour tugs, terminal tractors, and escort tugs operating in some of the world’s busiest and most demanding port environments.
As a fully owned subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk, Svitzer operates within one of the most recognisable and operationally rigorous organisations in global shipping. Maersk, joint owner of the world’s largest container shipping fleet with 729 vessels, is also a longstanding Solar Solve customer in its own right.
The combination of Svitzer’s safety-first culture, its global operating scale, and its placement within the Maersk group means that its procurement decisions reflect a high standard of product evaluation. A tug operator that has been ordering from the same solar screen manufacturer for more than two decades has made that choice on the basis of consistent performance.
What Solar Solve Supplies to Svitzer
Solar Solve supplies SOLASAFE® cassette-mounted anti-glare screens with gold solar film to Svitzer tug wheelhouse windows. The screens reduce solar glare and heat at the wheelhouse windows without impairing the tug master’s forward and lateral visibility — critical in the close-quarters port manoeuvring, escort operations, and open-sea towing work that characterises tug operations globally.
“We are very proud that SOLASOLV® marine solar blinds are installed on many Svitzer tugs around the globe. We like to think that is why we are regularly approached when roller sunshades are needed for any of their 440+ vessels.”
— John Lightfoot MBE, Chairman, Solar Solve Marine
Angola — Three Svitzer Tugs Supplied
Solar Solve recently despatched three complete shipsets of SOLASAFE® screens with gold solar film to three Svitzer tugs operating in Angola:
| Vessel | Supply Detail |
|---|---|
| SVITZER PULULU | Three SOLASAFE® screens with gold solar film for wheelhouse windows |
| SVITZER FIGO | Three SOLASAFE® screens with gold solar film for wheelhouse windows |
| SVITZER CONDA | Three SOLASAFE® screens with gold solar film for wheelhouse windows |
Angola’s offshore oil and gas sector operates in one of the most solar-demanding environments in the world. Equatorial sun angles, high UV intensity, and the reflective sea surface of the South Atlantic create sustained glare conditions for tug crews working in port approaches, terminal approaches, and offshore support operations throughout the year.
Teesport — Two Svitzer Tugs Including a 29-Year Discovery
Solar Solve’s supply relationship with Svitzer at Teesport on the River Tees produced one of the most remarkable product longevity stories in the commercial maritime sector. In June 2022, Solar Solve’s installation team attended FIERY CROSS and PHOENIX CROSS at Teesport to install new SOLASAFE® screens and discovered that four existing SOLASOLV® screens on the vessels, installed in August 1993, were still in working order after 29 years of continuous commercial service. The vessel owner decided they did not need to be replaced. Read the full story on the Svitzer 29-year screen discovery page.
Why Svitzer’s Repeat Orders Matter
Repeat orders from the same operator across multiple locations over more than two decades are the most reliable form of commercial evidence that a product performs as required. A global towage operator with a fleet of 440+ vessels and the procurement discipline of the Maersk group does not maintain a supplier relationship for two decades on the basis of a good first impression. It does so on the basis of consistent delivery, consistent product quality, and consistent support.
| What Svitzer’s Repeat Business Demonstrates | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Consistent product performance | Repeat orders for the same product specification across multiple vessels and locations over more than 20 years |
| Global supply reliability | Supply to vessels in Angola and the UK — two very different geographic and operating environments |
| Product longevity | 29-year-old screens found in working order at Teesport in 2022 — more than four times the SOLASAFE® seven-year guarantee |
| Operator confidence | A fleet operator that returns to the same supplier across different vessels and different locations over two decades |
| Maersk group standard | Supply accepted within the procurement standards of one of the world’s most operationally rigorous shipping groups |
SOLASOLV® Performance for Tug Wheelhouse Windows
The performance that has sustained Solar Solve’s relationship with Svitzer for more than two decades is the same performance delivered to every vessel in every location:
| Performance Measure | Rating | Tug Operational Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Solar glare reduction | Up to 93% | Eliminates wheelhouse glare during close-quarters port approach, escort operations, and open-sea towing in all operating environments from Angola to the North Sea |
| Solar heat rejection | Up to 87% | Reduces wheelhouse temperature during long operational shifts in equatorial, tropical, and temperate port environments worldwide |
| UV light rejection | Up to 99% | Protects tug masters and crews from cumulative UV exposure during extended operational periods in high-sun environments including Angola and equatorial routes |
| Outward visibility | Fully maintained | Tug masters retain a completely clear, undistorted view through the wheelhouse windows at all times during manoeuvring, escort, and towing operations |
SOLASOLV® screens hold Type Approval from Lloyd’s Register, DNV, ABS, and RINA simultaneously — the only marine anti-glare screen in the world with all four approvals. This makes SOLASOLV® screens appropriate for Svitzer tugs operating under any classification society or flag state across their 32-country network. All four certificates are available to download from the Solar Solve downloads page.
Solar Solve and Fleet Operators
The Svitzer relationship is one of the most established examples of Solar Solve supplying a major global fleet operator across multiple vessel types and locations. The same model of consistent product specification, reliable supply, and repeat purchase from a trusted manufacturer has been replicated with fleet operators across the commercial maritime sector.
For more information on how Solar Solve supports fleet operators with standardised SOLASOLV® specifications across mixed fleets, visit the Solar Solve marine sector page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Svitzer use SOLASOLV® screens on its global tug fleet?
Yes. Svitzer, one of the world’s largest towage operators operating in 32 countries, has been ordering SOLASOLV® screens from Solar Solve Marine for more than two decades. Solar Solve has supplied screens to Svitzer tugs globally, including three shipsets to SVITZER PULULU, SVITZER FIGO, and SVITZER CONDA in Angola, and two shipsets to FIERY CROSS and PHOENIX CROSS at Teesport in the UK.
What SOLASOLV® products are used on Svitzer tugs?
Solar Solve has supplied SOLASAFE® cassette-mounted anti-glare screens with gold solar film to Svitzer tugs. SOLASOLV® screens reduce solar glare by up to 93% and heat by up to 87% while maintaining a completely clear outward view through the wheelhouse windows at all times.
How long has Solar Solve been supplying SOLASOLV® screens to Svitzer?
Solar Solve has been supplying SOLASOLV® screens to Svitzer for more than two decades. The relationship spans multiple orders across different geographic locations including Angola and the UK, reflecting Svitzer’s confidence in the product across its global fleet of 440+ vessels operating in 32 countries.
Are SOLASOLV® screens Type Approved for tug and workboat applications?
Yes. SOLASOLV® screens hold Type Approval from Lloyd’s Register, DNV, ABS, and RINA simultaneously — the only marine anti-glare screen in the world to hold all four at the same time. This makes SOLASOLV® screens suitable for tugs and workboats operating under any classification society or flag state worldwide, consistent with Svitzer’s global operations across 32 countries.
Is Maersk also a Solar Solve customer?
Yes. Svitzer is a fully owned subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk. Maersk, which operates one of the world’s largest container shipping fleets with 729 vessels, is also a longstanding customer of Solar Solve Marine. The relationship with both Svitzer and the wider Maersk group reflects the scale and reach of Solar Solve’s track record in the commercial maritime sector.
