Pacific Towing was incorporated under the Companies Act on the 28th of February 1977 and was originally owned (and operated) by John and Teunis Korevaar, operating the tug "Jas Hill" in Lae where they also owned the tug masters house. The tug "Wallacia" owned by Marine Pacific Limited was added to the business in 1980 from the collapsing venture PNG Offshore Towage and Salvage, thereby making Pacific Towing a Korevaar / Marine Pacific (PNG) Limited joint venture. Subsequent to this a new tug was ordered in 1982 from Singapore, the "Pacific Gulf" to compete with PNG Offshore Towage and Salvage in Port Moresby. Steamships who were the agents at the time for Dilmun Navigation Co. Ltd., bought out the Korevaars share in around 1985. The tugs "Jas Hill", "Taralga" and "Tuart" were gradually sold off and replaced. The tug "Masthead" was hurriedly extracted from Bougainville in 1990 at a time when civil unrest caused the disintegration of law and order on Bougainville Island. The company embarked on a fleet replacement programme in the year 2000, and expanded its field of operations from Port Moresby and Lae, to include Madang, Kimbe and more recently Rabaul. The company has a record of sustained investment in the PNG maritime industry.

No historic reference to the origins of Pacific Towing could be made without noting the pioneering contribution made by Capt Val Lawson who joined the company in 1982 as Manager / Salvage Master - the work undertaken by this extraordinary individual cannot be overlooked, a truly unique mariner who served the company through to 1998 with extraordinary commitment and distinction.

Established in 1977 Pacific Towing PNG Limited is a joint venture between Svitzer and Steamships Trading Company. Our main activities involve the provision of specialist and interrelated services to the marine industry comprising harbour towage and moorings services, terminal, and ocean towage, diving, salvage and emergency response services. Through our national and international shareholder links an extensive network of operational and technical expertise is available, providing Pacific Towing with access to specialist skills and support on demand.

“"We do it safely or not at all"