Anglian Sovereign

{{Short description|Belgian tugboat}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{infobox ship begin}} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=AnglianSovereign at Scalloway.jpg |Ship caption=Union Sovereign at Scalloway in 2008}} {{Infobox Ship Career |Ship country=Belgium |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Belgium|civil}} |Ship name=Union Sovereign |Ship owner=Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V |Ship operator=Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V |Ship registry=Antwerp |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number=wa |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened=27 August 2003 |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport=Antwerp |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|9262742}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vesseltracker.com/de/Ships/Anglian-Sovereign-9262742.html |title=Anglian Sovereign (IMO: 9262742) |work= vesseltracker.com |accessdate=10 November 2011}} {{MMSI Number|205644000}} Call sign: ORQW |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship status=Active |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Ship class= |Ship displacement= |Ship tonnage={{GT|2,258}} |Ship length={{convert|67.4|m|ft}} |Ship beam={{convert|15.5|m|ft}} |Ship draught={{convert|6.2|m|ft}} |Ship propulsion= |Ship power=2 × Wärtsilä 16V32LND, {{convert|16400|hp|kW}} total |Ship speed={{convert|17|kn}} |Ship range= |Ship complement= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes=Bollard pull 180 tonnes }}

The Sovereign is a large sea-going tugboat owned and operated by Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The vessel is powered by conventional propulsion and was built as a multi-purpose anchor handling tug supply vessel.{{cite web|url=http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Anglian_Sovereign.pdf |title=Report on the investigation of the grounding of UK registered emergency towing vessel Union Sovereign near the island of Oxna, in the Shetland Islands, 3 September 2005 |publisher=Marine Accident Investigation Branch |date=June 2006 |accessdate=10 November 2011}} It was christened on 27 August 2003 as Anglian Sovereign.

{{cite news |date=2003-09-01 |title=Anglian Sovereign is Christened at Lowestoft |publisher=Maritime Journal |url=http://www.maritimejournal.com/features101/vessel-build-and-maintenance/vessel-launch/anglian_sovereign_is_christened_at_lowestoft |url-status=dead |accessdate=2011-11-08 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429144846/http://www.maritimejournal.com/features101/vessel-build-and-maintenance/vessel-launch/anglian_sovereign_is_christened_at_lowestoft |archivedate=2012-04-29}} The vessel was part of the fleet of Emergency Towing Vessels that operated on behalf of the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency.{{cite web|title=Three-month extension' for Scotland's coastguard tugs |work=BBC News |date=30 September 2011 |accessdate=10 November 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-15131307}}

On 3 September 2005, Union Sovereign ran aground off Oxna island in the Scalloway Islands while conducting hydrographic surveys. No injuries occurred but the vessel lost approximately 84 tonnes of gas oil and was severely damaged. A 2006 official report found that the shipmaster's consumption of alcohol and several other negligences on board had been the cause of the incident.

In 2007, ownership transferred to JP Knight, which purchased the initial owner, Klyne Tugs of Lowestoft.{{cite web |last=Gaston |first=Jack |date=15 March 2010 |title=Lowestoft tug fleet changes livery and title |url=http://www.maritimejournal.com/features/tugs,-towing,-pollution-and-salvage/tugs,-towing-and-salvage/lowestoft-tug-fleet-changes-livery-and-title-by-jack-gaston |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210013420/http://www.maritimejournal.com/features/tugs,-towing,-pollution-and-salvage/tugs,-towing-and-salvage/lowestoft-tug-fleet-changes-livery-and-title-by-jack-gaston |archivedate=10 December 2010 |accessdate=22 October 2010 |work=Maritime Journal}}