Name Knighton

The tug boat KNIGHTON was built by Scheepswerf Gebroeders Fikkers of Martenshoek, the Netherlands in 1944, and finished in 1948 by NV Boele & Oosterwijk, Rotterdam. She was originally known as IERLAND and owned by A Jonsten of Millingen, the Netherlands. She was originally fitted with a 390 bhp 4 stroke 6-cyl MWM oil engine.

In 1953, she was sold to Anglo-Iranian Oil Co Ltd, London, which then became British Petroleum. She was owned by them until 1959, when she was purchased by N.V. Handel-, Exploitatie- & Administratie Maatschappij, the Netherlands, being renamed CONTRACTOR. In 1962, she was renamed PHOENIX.

In 1964, she was purchased by George Wimpey & Co Ltd, London for operation in Nigeria, and was renamed GW 94. In 1967, she was transferred to Wimpey (Marine) Ltd, London, being based at Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.

In 1975, she was acquired by Husbands Shipyard Ltd, Southampton, who renamed her ACCOMPLICE the following year. At this point, she was re-engined with 660bhp 4 stroke 8-cyl Lister Blackstone diesel engine.

In 1998, she was purchased by Taylor & Taylor of Troon and renamed RED DUCHESS. In 2006 was sold to Trans-Euro Navigation and renamed DUCHESS OF TROON, being based at Oban. In 2007, she was purchased by Griffin Towage, Poole, who renamed her KNIGHTON. Sometime after 2016, she was purchased by Whitstable Marine Services.

In 2024, she was purchased by Marine Services Transport Boat Charter Ltd, her current owners. She is now available for commercial charter as a tug boat and can be used to carry up to 12 passengers.