As ships and oil platforms grew larger in the 1970s, tugboats had to be developed to support them. With a power of 22,000 horsepower, the tugboats SMIT Rotterdam and SMIT London, "sister ships," were built in 1975 by the De Merwede shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam (Netherlands). These two ocean-going tugs were for a long time the largest and most powerful in the world. They were specifically designed to tow very heavy elements like offshore platforms over long distances and in all weather conditions, as well as to assist ships in distress, no matter the ocean. After nearly 40 years of service, they were scrapped in India in 2013 and 2014.