I am an American, commenting on two loss-of-tow incidents involving American operators in the Jones Act trade. By definition that excludes non-U.S. operators.
My statement regarding Crowley was meant only to point out that even companies with long and proud (maybe a bit too proud) histories of ocean towing can and do commit big blunders, at both the management and operational levels (planning & execution).
The Sentry was a very capable Invader-class tug that lost the tow of La Princesa (RO/RO) because they parted both 2-1/4" wires in the remnants of Hurricane Ida. They got into sustained conditions beyond the capabilities of their gear. Enormous barge, immense sail area, weather they weren’t “expecting”, etc. Crowley knows how to do this stuff competently, they just didn’t. And if an operator with their depth of institutional company experience can make these mistakes then it can happen to anyone, anywhere.
In no way am I implying that other operators from around the world, be they Dutch or any other nationality, lack the expertise to conduct competent towing operations. I know for a fact that they exist. But having the capabilities is one thing. Consistently applying them, along with sound judgment and a conservative mindset regarding safety, is another. Crowley, in that particular instance, showed that they had the former, but not the latter.