Tug 2
A compact harbour tug off Exiles - shallow, approachable and far more interesting than its size suggests.
Tug 2 is not about sheer scale. Its appeal lies in how accessible the wreck feels - a full vessel you can understand quickly, dive comfortably and still keep returning to.
Lying just offshore from Exiles in Sliema, Tug 2 is one of Malta's shallowest purpose-sunk wrecks and also one of its most forgiving. At roughly 30 metres in length and resting upright at around 22 metres, it works equally well as an introduction to wreck diving, a relaxed fun dive and a useful navigation site.
Because the wreck sits beside Exiles reef rather than in open isolation, the dive can be shaped in different ways. You can focus on the tug itself, combine it with the surrounding reef for a longer shallower profile, or use it as a tidy training platform for buoyancy, orientation and controlled wreck entry.
Dive profile
- Dive type
- Shore wreck with reef option
- Wreck length
- Approximately 30 metres
- Depth range
- Approximately 5-22 metres
- Approach
- Offshore swim via the reef edge
- Recommended level
- Open Water or equivalent, with good navigation
- Extras
- Good for reef combos, training and night dives
From working tug to east-coast artificial reef.
Tug 2 is a recent wreck by Maltese standards. Its history is shorter and less dramatic than some of the islands' larger ships, but that recency is part of its identity.
Tuo Lun Er Hao
Built at Malta Drydocks for the Chinese government, the tug measured about 30 metres in length with a beam of 7.5 metres. Although registered under its Chinese name, it spent its working life in Maltese waters.
Harbour service
The tug worked in and around Grand Harbour alongside its sister vessel. Over time the pair became informally known as Tug 1 and Tug 2, and those practical names eventually stuck.
Out of service
After decommissioning, Tug 2 was acquired by Bezzina Marine Services and remained laid up in the shipyard for years. That long pause is part of what makes its eventual scuttling feel comparatively recent.
The scuttling
On 20 June 2013, Tug 2 was deliberately sunk off Exiles to create an artificial reef and an accessible wreck for both scuba divers and freedivers. A storm in 2016 later shifted the wreck closer to the reef and altered its orientation.
A small tug, with no wasted space.
The wreck lies upright at around 22 metres, compact enough to understand in a single pass yet structured enough to reward a slower look. It is a good example of how smaller wrecks can still feel complete.
Compact machinery spaces
The aft end of the wreck shows the tug's working character clearly. Openings and metalwork hint at the engine-room area, giving enough complexity to feel like a proper wreck without overwhelming the dive.
Bridge, wheelhouse and access points
The central superstructure is the visual anchor of the site. Windows, doorways and the wheelhouse create the most recognisable section of the wreck and usually become the focus of photographs, training drills and careful short penetrations.
Where wreck meets reef
The bow is part of what makes Tug 2 feel different from an isolated wreck. Because the site sits beside the reef, the transition between artificial structure, rock, sand and seagrass is built into the dive itself.
A macro-friendly artificial reef
Tug 2 often rewards the diver who slows down. Instead of only chasing wide shots of the wreck, it is worth checking ledges, shaded corners and surrounding reef for the smaller life that has settled around the structure.
Choose what the site is for today.
Tug 2 works well because it can be adapted. One dive might be a straightforward wreck circuit, the next a wreck-and-reef combination, and another a controlled training or night dive.
Classic Tug 2 circuit
A simple route focused on finding the wreck cleanly, circling it and leaving with gas still to spare.
- Enter from shore, settle buoyancy early and follow the reef edge and sand transition offshore rather than swimming aimlessly into blue water.
- Pick up the wreck from the bow or midships, then make an unhurried exterior circuit to understand its orientation before approaching any openings.
- Pause at the bridge and wheelhouse - the most distinctive part of the wreck - then continue aft towards the stern and machinery spaces.
- Use the compact size of the site to your advantage: you can afford to slow down, check for marine life and still keep the dive tidy.
- Leave the wreck with an agreed reserve and return on a heading that reconnects you with the reef rather than surfacing far offshore.
Tug 2 + Exiles reef
Best for divers who want the wreck without making the entire dive about steel.
- Swim out with the intention of spending the deeper portion of the dive on the wreck first, while gas and no-decompression time are at their most generous.
- Make a concise tour of Tug 2 - enough to see the bridge, stern and bow - without lingering too long at maximum depth simply because the site feels easy.
- On the return, shift focus to the reef and seagrass. The shallower water changes the tempo of the dive and often improves the chances of spotting smaller life.
- Use the reef's contours and gullies to keep the navigation intuitive rather than finning back across featureless water.
- Finish shallow over the reef, where the site naturally lends itself to a more relaxed final phase and a controlled exit.
Night or training dive
A smaller wreck can be ideal for practising skills - provided the plan stays disciplined.
- Agree the objective before entering the water - navigation, wreck familiarisation, buoyancy work, line awareness or a relaxed night tour - so the dive does not become vague.
- Use the wreck's compact size to keep everyone oriented. Tug 2 is large enough to feel real, but small enough that buddy teams should not lose track of one another easily.
- If the dive includes any overhead element, restrict it to divers with the right training, equipment and comfort. A visible opening is not the same thing as a casual invitation.
- At night, let the structure work for you: the bridge, rails and edges create natural focal points, while the surrounding darkness makes the wreck feel bigger than it is.
- Be especially deliberate about the exit and surfacing phase. Boat traffic and shoreline conditions matter more when visibility above the surface is limited.
Tug 2, frame by frame.
Media slots are already separated into wreck, wildlife and video groups so the gallery can be populated without changing the layout.
Tug 2
Four photos
Wildlife
Four photos
Dive reels
Four videosA wreck that feels simple - until you notice everything around it.
Tug 2 is one of those dives that can look straightforward on the slate but become much richer underwater, because the wreck, reef, marine life and navigation all overlap in a compact space.
Not a blind swim - if you read the site properly
The swim out from Exiles is part of the dive rather than dead time. Following the reef edge and sand line makes the navigation feel purposeful, and when the wreck finally appears it tends to do so all at once.
Because the site is not very deep, the temptation is to treat the approach casually. It is better handled the other way around: make the navigation deliberate, and the rest of the dive becomes easy.
Compact, legible and surprisingly complete
Tug 2 never tries to impress by size. What it offers instead is clarity. You can take in the structure quickly, orient yourself without much confusion and still have enough detail to keep the dive interesting.
The bridge and wheelhouse give the wreck character, while the stern and machinery spaces keep it feeling like a genuine working vessel rather than a generic steel object on the seabed.
Repetition does not make it boring
Tug 2 is the kind of site that often improves with repeat dives. Once the basic navigation becomes familiar, you have more freedom to notice the smaller things - fish behaviour, changes in light, interesting angles on the wreck and little pockets of life on the surrounding reef.
That is why the site works well for both training and enjoyment. The easier it becomes to dive, the more room there is to actually look.
The east coast always gets a vote
The main caution is not the wreck itself but the setting around it. Boats, surface activity and east-coast conditions can all shape the dive in ways the wreck cannot.
On the right day, Tug 2 feels friendly and relaxed. On the wrong day, the same site can become less appealing long before you even reach the wreck. Local conditions matter.
Small enough to learn. Interesting enough to revisit.
Tug 2 is easy to underestimate because it is shallow and compact. That is precisely why it works so well. It offers a proper wreck, a useful navigation challenge, plenty of repeat value and the option to fold the surrounding reef into the same dive.
Conditions, access and current site layout can change. Depths and routes are approximate, not guarantees. Dive within your certification and experience, use local briefings and surface-marking equipment when appropriate, and treat any overhead environment as a specialist activity.