The Panthus-class multirole sea-going tugboat and marine retrieval vessel is a unique product on the international market. The design was originally drafted in 1974 for the Maltropian Royal Navy, and was built to tow aircraft carriers and other large vessels without the operating costs of their nuclear reactors. In 1979, Tallaght Allied Petroleum submitted a request for a specially-designed ship capable of manoeuvring drilling platforms to their destinations and of retrieving objects resting on the seabed. An unusual combination of tasks, it proved a challenge for Maritime Imperial's engineers until the schematic for the navy tug was suggested as a model. All consequent commissions have incorporated both roles.

The Panthus is larger than most tugboats, being designed primarily for use at sea rather than in harbours. A length of 70 metres provides ample room for its large engines which facilitate the movement of oil rigs and aircraft carriers, as well as leaving a small hold for objects that may be recovered by its crane. The superstructure, wrapped around the engines' smokestack, houses crew accommodation as well as a high-tech sonar system to allow both accurate positioning of the towed object and to enable the crew to determine the precise location of objects on the seafloor which are the intended target of retrieval procedures.

To this effect, the crane, positioned 25 metres from the stern, is fully equipped for marine retrieval in any conditions. The equipment is remotely operated from the superstructure to prevent adverse weather conditions from negatively impacting its operational efficiency. It boasts sufficient length of wire to safely retrieve objects from a depth of 180 metres, with an absolute design maximum of 200 metres. We advise against deploying the crane in rough seas in the event that the weight of an object being reclaimed, combined with the rocking motion of the sea, leads to the capsizing of the vessel. In general, however, the Panthus' ballast and balance countermeasures are sufficient to minimise the risk of such an eventuality. Other protective measures include a reinforced hull to allow the Panthus to push through icy waters, though for thick pack ice we would we advise a specialised icebreaker such as Maritime Imperial's Argalium-class.

Obviously the most important aspect of a tugboat is its engine capacity, which must be maximised to allow the moving of large loads and yet sufficiently realistic to fit within a small vessel such as the Panthus. The ship, therefore, is outfitted with two Enmar Industries DN-50 diesel engines, producing as much as 25,000 shp (19 MW) under normal operating conditions.

Under Maltropian maritime law, we are obliged to conform with WA GAR #20, Suppress International Piracy. For this purpose, the Panthus comes equipped with two fixed-mount water cannons to deter pirates or other attackers, and a weapons locker is located onboard the ship for defensive purposes. The standard purchase model of the Panthus comes with cutting-edge navigational equipment, including sonar, and a lifeboat capable of holding up to 14 passengers. Purchase cost, as standard, is 9 million NSD.