Marin invests in newbuild tugs after port licence win

Marin Tug contracted Sanmar to build five new harbour and terminal tugs at two custom-built shipyards in 2019 to bolster its fleet to 16 tugs.

These tug newbuildings were ordered to enable Marin Tug to fulfil new port operation licences covering Izmit and Nemrut Bay.

Marin Tug’s captain Kazim Bakan said Sanmar tugs were immediately deployed in these ports after their delivery this year.

This Istanbul-headquartered company focuses on harbour towage, open-sea towage and salvage operations throughout Turkey and into international waters.

Sanmar has built two of its Bogacay class azimuth stern drive (ASD) harbour tugs with bollard pulls of 60 tonnes for Marin Tug and is completing another ASD Bogacay tug with around 70 tonnes of bollard pull ready for delivery in December.

Sanmar also supplied a Sirapinar-class harbour tug with 50 tonnes of bollard pull and one of its 28-m terminal tugs with 80 tonnes of bollard pull.

Sanmar commercial director Ruchan Civgin said Turkey’s new port licence awards has enabled tug owners to invest in more modern tonnage. “The new regulations encouraged the operators to own and operate more powerful tugs,” he said. “Those operators with the more powerful ASD or tractor tugs had a greater chance of being awarded towage licences in the busier ports.”

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Sanmar adapted tug designs from Robert Allan for tugs it built for Marin Tug and other tug owners.

Sanmar also operates its own fleet of harbour tugs and was awarded several new harbour towage licences this year.