Sanmar acquires shipyard to build electric-powered tugs

Once operational, the new shipyard will have a positive effect on Sanmar’s already prolific production processes.

Founded in 1976, Sanmar builds tugboats for domestic and international tug owners, and for its own fleet, in the Tuzla shipyard and at a facility in Altinova, near Yalova.

This new shipyard will build ElectRA tugs after Sanmar gained contracts to construct the first of these electric-powered tugs in 2021. Under this agreement, two tugs will be built to RAL’s ElectRA 2800 design with 70 tonnes of bollard pull for HaiSea Marine.

HaiSea Marine ordered the electric-powered harbour tugs for operations at the Kitimat LNG export plant and terminal in British Columbia, western Canada.

Sanmar’s plans to build ElectRA tugs has the backing of battery manufacturer Corvus Energy, after both companies signed a co-operating agreement to jointly develop and build electric-powered tugs in Turkey. This agreement was signed during Riviera Maritime Media’s TUGTECHNOLOGY 2021 conference and exhibition in London at the end of October 2021.

Sanmar and Corvus will establish a route to supply and integrate batteries and fuel-cell technology for cost-effective electric and hybrid tugs. Corvus will provide the energy storage and fuel-cell technology, dimensioning and advice on battery room design, power systems and fuel interfaces.

Sanmar will build ElectRA tugboats with bollard pulls between 30 and 70 tonnes.