Tug owner Arpas has purchased two tugs from builder and operator Sanmar to bolster towage in Iskenderun port
These tugs will work alongside existing tugs in Iskenderun Bay on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
Iskenderun port, founded by Alexander the Great as Alexandria ad Issum in 333 BC, is a gateway for imports and exports moving between central, east and southeast Anatolia and the Mediterranean.
Arpas acquired 2020-built Sirapinar XVI and lower-powered, 2003-built Nehir from Sanmar.
Sirapinar XVI was built to Robert Allan’s RAmparts 2200 design at Sanmar’s Tuzla Shipyard. This azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug has an overall length of 22 m and 50 tonnes of bollard pull derived from a pair of Caterpillar 3512C main engines, producing a total of 3,000 kW of power and driving two Schottel fixed-pitch azimuth thrusters. Sirapinar XVI is equipped with a split-drum, forward-towing winch and external fire-fighting system.
Nehir comes from Sanmar’s fleet and is based on Robert Allan’s TS 22/40 design. It has an overall length of 22.5 m, moulded beam of 8.2 m and navigational draught of 3.54 m. Nehir has two 825-kW main engines and achieves bollard pull of 30 tonnes and a speed ahead of 12.5 knots.
Arpas returned to Sanmar for these tugs after positive experiences with vessels it had previously purchased from the builder, said Arpas captain Davut Sakin.
Sanmar commercial director Ruchan Civgin said Sanmar needed to meet Arpas’ specific operational requirements with these tugs. “We are sure Nehir and Sirapinar XVI will prove to be valuable additions to the Arpas fleet, providing the power, manoeuvrability, efficiency and flexibility that they are looking for,” said Mr Civgin.
Sanmar has previously supplied Sirapinar-class tugs to other operators, including Svitzer for its towage operations in the Port of Sohar, Oman, and Turkish owner Marin Tug & Pilotage for towage in Izmit and Nemrut Bay.
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