Sanmar builds new tugs for Seaspan – by Jack Gaston

The company recently signed a contract with Sanmar Denizcilik Shipyard of Istanbul, Turkey to build four state of the art shiphandling tugs. The vessels will be used primarily to dock, undock and escort ships in Vancouver Harbour and Roberts Bank. All four 28m tugs will feature full fire fighting capability and will be amongst the most powerful vessels in use the waters of BC.

The quartet ordered by Seaspan is for Sanmar ‘Terminal’ series ASD tugs developed by Robert Allan Ltd of Vancouver for production at Sanmar and based on the RAstar 2800 design. All four will be 28.20m in length overall with a beam of 12.60m and maximum draft of 5.10m. Two of the tugs, with a bollard pull of 70 tons, will be completed to the existing design and have Caterpillar 3512B main engines (rated at 1,860kW each at 1,600 rpm) and RollsRoyce US 205 CP propulsion units with 2.4m diameter propellers. Work on the first tug is well advanced and scheduled for delivery by the end of this year. The remaining three vessels will be delivered during the summer and late autumn of 2011.

The following pair will embody several modifications, including Caterpillar 3512 C (rated at 2,350kW each at 1,800 rpm) and RollsRoyce US 255 CP units with 2.8m diameter propellers. This will enable the tugs to achieve a bollard pull of 80 tons to meet Seaspan’s need for additional power.

Jonathan Whitworth, CEO of the Seaspan’s parent Washington Marine Group, announced the order saying, ‘We are excited to announce this fleet enhancement to our employees, the BC marine industry and the community at large. The benefits of a purchase of this type are numerous, including the rebuilding and modernization of our fleet and increased safety and capabilities for all ship escorts performed in the Vancouver Harbour. As recently reported, the Port has an immediate need for more modern and powerful tugs to assist the growing number of tankers within the port. Seaspan recognized this growing concern, and I’m extremely pleased to report that we took the necessary steps to assist Port Metro Vancouver and the BC Coast Pilots in providing the solution.’

He also added, ‘The savings created by the Provincial Government’s elimination of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) in favour of the British Columbia Harmonised Sales Tax (HST), which is fully recoverable by businesses, as well as very favourable exchange rates due to devaluation of the Euro, was a golden opportunity the company just couldn’t pass up. Because of these two factors alone, we were able to increase the purchase size from an initial three boats to the eventual four boat order.’

Negotiations for the deal commenced during the International Tug & Salvage Convention (ITS2010) in Vancouver in May and the order has considerable significance for Sanmar. The first tugs designed by Robert Allan for construction by Sanmar, originally for their own use, were based on the tugs designed and developed for the fleets of Cates and Seaspan, now owned by the Washington Group.