​Sanmar bags Turkish government tug contract

The deal involves two Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) RAmparts 2400SX MkII ASD tugs and follows the earlier delivery by Sanmar of four similar vessels to the directorate’s fleet, providing lifesaving, search and rescue and salvage operations in Turkey’s waters.

In the late 1970s South Africa became what is considered to be the first country to employ state-sponsored Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) aimed at minimising pollution by filling potential gaps in the usual provision of commercial towage and salvage assistance.

Since then many coastal states globally have followed the ETV model, adopting varying solutions depending on specific circumstances including geographical, environmental and traffic-density considerations.

Turkey connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean via the Sea of Marmara and Aegean Sea and includes the busy Turkish straits, involving obvious risks of pollution in the event of a shipping casualty, not to mention the importance to the region at a more strategic level.

To respond to the potential threat, Turkey’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety provides a range of services not restricted to casualty response, including a fleet of both conventional rescue and maritime service vessels, including ETVs.

Central to the ETV fleet are the 18 Kurtarma-prefixed tugs, mostly based on standard series-built ASD tugs from the likes of Sanmar and RAL. The order for this latest pair follows delivery of Kurtarma 17 and 18 earlier in 2024, RAL RAmparts 2900SX designs delivering 82tbp and designated the Bigaçay class by Sanmar.

Proven design

The two recently ordered tugs are Boğaçay class examples based on RAL’s RAmparts 2400SX design.

While slightly smaller (24m LOA compared to 29m of the Bigaçay class), they still provide a respectable 75tbp, no doubt reflecting the directorate’s wish to provide the most suitable assets for their particular area of operation.

The Turkish community, both afloat and ashore, will benefit from a proven design in Sanmar’s Bigaçay class with around 16 delivered or in build. The Boğaçay class, meanwhile, has an even longer pedigree, with around 80 in the builder’s yard list since the first was delivered in 2013.

The latest pair will meet IMO Tier III environmental standards, particularly important where some of the Turkish straits are narrow and close to urban areas. They will also provide fifi1 firefighting capabilities.

The contract signing ceremony took place at Sanmar’s Altinova Shipyard, where the vessels will be built and was attended by: Mustafa Bankaoğlu, general manager and chairman of the board of directors of Coastal Safety; Orhan Barda and Abdurrahman Köse, deputy general managers of Coastal Safety; Gökmen Kınık, head of Support Services; Yılmaz Dursun, Tender branch manager; and Hakan Kariparduç, Administrative Affairs manager.

Sanmar executives at the event included Ali Gürün, chairman of the board of directors; Cem Seven, board of directors’ vice chairman; Orhan Gürün, honorary chairman; İpek Gürün, Corporate Strategies director and others from Sanmar management.

Ali Gürün said: “The Directorate General of Coastal Safety carries out vital work around the coast of Turkey and we are proud to be able to supply them with the powerful tools they need to do this.”

Vice chairman at Sanmar Cem Seven said: “The Directorate General of Coastal Safety is crucial for Turkey’s maritime safety, accident prevention, and emergency response.

“Given Turkey’s strategic location and extensive coastline, maritime trade and tourism have significant potential. Sanmar Shipyards enhances emergency response capabilities by building modern, high-performance tugboats for the directorate and this collaboration strengthens both the maritime sector and our country’s maritime safety.”