Sanmar tugs enhance Turkey’s coastal safety

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by an impressive list of local and national dignitaries to mark delivery of the two Sanmar vessels, named Kurtarma 19 and Kurtarma 20, both of which were received by the Turkish Directorate of Coastal Safety.

The pair were constructed, as standard with Sanmar-built vessels, under their class names, in this case Boğaçay LXX and Boğaçay LXIX, and are examples of the Robert Allan-designed, Sanmar-exclusive RAmparts 2400SX-MkII ASD configured tugs.

Various roles

Coastal states worldwide employ various measures to protect their shores when ships encounter difficulties.

Emergency response has traditionally been provided by commercial salvage companies and tug owners and operators, but over time the decline of salvage tugs, particularly those strategically positioned at salvage stations or accident hot-spots, has led to a gap in cover until suitable towage assistance can be sourced.

Governments have responded by providing various forms of state-sponsored towage provision, such as the Emergency Towing Vessel, intended primarily to prevent pollution (as well as saving lives when required). It is also vital for towing disabled vessels clear of traffic separation schemes and narrow channels until tugs arrive to take over on standard commercial terms.

Turkey is strategically important in overseeing maritime trade routes between the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara and Aegean Sea to the Mediterranean and beyond. It means that as well as providing conventional shiphandling assistance for its increasingly busy network of ports, the country is responsible for maintaining safe navigation in waterways such as the narrow Bosporus Strait.

It is these dual roles that the Turkish government’s fleet of around 30 tugs are charged with.

Efficient response

The two new arrivals follow delivery in late 2023 of the two slightly larger and more powerful Kurtarma 17 and 18, also constructed by Sanmar, to RAL’s RAstar 2900-SX design.

Sanmar says this latest pair ‘will make a major contribution to ensuring the safety of maritime operations, including emergency response and assistance towing around Turkey by providing towing and fire-fighting services’.

The duo are 24.4m LOA with a beam of 12m and navigational draught of 5.45m, and are the latest and most environmentally friendly versions of Sanmar’s best selling Boğaçay range.

Specifically designed for optimal efficiency in shiphandling duties for seagoing ships, their wide beam enables greater performance and stability, even in harsh weather or challenging rescue operations.

Kurtarma 19 and 20 are powered by twin CAT 3516E main engines, each developing 2,200kW at 1,600rpm, producing a bollard pull ahead of at least 77t. The design also allows for low-manning operations, typical with conventional shiphandling operations and aided by advanced machinery automation, employing the latest technologies to improve efficiency and minimise their environmental impact.

Sanmar’s first Boğaçay class tug was built in 2013 with around 70 examples now produced.

Looking at the RAmparts series through RAL’s eyes, its success is reflected in its longevity, attracting orders for the last 20-odd years with more than 400 of the series in worldwide service. There are around 20 variants in RAL’s portfolio, ranging from 22m and 60tbp to 36m and 80tbp, and offer wider beam, shallow draught and escort configured versions.

Speaking at the event held at Sanmar’s purpose-built Altinova Shipyard in the heart of the Turkish maritime sector, Minister Uraloğlu said: “Today, we are talking about a Turkey that is among the leading countries in maritime trade.

“When we look at maritime trade, our Turkish-owned merchant fleet of 1,000GT and above ranks 11th in the world. Our 2025 target is to carry this success even further and make Turkey one of the top 10 countries in the world rankings.

“Again, the amount of cargo handled at our ports reached 521 million tons in 2023, an increase of approximately 2.5 times in the last 22 years. Container transportation, on the other hand, quadrupled in the same period, reaching 12.6 million TEU.”