SANMAR delivers its 300th tugboat built to Robert Allan Ltd design

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered its 300th tugboat based on a design by renowned Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. The Turkish tugboat builder reached this milestone with the recent delivery of one of its ground-breaking emissions-free battery electric ElectRA tugs to Norway-headquartered operator Buksér og Berging, where it will be based at the Port of Oslo.

Named BB ELECTRA by its new owners, the eco-friendly tug was built based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2200 SX design from Vancouver-based Robert Allan Ltd.

SANMAR, which operates three purpose-built, state-of-the-art, and environmentally-friendly shipyards in the heart of the Turkish maritime sector, has always prided itself for being at the forefront of innovative technological advance.

Among the many examples of this are the delivery of the world’s first LNG-fuelled tugboats in 2014; the delivery of the world’s first remote operated commercial vessel in 2017; the building of the world’s first hydromechanical hybrid (AVD) tug in 2019 and the development and delivery - so far - of six ElectRA Series ‘Battery Electric Tugs’ to international operators.

SANMAR has taken a strategic decision to champion and lead the drive to a new era of low and no emissions tugs to create a sustainable future for the tug and towing industry, based on technological advance and alternative fuels.

The recent steel cutting ceremony marking the start of the construction of the world’s first large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tugs was another example of Sanmar putting this strategy into action. The steel-cutting was for two tugs based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Robert Allan Ltd, destined to work for KOTUG on the west coast of Canada – the first project Sanmar has undertaken with the Netherlands-headquartered international operator.

Ali Gürün, Chairman of Sanmar Shipyards, said: “We have had a long and extremely successful relationship with Robert Allan Ltd that has led us building some of the most important landmark tugs of the past 30 years. This continues to be the case going forward, as new advanced technologies are utilised and alternative fuels and power sources become the norm. Innovation has always been at the heart of our relationship. Three hundred deliveries is a magnificent milestone to reach.”

Mike Fitzpatrick, President & CEO of Robert Allan Ltd., said: “Robert Allan Ltd are very proud to have played a role in the success of Sanmar Shipyards over the past 30 years.  To have successfully built 300 vessels together is an incredible achievement that has relied on the mutual respect and trust that both parties have for each other.  On the very few occasions where problems have arisen on a project, both parties have skipped the finger pointing phase and moved straight to the problem- solving phase.  This is how enduring business relationships are forged. We offer our deepest congratulations to our friends at Sanmar for this achievement and look forward to celebrating the 400th and 500th vessels in the not too distant future.”