Sanmar marks global mılestones ın electrıc tugboats

Construction is underway of six more game-changing emissions-free fully electric ElectRA Series tugboats at Sanmar’s environmentally-friendly shipyards in Turkiye.

Part of a project unveiled in 2021, a total of eight ElectRA tugs have been delivered so far and are now operating in Europe and America, often in some of the most eco-sensitive regions on the planet.

Among those under construction is an ElectRA 2500SX for major international operator Svitzer, which is due to be delivered in the second half of 2025, after which it will operate in the waters between Sweden and Denmark.

Each ElectRA tug eliminates approximately 1,700 tonnes of CO2 per annum compared to even the cleanest modern diesel-powered alternatives. This roughly equates to the carbon emissions of nearly 1,000 cars. They also achieve major reductions of NOX, SOX, CO, and particulate matter as well.

Crucially for operators, this remarkable reduction in harmful emissions has been achieved with no loss of power or performance. The electric tugs are also exceptionally quiet, both onboard and in terms of underwater radiated noise, further enhancing the protection of both marine and wildlife.

The ElectRA Series of harbour tugs are the first of a new generation of tugboats from Sanmar and are available in a range of sizes (19-28m) and power outputs (40-85 TBP).

Hailed as the ‘Tugs of the Future’ by the maritime media, the eco-friendly tugs are the result of Sanmar’s ongoing collaboration with naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and battery providers Corvus Energy, to utilise alternative fuels and innovative technological advances to build a sustainable tug and towing industry. 

The introduction of these radically new next generation tugs has been marked by a series of landmark firsts for Sanmar.

HAISEA WAMIS was the first fully electric tug in Canada and went on to receive the prestigious ITS Tug of the Year Award in 2023. With its sister tugs HAISEA WEE’GIT and HAISEA BRAVE, it is now part of the world’s most eco-friendly tugboat fleet, which operates at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia.

Sanmar-built LNG dual-fuel (LNG and diesel) IMO Tier III compliant heavy-duty escort tugs HAISEA WARRIOR and HAISEA KERMODE (the first LNG-fuelled tugs to work in Canada) make up the rest of the fleet.

In other firsts, BB ELECTRA, delivered to Norway-headquartered operator Buksér og Berging in April, 2024, was the first fully electric tug to operate in Europe, while TRAPANANDA, an ElectRA 2500SX built for SAAM Towage, which has recently successfully completed sea trials, will become the first fully electric tug in Latin America.

Chairman Ali Gürün said: “These tugs represent a massive step forward towards the creation of an eco-friendly sustainable global tug and towing industry. Each ElectRA offers an operator the chance to make a huge positive impact by greatly reducing the number of harmful emissions in any port or harbour in which they work. We are proud to be at the forefront of this change.”