Sanmar delivering three in a row to European operators

Sanmar is in the process of delivering three high-performance ultra-modern tugs in a row to different European operators working in Portugal, Italy and Estonia. All three are at sea and heading for their new homes.

One Sanmar Terminal class tug is on its way to MedTug SA to operate out of the port of Sines, Portugal, while a second is being delivered to long-established Italian operator Rimorchiatori Napoletani in Naples.

The third tug in this flurry of deliveries to European operators is thesecond of two new-build high-performance ice-breaking tugboats custom-designed for Finland-based operator Alfons Håkans by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd to operate all-year round in the northern Baltic Sea. It is due to arrive shortly at its new home in Muuga, Estonia.

Known as TundRA ll while under construction at Sanmar’s state-of-the-art Altinova Shipyard in Türkiye, the tug has been named Helios by its new owner.

Based on the TundRA 3200 design, Helios is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C main engines each driving a Kongsberg US 255 CP Z-drive, delivering a bollard pull in excess of 65 tonnes. The vessel’s electrical needs are provided by two Caterpillar C7.1 generator sets each of 118kW.

Like its twin sister Selene, which was delivered to Alfons Håkans earlier this year, the tough and versatile Helios is capable of performing multiple, diverse tasks, including escort, ship-assist, icebreaking and ice management, open sea towing, fire-fighting, small cargo transfer on deck including 20-foot containers, assistance in salvage, and oil spill recovery.

Meanwhile, both Terminal class tugs, known at Terminal XXl and Terminal XXlX by Sanmar, are based on the RAstar 2800 design from Robert Allan Ltd and benefit from the new sponsoned hull form. Escort forces are enhanced by the effects of the sponson and the tug’s foil-shaped escort skegs. Roll motions and accelerations are less than half those of comparable sized ‘standard’ tug hulls.

The increasingly popular Terminal class tugs from Sanmar have achieved a well-earned reputation as highly manoeuvrable, efficient and tough operators, even in challenging sea conditions.

Built in 2017 and previously part of Sanmar’s own fleet, Terminal XXI has been renamed Med Altair by MedTug. Measuring 28.2m LOA, with a moulded beam of 12.6m and navigational draft of 5.3m, Med Altair is powered by two MTU 16V4000M63 main engines each providing 2,000kW at 1,740 rev/min, driving Schottel SRP 1515 FP thrusters. The vessel can achieve a bollard pull of 75 tonnes and a speed ahead of 13 knots.

The new-build Terminal XXlX, renamed Oriente by Rimorchiatori Napoletani, is the twin sister of the tug Baia, delivered to the Italian operator in May 2020, and is powered by two Caterpillar 3516 C HD main engines, each producing 2525kW at 1,800 rev/min. It has Kongsberg US255 FP thrusters and 2800mm diameter propellers, providing a speed ahead of 14 knots.

Ruchan Civgin, Commercial Director of Sanmar, said: “We are delighted to have three modern high-performance, technologically-advanced tugs on their way to their new owners at the same time. It is a tribute to all those involved in an efficient logistical operation. Europe is an important market for us and it is always pleasing to see operators who have opted to buy our tugboats in the past coming back for more. At Sanmar we pride ourselves on our ability to tailor our products and after-sale care to individual clients’ operational needs.”