Sanmar cuts steel for four BOTAŞ electric tugs

October 18, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards has held a steel-cutting ceremony for four electric tugs being built for state-owned crude oil and natural gas pipelines and trading company BOTAŞ Petroleum Pipeline Corporation..

As disclosed, the ceremony, which took place on October 11, 2024, marked the start of the construction process of electric battery-powered tugs.

The vessels BOTAŞ has ordered are based on the SANMAR ElectRA 2500-SX design developed by Canadian naval architect Robert Allan.

Known now as hull numbers 379, 380, 381, and 382, when completed, each tug will be capable of achieving a 70-tonne bollard pull ahead, a speed of approximately 12 knots, and accommodation for a crew of up to eight, according to Sanmar.

Furthermore, each boasting a battery bank producing 5,085 kWh, these tugs will include backup diesel gensets for fire-fighting and range-extended endurance. Their tank capacities will include 54 cbm of fuel oil and 18 cbm of fresh water.

“The world is going through a significant transformation process with the transition to the use of environmentally friendly fuels. In line with IMO’s goals, the sector is expected to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In this context, the importance of alternative fuels in maritime is increasing,” Cem Seven, Vice Chairman of the Board of Sanmar Shipyards and Chairman of the Board of Ship Yacht and Services Exporters Association, said.

“We are jointly starting the manufacturing process of 4 Electric Tugboats, which will be used in the maneuvers of LNG carriers that will berth at BOTAŞ Marmara Ereğlisi LNG Terminal and BOTAŞ Saros FSRU Terminals, which have strategic importance for ensuring our country’s energy security,” Erdinç Deli, LNG Operations Manager of BOTAŞ, stated.

“As you know, the maritime sector is one of the sectors which is severely affected by global warming and climate change. Hence, transitioning to environmentally friendly technologies is of critical importance for both the future of our sector and the future of our world. Moreover, our cooperation with Sanmar, which is in line with the “Fossil Fuel-Free Maritime Industry” targets included in our National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, will be a significant milestone in this transition.”

Sanmar’s ElectRA Series tugboats are the result of the tugboat builder’s ongoing collaboration with Robert Allan and Corvus Energy to build low- and no-emission tugs. The partners plan to use alternative fuels and innovative technological advances to protect the environment and build a sustainable tug and towing industry.