First of New Sanmar Tugboat Class for Italian Terminal

The delivery of tug Civitavecchia to the Italian tugboat operator Italtugs for their operation at a Sicilian oil terminal represents another milestone in the tchnical cooperation between Sanmar Shipyards in Türkiye and the Canadian naval architects, Robert Allan Limited.

Sanmar Ulucay Class Bridge.

Combining Sanmar’s extensive experience as an international tugboat operator with RAL’s undoubted design expertise has resulted in some 150 world class vessels being built at either of the former’s custom-built shipyards.

This latest delivery is the first vessel of the Sanmar Ulucay class tugboat which is based on the RAstar 3200W design. Commented Sanmar’s Ali Gurun: “The RAmparts 3200 design, of 70-80 tonnes, has proved itself in previous years. We have constructed 11 sister vessels of this series. Then we started constructing the RAstar 2800 design, of similar bollard pull, our famous Sanmar Terminal series tugboats. These vessels have successfully responded to the demands of customers looking for 30m – 32m tugbboats. But in time, due to the changing demands of customers, we have felt the need for a new 32m design, under 500GRT, with 80-90 tonnes BP, and started developing it. The first sister vessels are 85 tonne versions of this design.”

The new vessel measures 32.0m LOA with a beam of 13.2m and an extreme draft of 6.4m. It is powered by two MAN 7L27/38 main engines each developing 2,555kW at 800 rev/min. These turn Rolls-Royce type US25 CP Z-drive azimuthing thrusters with propellers of 2,800mm diameter via solid shafts with two Cardan joints. The propellers turn inside mild steel nozzles. The designers state that in addition to a forward bollard pull of greater than 85 tonnes, the free-running speed is in excess of 13 knots. The two generator sets, each of 200ekW are also by MAN. A FiFi1 class fire-fighting system by FFS is main engine driven via Kumera gearboxes and feeds two monitors at the forward end of the bridge deck and a water spray system.

Accommodation is provided for a crew of 10 persons in six cabins, all with en suite facilities. The galley is stainless steel throughout and the mess room is both roomy and attractive in decor.

On the fore deck is a double drum winch by Rolls-Royce – both drums each configured to hold 200m of 64mm synthetic rope.

Both winches have a brake holding load of 200 tons. In addition the vessel has a Nouva Covis knuckle boom crane and one towing hook.

The Ulucay class series is designed for escort services and as well as occasional towage and the tugs are ex-proof in gas-cloud environments so are ideal for LNG terminal operations and have oil recovery notation. This design has the highest technical specification of its range.