Sanmar Shipyards has signed a contract with Greek towage operator NEMECA for the construction of a new BOĞAÇAY Class tugboat.
ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE — October 13, 2026 — Sanmar Shipyards has signed a contract with Greek towage operator NEMECA for the construction of a new BOĞAÇAY Class tugboat. The agreement for BOĞAÇAY XCVII was signed in Piraeus, Greece on October 6, 2026, marking a significant milestone in NEMECA’s strategic expansion and fleet modernization in the Mediterranean region.
This latest order builds on the strong working relationship established between the two maritime leaders following Sanmar’s delivery of GAIA—a powerful RAstar 2900SX Class 82 tonnes bollard pull escort tug—to NEMECA in 2025.
The new vessel is based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. The BOĞAÇAY series has established itself as one of Sanmar’s most iconic and successful tugboat lines globally, renowned for combining high power, superior maneuverability, and cost efficiency within compact dimensions.
BOĞAÇAY XCVII features an overall length of 24.4 meters, a beam of 12.0 meters, a depth of 4.5 meters, and a maximum operational draft of 5.45 meters. The tug is ready for future IMO Tier III compliance with her twin CAT 3516E main engines generating 2,350 kW each. Delivering a bollard pull of 80+ tonnes and a free-running speed of 13 knots, she is being built for demanding ship-handling, terminal, and escort operations. The vessel is equipped with FiFi 1 firefighting capabilities and provides modern accommodation for up to six crew members.
Rüçhan Çıvgın, Commercial Director of Sanmar Shipyards, said:
"We are delighted to deepen our strategic partnership with NEMECA as they continue to make substantial investments in high-performance, next-generation newbuildings. NEMECA’s decision to return to Sanmar for another 80+ tonne bollard pull vessel underscores their clear commitment to enhancing fleet power, operational safety, and sustainable towage capacity in the region.
The BOĞAÇAY Class delivers heavy-duty power and exceptional versatility in a compact footprint—qualities that are essential for modernizing regional port services. We are proud to support NEMECA’s continuous growth and look forward to delivering another state-of-the-art tug to bolster their operational footprint in Greece."
Mario Mizzi, Managing Director of NEMECA Maritime, echoed Ruchan’s comments, stating:
“For NEMECA, fleet development and modernization are about selecting the right vessels to enhance the quality of service we provide to our valued clients, further strengthen the safety of our operations, and equip our crews with state-of-the-art capabilities that meet the evolving demands of today’s major Greek ports.
The new vessel will combine advanced technology, high power and compact design, providing us with greater operational flexibility in busy port environments where maneuverability, efficiency and reliability are essential.
We are pleased to further strengthen our relationship with SANMAR as we continue to develop our fleet with purpose, responsibility and a clear focus on operational excellence.”
About Sanmar Shipyards
With a proud history spanning 50 years, Sanmar Shipyards is a world-renowned tugboat builder based in Türkiye, specializing in high-performance, technologically advanced, and environmentally responsible custom workboats. Sanmar serves the global towage industry with an uncompromising focus on innovation, sustainability, safety, and operational excellence.
About NEMECA
NEMECA provides harbour towage in the Greek landscape and is very active in open sea towages and offshore support. From its incepetion, NEMECA has developed itself into a household name operatör both in Greece and internationally thanks to its modern fleet, highly skilled and dedicated crews that are committed to safety and operational excellence.
