Sanmar Shipyards has delivered the NICO tugboat to H. Schramm Towage, enhancing port maneuvers and offshore towing capabilities in Germany.
Sanmar Shipyards has delivered the azimuth tractor tug named NICO, built for the German company H. Schramm Towage. During the construction process, the vessel was referred to as DELICAY XVIII and will be used by the German operator for port maneuvers and offshore towing operations.
Measuring 25.3 meters in length, NICO is based on the TRAktor-Z 2500SX design, which was specially developed for Sanmar by Robert Allan Ltd. Each of the tug's two CAT 3516E main engines produces 2,350 kW of power. According to the company's statement, the propulsion system meets the IMO Tier III nitrogen oxide emission limits.
The delivery marks the seventh vessel in the over twenty-year collaboration between Sanmar and H. Schramm Towage. The German company had previously added the tugs SÖNKE and BO from the same design family to its fleet. NICO is expected to be deployed in operations based in Brunsbüttel, Hamburg, and Harlingen.
The contract was signed at the TugTechnology conference held in Antwerp in May 2025. The parties did not disclose the sale price. In terms of technical specifications, NICO belongs to the new generation of port tug class, combining high towing power with a relatively compact hull and low-emission engine package.
The delivery demonstrates the continuity of Turkish tugboat manufacturers' exports to European port operators. However, in environmental performance assessments, not only Tier III compliance but also the vessel's actual operational profile, fuel consumption, and maintenance data will be decisive.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
