SANMAR Shipyards has signed a major contract to build six new tugboats for FAIRPLAY Towage Group, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership with one of Europe’s leading towage operators.
ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE — SANMAR Shipyards has signed a major contract to build six new tugboats for FAIRPLAY Towage Group, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership with one of Europe’s leading towage operators.
The contracts were signed on September 25, 2026, at FAIRPLAY Towage’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. The signing ceremony was attended by SANMAR Vice Chairman and CEO Ali Gürün and Commercial Director Rüçhan Çıvgın, alongside FAIRPLAY Towage Group Managing Directors Philip-Alexander Harmstorf and Holger Schwesig, as well as FAIRPLAY Towage Polska Managing Directors Arkadiusz Ryz and Witold Wojciechowski. Deliveries will take place in stages throughout 2027 and 2028.
Designed by world-renowned naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. and built at SANMAR's state-of-the-art shipyards in Türkiye, the new tugs combine high operational performance with advanced environmental standards. Across the six-vessel package, bollard pull capabilities range from 80 to 120 tonnes.
All six tugs will feature IMO Tier III-compliant main engine installations to minimize emissions, along with Ice Class notation to ensure safe and effective operations in extreme conditions. Each vessel will also be equipped with FiFi 1 class firefighting capabilities.
The fleet expansion order spans three distinct vessel classes, offering FAIRPLAY Towage operational versatility across harbor, escort, and offshore duties:
· RAmpage 4200 (1 Vessel): The flagship of the newbuild program is a variant of the proven RAmpage series of offshore support vessels. Engineered for offshore terminal support, anchor handling, ship-assist, and ocean towage, this vessel will deliver a formidable 120 tonnes of bollard pull.
· RAstar 3200SX (1 Vessel): Designed for demanding escort operations in exposed waters, this high-performance terminal tug will achieve at least 90 tonnes of bollard pull.
· RAmparts 2400SX-MKII Boğaçay Class (4 Vessels): Completing the order are four units of SANMAR’s hallmark design, optimized for high-efficiency ship handling with large sea-going vessels. Each tug will deliver at least 80 tonnes of bollard pull.
This newbuild initiative underscores both companies' shared commitment to modern, sustainable, and high-capacity marine logistics. For FAIRPLAY Towage, the strategic investment represents a significant modernization of its fleet; for SANMAR, it reinforces its position as the global builder of choice for premier European operators.
Ali Gürün, Vice Chairman and CEO of Sanmar Shipyards, commented:
“This agreement marks an important milestone for SANMAR and the beginning of a strong partnership with FAIRPLAY Towage Group. This significant six-tug order reflects the trust placed in SANMAR’s engineering expertise, proven build quality, and global delivery capabilities. We are proud to support FAIRPLAY’s fleet expansion with technologically advanced, high-performance, and environmentally responsible tugboats, and we look forward to a long-term, successful collaboration.”
“With the order of two offshore tugs and four harbour tugs, we are making a clear and consistent investment in the future of FAIRPLAY. Our ambition is to provide our customers with the highest levels of performance, reliability, and state-of-the-art technology – not only today, but also in the years ahead. That is why we have deliberately chosen vessels that represent the very forefront of tug technology currently available on the market.
At the same time, this order marks a special milestone for us: for the first time since 2008, we are building with Sanmar again. We have known the shipyard and its capabilities for many years and are very pleased to renew this partnership with such a significant newbuilding programme.
Throughout its long history, FAIRPLAY has always evolved as markets and requirements have changed. That is exactly what we are doing today. We are not investing in vessels for the past – we are investing in a fleet built for the demands of the future, both in port and offshore.” said Philip-Alexander Harmstorf, Managing Director of FAIRPLAY Towage Group.
About SANMAR Shipyards
With a proud history of 50 years in tugboat building, SANMAR Shipyards is a world-renowned tug and workboat builder based in Türkiye, specialising in high-performance, technologically advanced and environmentally responsible vessels. SANMAR serves the global towage industry with a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, safety and operational excellence.
About FAIRPLAY Towage Group
FAIRPLAY Towage Group is an international tugboat shipping company with more than 120 years of experience in the maritime industry. The company operates in 24 European ports and provides harbor towage as well as offshore, ocean towage and salvage services to the international shipping and maritime industries.
With a fleet of more than 100 modern tugs, FAIRPLAY Towage Group supports vessels and maritime projects in ports and at sea. Its operations focus on safety, reliability and efficient maritime services
