Uztug Uzmar has officially begun tugboat operations in Ambarlı, enhancing maritime safety and efficiency under a 20-year contract signed on July 17.
A New Era for Tugboats and Mooring in Ambarlı: Uztug Uzmar Has Started Operations
Tugboat and mooring services in the Ambarlı Regional Service Area have officially begun as of 00:01 today, provided by Uztug Uzmar Tugboat Services Inc. The contract signed with the Ministry on July 17 has initiated a long-term operational period in one of Turkey's busiest port clusters.
A new era has begun in the operation of tugboat and mooring services in the Istanbul Ambarlı Regional Service Area.
According to an announcement sent by the Association of Shipowners and Agents to sector members, Uztug Uzmar Tugboat Services Inc. signed a contract with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure on July 17, 2026. The company commenced operations in the region as of 00:01 on July 24.
The tender announcement stated that the rights to operate tugboat services in the Ambarlı Regional Service Area would be transferred for a period of 20 years. The tender was conducted through negotiation on March 4 and concluded with an auction. The starting public share was set at 30%, and the provisional guarantee was determined to be 33 million 711 thousand lira.
Critical Services for Maneuvering Safety in Ambarlı
Ambarlı is a port cluster where container, Ro-Ro, general cargo, and liquid cargo operations are concentrated in the same maritime area, directly connected to the traffic of the Istanbul Strait and the Sea of Marmara. Tugboats must be readily available to assist with the berthing, departure, docking, or emergency control of large vessels.
Mooring services encompass the operations of taking, securing, and releasing ropes during the berthing and unberthing of vessels. Therefore, the new contract concerns not only the commercial operation of tugboats but also the integrity of vessel maneuvers on both land and sea sides.
However, the announcement regarding the start of public services did not disclose the names, towing capacities, years of construction, crew numbers, main berthing points, and emergency response times of the tugboats allocated to Ambarlı. The final public share ratio established in the tender was also not included in the announcement.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
