UZMAR Delivers World’s First Voith-Propelled LNG-Diesel Dual-Fuel Tugs ‘Sultanhani’ and ‘Silivri’ to BOTASIn a momentous ceremony held at the Uzmar Shipyard on 23 December 2024, the second of two pioneering dual-fuel tugboats, Silivri, was formally handed over to Boru Hatları ile Petrol Taşıma Anonim Şirketi (BOTAS)—the Turkish Petroleum International Joint Stock Company—which boasts the nation’s most established tugboat organisation. This auspicious event follows the recent delivery of Sultanhani, thereby conferring upon BOTAS the distinction of possessing Türkiye’s very first LNG-diesel dual-fuel tugs. As two of a limited number of LNG-fuelled tugboats worldwide, Sultanhani and Silivri are poised to usher in a new era of sustainable and environmentally responsible maritime operations.
A Landmark in Dual-Fuel Maritime Technology
Built under BOTAS’s wider initiative to expand and rejuvenate its tugboat fleet—thereby increasing towing power and bolstering the sustainability of its operations—Silivri is part of the TRAktor V3900-DF series of tugs designed by the esteemed Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. Engineered with Voith Schneider propellers, these vessels offer an impressive 360° visibility and are capable of running on both LNG and diesel fuel, significantly improving operational safety and manoeuvrability. By reducing NOx emissions to practically zero—well below prevailing international standards—this cutting-edge technology firmly places the tugs amongst the most environmentally friendly in their class.Strengthening BOTAS’s Fleet and Türkiye’s Maritime Footprint
BOTAS, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has become a cornerstone of Turkish energy and maritime services, offering natural gas to all 81 provinces and maintaining a formidable maritime fleet of 33 vessels crewed by 500 seafarers. Speaking at the delivery ceremony, Mr Huseyin Akmaz, Regional Director of BOTAS Petroleum Operations, emphasised the importance of these newbuilds:“Today, we are harvesting the fruits of our contract with UZMAR to modernise and strengthen our fleet. We are immensely proud to add the world’s first and our country’s first dual-fuel VSP (Voith Schneider Propeller) tugs to our organisation.”Both Sultanhani and Silivri will be stationed under BOTAS’s Regional Directorate of Petroleum Operations in Ceyhan, supporting the terminal’s ever-growing needs. Their 39-metre length, 15-metre beam, and 80-tonne bollard pull capacity allow them to tackle a broad spectrum of towing assignments with remarkable efficiency.
UZMAR Shipyard: A “Tugboat Factory” of Global Renown
The construction of these groundbreaking vessels was expertly orchestrated by UZMAR Shipyard, a company with deep roots in tugboat and workboat production dating back to 1996. UZMAR established its modern facilities in the Kocaeli Free Zone in 2005, outfitted with the high-level engineering expertise and enterprise resource planning system (SEM ERP) required to expedite, simplify, and refine the build process. Mr A. Noyan Altug, CEO of UZMAR, addressed the ceremony with great pride:“We at UZMAR are immensely proud to see our name on these unique tugboats, built for BOTAS. This project, embodying the fine workmanship of Turkish engineers, not only underscores our reputation as the ‘tugboat factory’ but also serves as a medal of prestige for our shipyard. We trust these new dual-fuel tugs—merging BOTAS’s progressive vision with our innovative maritime solutions—shall bring immeasurable benefits to our homeland, our nation, and the Turkish shipping industry.”UZMAR has carved out a pre-eminent niche by investing in alternative fuel solutions and autonomous technologies, broadening its portfolio each passing year through the large-scale production of environmentally friendly vessels that anticipate the future of maritime transport. Their collaborations with leading global operators have consistently showcased the yard’s ability to produce advanced, reliable, and safe vessels that abide by the strictest International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations.