Rolls-Royce and the Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards have signed a letter of intent for the supply of MTU engines, the company said in its press release. The Class RAstar 2800-E Azimuth Stern Drive tugs currently being built by Sanmar are to be powered solely by MTU Series 16V 4000 M63 and M63L engines and by a Rolls-Royce or Schottel propeller system. The engines of this series are extremely efficient, in addition to offering low fuel consumption and low maintenance costs due to a high TBO (Time Between Overhaul). They also meet EPA Tier 2, IMO Tier II and ZKR II emission standards. The MTU brand is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems within the Land & Sea division of Rolls-Royce.
MTU and the Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar have been working together since 2009. In 2014 MTU delivered four 16V 4000 M63L engines for two new Sanmar tugboats with a bollard pull of more than 70 tonnes. Now another twelve 16V 4000 M63 engines each delivering 2,000 kW are on order for six more RAstar 2800-E Class Azimuth Stern Drive tugs. Sanmar Shipyards will deliver the first tugs to the Danish tug operator Svitzer in the fourth quarter of 2016. The tug vessels, which deliver a bollard pull of 70 tonnes, will be used in terminals.
Sanmar AS is the biggest tugboat operator and builder in Turkey and is recognised as being amongst the leading specialist tug constructors worldwide. Sanmar currently builds high quality and specialised tugboats in its two shipyards in Tuzla and Altinova.