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Rastar News

12 Jan 2026

ASENAV, SAAM to Build Tugboat in Chile

© ASENAV

In a strategic step to consolidate the country's industrial and export capacity, the ASENAV shipyard and multinational towage services company SAAM signed their first shipbuilding contract.The agreement outlines the manufacturing of a tugboat in Valdivia, designed under the strictest international standards. Construction is expected to take approximately 15 months, with the vessel scheduled to join SAAM's fleet in Canada during the first half of 2027.The vessel, a RAstar 3200W model designed by Robert Allan, will be 32 meters long and have over 80 tons of bollard pull.

18 Nov 2025

Kongsberg Maritime to Power Med Marine’s Next-Generation Tugs with Advanced Thruster and Winch Technology

© Kongsberg Maritime

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Turkish shipbuilder and leading tugboat operator Med Marine to supply US series azimuth thrusters and a combination of electric and hydraulic towing winches for nine new tug designs. The agreement includes Med Marine’s new ‘VoltRA’ all-electric tug, which will be built at the company’s Ereğli Shipyard.The new contract covers the supply of eight shipsets of Kongsberg Maritime’s high-performance US255 azimuth thrusters for Med Marine’s RAmparts 2500-W and RAstar 3200-W tug designs.

17 Nov 2025

Sanmar Delivers Ninth Tugboat to P&O Maritime Logistics

© Sanmar Shipyards

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered its ninth tugboat to global marine services provider P&O Maritime Logistics.P&O took deliver of its first Sanmar-built tugboat in 2013. Since then, Sanmar has delivered eight more tugs that have gone on to serve in ports around the world.The latest vessel has been named AL FATH by its new owners.Based on the RAmparts 2200 design developed by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., the Sırapınar Class are compact sister vessels to Sanmar’s Boğacay Class tugs.

22 Jul 2025

Sanmar Shipyards Delivers Tug for Greek Owner

Imiage Courtesy Sanmar

SANMAR delivered a new escort tug to Greek operator NEMECA to join its fleet of tugboat proving services in the ports of Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Corfu and Kavala.Named GAIA by its new owners, the tug is based on the exclusive-to-SANMAR RAstar 2900SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and is the first tug that SANMAR has built for a Greek client.NEMECA provides harbour towage, open sea towage and salvage services and can also provide vessels for anchor handling…

11 Jul 2025

First RAstar 3200-W Series Tugboat Delivered to Egyptian Navy

Source: Robert Allan Ltd.

The Ras Alhekma terminal support/escort tug has been delivered to the Egyptian Navy in Alexandria, Egypt.The name, Ras Alhekma is a coastal region located on a cape along Egypt’s Mediterranean shoreline.The RAstar 3200-W series tug was recently completed at Alexandria Shipyard and is the first of series of five that are being built in the yard.The RAstar escort series tug features unique sponsoned hull form developed exclusively by Robert Allan Ltd., which has been proven to provide significantly enhanced escort towing and seakeeping performance.

18 Jun 2025

RAstar Tug Pair Delivered, Set Sail for Mexico

Image courtesy Robert Allan Ltd.

Cheoy Lee Shipyards recently delivered two RAstar 3200-CL tugs bound for Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. CMM Azteca and CMM Mexico will sail on their own bottom all the way from Hong Kong and begin operations in Mexico as part of Compania Maritima Mexicana SA DE CV’s fleet (an affiliate company of Boluda Towage).These two tugs are the latest deliveries in the RAstar 3200-CL series, which Cheoy Lee has been building since 2013. In 12 years Cheoy Lee has built and delivered 29 tugs to this design.Particulars of the RAstar 3200-CL series escort tugs are:Length overall: 32.0 mBeam…

14 May 2025

Robert Allan, SCHOTTEL Teamwork Hits 500 Tugs Milestone

(Credit: KOTUG)

With the 500th tug designed by Robert Allan and equipped with SCHOTTEL propulsion systems, the Canadian naval architect and German propulsion specialist companies have now reached a very special milestone in their long-standing partnership.Tug number 500 is one of a pair for KOTUG Canada, which are currently being built at Turkish Sanmar shipyards.Based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Robert Allan, the world's first large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tug will service…

12 Nov 2024

Sanmar Delivers Escort Tug to P&O Maritime Logistics

Source: Sanmar

Sanmar has delivered a high-performance, technologically advanced escort tug to long-term client P&O Maritime Logistics.Based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar, RAstar 2900SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and built at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkiye, the tug has been named P&O Gaynde.Measuring 29.4m LOA, with a molded breadth of 13.3m, molded depth of 5.5m and design draft of 5.75m, P&O GAYNDE can achieve a minimum of 80 tonnes of bollard pull ahead and minimum of 75 tonnes astern.

31 Oct 2024

KOTUG Gets BP’s Call for Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Gas Project

Phase 1 LNG FPSO (Credit: BP)

Dutch company KOTUG International has secured a contract from BP to provide marine services to the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project offshore Mauritania and Senegal.KOTUG International and its local Senegalese partner Maritalia have been awarded   a long-term fixed-term contract, with extension options, to provide marine services to one of Africa’s deepest subsea development.KOTUG will deploy four RAstar 32m azimuthing stern drive (ASD), IMO Tier-III compliant tugboats to support the offshore Hub Terminal…

31 Jul 2024

Electric Tug HaiSea Wamis Arrives at Kitimat Home Base

(Photo: HaiSea Marine)

The all-electric tugboat HaiSea Wamis is the first of HaiSea Marine’s five new eco-friendly tugs to travel from North Vancouver to the company's base of operations in Kitimat.A team of eight Haisla members piloted the HaiSea Wamis home, marking a milestone for HaiSea Marine, a partnership primarily owned by the Haisla Nation and Seaspan ULC. This occasion was a family affair for the Ross family, spanning three generations: Ed Ross, a deckhand for HaiSea Marine, his stepson Craig Windsor…

08 Jul 2024

Sanmar Delivers Escort Tug

Known as KOCAÇAY IX while under construction in Turkiye, the tug has been renamed Pellegron by its new owners and will operate in the Arabian Gulf.  Image courtesy Sanmar

Sanmar delivered a tug designed for escort, ship-handling, and towage work to Italy-based operator Rimorchiatori Laziali as part of its on-going expansion outside the Mediterranean.Known as KOCAÇAY IX while under construction in Turkiye, the tug has been renamed Pellegron by its new owners and will operate in the Arabian Gulf.Based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAstar 3200SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., Pellegron measures 32m LOA including fenders, with a 13m breadth…

18 Jun 2024

Atlantic Towing Modernizes Halifax Port Fleet with Svitzer Escort Tugboats

(Credit: Svitzer)

Atlantic Towing, a member of the J.D. Irving family of companies, and Svitzer have made joint investment in the modernization of the Port of Halifax fleet by acquiring two new escort tugboats from the Rastar 3200 series, each boasting an 85-ton bollard pull.The new tugboats were specifically selected to accommodate the expanded volume of operations in the Port of Halifax and ensure Atlantic Towing maintains its role as the premier operator at the port.Currently, three tugs are permanently stationed in Halifax, supplemented by two on-call vessels.

08 May 2024

Kongsberg Thrusters for Six Tunisian PA Tugs

Image courtesy Kongsberg Maritime

Kongsberg Maritime won a contract to supply azimuth thrusters to Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine, to power six new sterndrive tugs for the Tunisian port authority OMMP.The new tugs, of Robert Allan RAstar 2800 series design, are designed for a range of towing and harbor operations in Tunisian ports.Kongsberg Maritime will supply a pair of its US205 FP azimuth thrusters to each of the six 28-m vessels. The thrusters feature 2.8-m, fixed pitch propellers which will deliver efficient operation and enhanced maneuverability…

30 Apr 2024

Sanmar Delivers Camperdown to Targe Towing

Image courtesy Sanmar Shipyards

Sanmar Shipyards is delivering a new tug for Targe Towing in Scotland. Known as BIGAÇAY Xl while under construction, the tug was renamed Camperdown by its new owners, and was on its way to its new home port of Aberdeen.Camperdown is based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAstar 2900SX from Robert Allan Ltd., primarily intended for demanding escort operations in exposed areas.Measuring 29.4 x 13.3m with a 5.5m molded depth and 5.75m design draft, the tug can achieve a minimum of 85 tonnes of bollard pull ahead and astern.

09 Apr 2024

Sanmar Launches New Tug for Rimorchiatori Laziali

(Photo: Sanmar)

Turkish tugboat builder and operator Sanmar announced it has launched a new vessel in its exclusive Kocaçay Series of high-powered escort tugs, scheduled to be delivered to Italian customer Rimorchiatori Laziali in May.Kocaçay lX is based on the RAstar 3200SX design developed especially for Sanmar by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.The tug’s design is primarily intended for escort operations in exposed areas where exceptional seakeeping capabilities are essential. Following its launch…

25 Jan 2024

Sanmar Delivers Two Tugs

Image courtesy Sanmar

Sanmar rounded off 2023 with delivery of two new heavy-duty tugs to the Directorate General of Coastal Safety at a ceremony attended by leading politicians and maritime industry executives.Built at Sanmar’s Altinova Shipyard in the heart of the Turkish maritime sector, KURTARMA 17 and KURTARMA 18 are both 29.4m long, 13.3m wide and have a maximum draft of 5.75m. They are each powered by two high-speed Caterpillar 3516C main engines enabling them to achieve an impressive towing force of 82 tons.Known as BIGAÇAY Xlll and BIGAÇAY X before being renamed by their new owner…

19 Dec 2023

Uzmar Delivers Svitzer Estelle

Image courtesy Svitzer

Svitzer announced the delivery of Svitzer Estelle, the second tug built as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with Uzmar Shipyards, based in Turkey.Svitzer Estelle is a Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAstar 3200W that will be deployed by Svitzer on the River Thames and the River Medway,bolstering the company’s operations in the busy Port of London. The first tug delivered by Uzmar Shipyards in May 2023, Svitzer Elizabeth, is currently in service in the Port of Liverpool. Svitzer’s partnership with Uzmar Shipyards began with the delivery of two tugs for the company’s fleet in Australia.

11 Dec 2023

Sanmar Delivers LNG-powered Tug to HaiSea Marine

(Photo: Sanmar Shipyards)

The first new LNG-fueled escort tug built by Sanmar Shipyards in Türkiye for HaiSea Marine has arrived in Vancouver, Canada, ahead of being transferred to LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat.HaiSea Kermode is Canada’s first LNG-fueled tugboat and will soon be joined by its sister tug HaiSea Warrior to form a fleet of five with three Sanmar-built electric-powered emissions-free ElectRA harbor tugs. The two Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboats are based on the RAstar 4000 DF design from Vancouver-based naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.At 40.2 m in length…

30 Nov 2023

Bay-Houston Towing Orders New Tugs from Sterling Shipyard

(Image: Bay Houston Towing)

Bay-Houston Towing has inked a deal with Port Neches, Texas shipbuilder Sterling Shipyard to build multiple new tugs to serve the Texas Gulf Coast region.The new vessels will be Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAstar 3200-W ASD ship handling and escort tugs for berthing/unberthing large ships and providing escort and emergency response in exposed coastal areas with demanding sea states.“The addition of the RAstar 3200-W further diversifies our fleet and provides an extremely powerful…

14 Jul 2023

Canada's First Fully Electric Tug Arrives in Vancouver

HaiSea Wamis (Photo: Seaspan)

This week, Canada welcomed the arrival of the its first fully electric tugboat, HaiSea Wamis.Built by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey, the vessel is the first in a series of three Robert Allan Ltd. designed ElectRA 2800 battery electric harbor tugs being constructed for HaiSea Marine, a joint venture partnership between the Haisla First Nation and Seaspan ULC.Together with HaiSea’s incoming dual-fuel (liquefied natural gas [LNG] and diesel) escort tugs, the fleet will make the voyage…

26 Jun 2023

Uzmar Delivers New Tug to Svitzer

(Photo: Uzmar)

Uzmar’s shipyard in Turkey has delivered a new tug to Svitzer, the towage arm of Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk.The newly completed RAstar 3200-W, named Svitzer Elizabeth, was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and will be the first Uzmar tug to be part of Svitzer’s European fleet, operating in the Port of Liverpool, England.The combination of 80+ tonnes bollard pull, escort, Fi-Fi 1, exceptional seakeeping and < 500 GT of this design has proven successful for Uzmar and Robert Allan Ltd., the designer said.

11 Mar 2023

World’s First Fully Electric Harbor Tugboat Named

Image courtesy HaiSea Marine/Seaspan ULC

HaiSea Marine, majority owned by Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC, celebrated the naming and blessing of its tug boat fleet – which includes the world’s first fully electric harbor tug boat, along with dual fuel (LNG and Diesel) escort tug boats. Once delivered, the green fleet will provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat in the traditional territory of the Haisla Nation.Members of the Haisla Nation joined representatives from Seaspan…

06 Apr 2022

Uzmar Builds Three Tugs for Smit Lamnalco

(Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.)

Turkish shipbuilder Uzmar has built thee new tugs for Smit Lamnalco.Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the three purpose-designed and -built RAstar 4200 ASD tugs SL Ibo, SL Matemo and SL Macaloe were ordered in 2019. They are the first RAstar 4200 design vessels used for terminal support and have been outfitted specially for these operations. These new 42-meter tugs are specifically designed to be operated in the offshore area near the northeast coast of Pemba, Mozambique. The three tugboats will be working together with one multipurpose vessel as a fleet in support of FLNG operation…