Spain-headquartered major international maritime service provider Boluda Towage has taken delivery of a versatile multi-purpose tug from Sanmar Shipyards – its fourth delivery from the Turkish tug builder in under a year.

Formerly part of Sanmar’s own fleet, where she was known as BOĞAÇAY LIII, the tug has been renamed VB SEEBULLE by her new owners and is the twin sister of VB TRAGEN, which was delivered to Boluda Towage last February.

Both tugs are based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAmparts 2400SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. This provides optimal efficiency when carrying out ship-handling duties for sea-gong ships, with a wide beam enabling greater performance and stability.

Measuring 24.4m LOA excluding fenders, with a moulded breadth of 11.25m, moulded depth of 4.38m and maximum operating draft of approximately 5.25m, the twin Z-drive VB SEEBULLE can, like its sister VB TRAGEN, achieve an impressive bollard pull of at least 80 tonnes and a free running speed of 12.5 knots.

With accommodation for a crew of up to six, the tug’s tank capacities include 74,200ltrs of fuel oil and 10,800ltrs of fresh water. Its main fire-fighting pump is driven by a clutched flexible coupling in front of the port side main engine and provides approximately 2700m3/hour of water to tackle blazes. The tug has Fi-Fi 1 notation.

Constructed at Sanmar’s purpose-built shipyards in Turkiye, VB SEEBULLE’s design emphasizes low-manning operation with advanced machinery automation. One of Sanmar’s new generation of tugboats, it represents the most technologically advanced and environmentally-friendly version of the continually evolving Boğaçay range to date.

Ali Gürün, Chairman of Sanmar Shipyards, said: “Boluda is a major player in the tug and maritime world and we are delighted to work closely with them to provide the modern, technologically-advanced, reliable, and environmentally responsible tugboats that they need to match their specific operational goals. VB SEEBULLE proved itself to be an extremely useful multi-purpose operator during the relatively short time it was part of our fleet, and I am sure that it will continue to do so with its new owners.”

Boluda Towage is a family-owned company, a world leader in maritime services, providing towage services in the main ports of the world. This division of Boluda Corporación Marítima is currently present on the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and operates a solid, diverse, and extensive fleet with dedicated and highly-skilled crew. This division also offers towage and salvage operations on the high seas.