“We are convinced that this tug will be the first of many of this design,” said Pinar Korkmaz, marketing director at Sanmar.

Port Taranaki, on the west coast of New Zealand, has awarded the Turkish shipbuilder a contract for construction of the very first of its exclusive Delicay series, a compact, under 24m rule length design conceived as an off-the-shelf unit with numerous variations to suit customer needs. This vanguard of the series will measure 25.3m x 12.0m and have a guaranteed bollard pull of 60 tonnes from a propulsion plant comprising Caterpillar engines and forward mounted Rolls-Royce Z-drives.

Specifically tailored for Port Taranaki’s needs, which include precise vessel handling in tough sea conditions, the true tractor format was selected after months of investigation by Port Taranaki staff. “We had a number of proposals from shipyards on specifications we had developed,” said Port Taranaki marine engineering supervisor Grant Squire. “We shortlisted three in China, Singapore and Turkey and made yard visits of each. This solution is a standard design with limited modification to meet our operating needs.”

Mr Squire, who led the project, was impressed with the quality of Sanmar’s work – the company has built more than 150 tugs in 40 years of operation – and said that its quality management and health and safety standards stood out. Port Taranaki chief executive Guy Roper said the company was looking forward to having a new tug with greater power and state-of-the-art equipment join the fleet.

“A number of staff has worked very hard investigating the best design and manufacturer for the tug we require. We are very pleased with the result and looking forward to having the tug on the water.”

Established in 1875, Port Taranaki is centrally located on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand and is the only deep water seaport on the country's western seaboard.

Vira Maritime