Sanmar Shipyards, a leading tugboat builder, has secured a new contract with Germany’s H. Schramm Towage GmbH & Co. KG for the construction of a twin Z-drive tractor tug. The tractor tug will be purpose-built for demanding operations in German ports, including harbour ship-handling, escort duties, and towing operations. The contract was formally signed during the recent TugTechnology conference in Antwerp, Belgium, with senior executives from both companies in attendance.
Schramm Towage, a family-owned company, primarily operates in the region where the Elbe River meets the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Kiel Canal. A long-standing and valued client of SANMAR, the operator has maintained a strong commercial partnership with the Turkish shipbuilder since 2005.
The new tug will be a Deliçay Class vessel, built to the exclusive TRAktor-Z 2500SX design developed by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. This latest order marks the third tug of this specific design and the seventh SANMAR-built tug overall to be delivered to H. Schramm Towage.
Measuring 25.3 metres in length, with a beam of 12 metres and a draft of 6.2 metres, the tug will be equipped with FiFi 1 fire-fighting capability and constructed in compliance with stringent IMO Tier III emissions standards. Propulsion will be provided by CATERPILLAR ‘E’ series main engines driving KONGSBERG thrusters, enabling the vessel to achieve an impressive bollard pull of 80 tonnes.
Sanmar has previously delivered six tugboats to H. Schramm Towage, reflecting a longstanding and evolving relationship. The first was CORVIN in 2005, a 45-ton bollard-pull twin screw tug delivered in 2005, second CORVIN in 2007, MAX in 2009, TORSTEN a flattop Navtug delivered in 2012. In 2020, Sanmar delivered SÖNKE, a 71-tonne bollard pull ATD tug based on the TRAktor-Z 2500SX design. Most recently, BO, another TRAktor-Z 2500SX model, joined the fleet in 2024.
Rüçhan Çıvgın, Commercial Director of Sanmar Shipyards, commented:“We are delighted to be working with the team at Schramm once again, providing them with a modern, powerful, and environmentally responsible tug tailored to their operational requirements. We will collaborate closely throughout the entire process—from initial design to sea trials—to ensure the best results. Our Deliçay Class continues to evolve, and this latest vessel will be the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly in the series. TugTechnology is a key industry event, especially for showcasing innovation and forward-thinking solutions. Signing this contract during our two days in Antwerp made the experience even more meaningful.”
Nico Andritter-Witt, Managing Director of H. Schramm Towage, commented: “This new order represents another important milestone in our long-standing relationship with Sanmar, which has proven to be a reliable and forward-looking partner over the years. As we continue to modernize our fleet, investing in state-of-the-art tugboats is essential to meeting the high standards of our clients and the operational demands of our region. With the new Deliçay Class tug, we are further strengthening our capabilities in harbour and escort operations—ensuring the highest levels of safety and efficiency. We are proud to once again collaborate with Sanmar and look forward to adding another powerful asset to our fleet.”
