SVITZER has officially taken delivery of its first fully electric tug, the SANMAR ElectRA 2500SX, during a ceremonial event held at SANMAR Shipyards in Altinova, Turkey. The ElectRA 2500SX is based on a cutting-edge design from Robert Allan Ltd., a renowned Canadian naval architecture firm specialising in high-performance tugs. The fully electric tug is purpose-built to deliver zero-emissions operations while maintaining the power, safety, and manoeuvrability demanded in modern ports.
Speaking at the event, Corporate Strategy Director of SANMAR İpek Gürün said: “Our partnership with Svitzer dates back almost two decades. With the delivery of the new e-tug, we proudly mark the 30th tug we have built for SVITZER.
“This is more than a number – it is a testament to a long-standing relationship built on trust, transparency, and a shared commitment to innovation. Today, we are not only celebrating the delivery of a new tug; we are also honouring the strength of our collaboration and reaffirming our shared goals for the future of sustainable maritime solutions.”
Past deliveries include the remotely operated SVITZER HERMOD in 2016, and the high-tech SVITZER TAURUS, delivered last year.
The ceremony was attended by SVITZER Group COO Kasper Karlsen and COO SVITZER Europe Philip Pattenden, along with the company’s Site Managers Jens Rasmussen and Lara Eichler and Tug Master Martin Kristiansen.
Senior SANMAR executives joining Chairman Cem Seven at the event, which was held on June 26, were Vice Chairman & CEO Ali Gürün and Corporate Strategy Director İpek Gürün, along with board members and employees.The event was also attended by guests from ELKON, AKT, ABS, SCHOTTEL.
The new tug has an overall length of 25.4m, with a 12.86m beam and 5.40m draft. It has a battery capacity of 1,808 kWh, Fi-Fi1 fire-fighting capability, and can achieve a bollard pull of 70 tons.
ElectRA Series tugs are the first of a new generation of eco-friendly tugs from SANMAR and are available in a range of sizes (19-28m) and power outputs (40-85 TBP). They are the result of SANMAR’s ongoing collaboration with ROBERT ALLAN LTD and CORVUS ENERGY to build low and no-emission tugs utilising alternative fuels and innovative technological advances.
SANMAR has successfully completed the construction of 9 Fully Electric Tugs to date, with 6 more currently under construction.
İpek Gürün continued: “This vessel combines advanced electric propulsion, a simplified operational setup, and impressive performance – all while significantly reducing environmental impact. Ease of use and crew safety have been core considerations throughout the design and build process.”
“At Svitzer, we are working focused on reducing our carbon emission footprint and thereby supporting the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. We believe that electric tugs are key to achieving our ambitions of net zero. With this new tug, we are taking real steps towards electrifying our fleet,” says Kasper Karlsen, Group Chief Operating Officer, Svitzer. “
