Berg Propulsion has been contracted to supply propulsion and control systems for four diesel-electric firefighting offshore support tugs, which the company claims will be the most powerful vessels of their type built in Türkiye to date.

The vessels have been ordered by Smit Lamnalco from Uzmar Shipyard and will operate initially in French Guiana. Berg is due to deliver equipment for the first vessel in the series in November 2026.

All four tugs will feature bollard pull capacities exceeding 130 tonnes. According to Berg Propulsion, this represents a step up from the largest tugs built by Uzmar to date, which feature hybrid-electric propulsion also supplied by the Swedish firm.

Built to Canadian naval architect Robert Allan Ltd’s RAmpage 6000-DE design, each 60 m tug will feature twin 4,000 kW electric motors. Berg’s propulsion package will include two MTA836 Z drive fixed-pitch azimuth thrusters and two MTT216 controllable-pitch bow thrusters, alongside an MPC800 control system.

“This contract is huge in scope and significant for its commercial and technical impact,” commented Mustafa Müslüm, Managing Director of Berg Propulsion Eurasia. “Following on from earlier projects, we are delighted to work with Uzmar once more on this high-power tug order, and especially on an assignment which involves such an extensive package from Berg.”

Equipment for the last of the Bureau Veritas-classed vessels is due for delivery by July 2027.

A. Noyan Altug, President and CEO of Uzmar Group of Companies, commented: “At Uzmar, we continue to lead the way in innovative tugboat construction, delivering advanced dual-fuel, methanol, diesel-electric and battery-supported solutions tailored for the evolving needs of global ports and terminals. This diesel-electric project demonstrates our capability to combine high bollard pull performance with efficiency, lower emissions, and operational flexibility.”

Müslüm noted that adopting a fully electric powertrain brings particular benefits for operational responsiveness: “Diesel engines are optimised for efficiency at specific ratings and there are limits on flexibility. The all-electric setup provides full torque at any speed. For this reason, many tug owners have come to prefer propulsion systems that are hybrid- or fully electric.”

He added: “In addition, when power needs are high, tugboats lack the onboard space for the larger diesel engines required — which makes compact multi-genset configurations a more practical choice.”

According to Müslüm, the order reflects broader industry trends. “Rather than producing multiple tugboats rated at 70-80 tonnes bp, the sector is opting for fewer vessels with greater bp capacity per tug. There’s rising demand for higher bp capacity and this trend will continue,” he said.

Berg Propulsion has production facilities in Sweden and direct sales and service offices in China, Singapore, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. The company designs and manufactures controllable-pitch and fixed-pitch propellers, azimuth thrusters and transverse thrusters, as well as vessel control and manoeuvring systems.