SAAM Towage orders 5 tugs from Sanmar for Latin America expansion

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SAAM Towage has signed an agreement with Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards for the construction of five new tugboats as part of the company’s fleet renewal and investment strategy through 2030.

The vessels will be delivered gradually and deployed across key Latin American markets including Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and Chile. The move reflects growing demand for harbour towage capacity as ports across the region handle larger vessels and more complex operations.

SAAM CEO Hernán Gómez said the order forms part of a longer term roadmap focused on supporting customer growth while modernising the company’s fleet.

“Each new tug is designed to meet a specific operational need and will provide safe, reliable and high quality service,” Gómez said.

The agreement also extends SAAM’s long standing relationship with Sanmar, which has already delivered 13 tugboats to the operator. In practical terms, it resembles a shipping line returning to the same yard after years of dependable performance. In a market where operational downtime can quickly disrupt port schedules, reliability still matters.

The new vessels will be based on designs from Robert Allan and equipped with Firefighting 1 systems, Kongsberg azimuth thrusters, and CAT engines. Bollard pull will range between 70 and 80 tons, positioning the tugs for heavy harbour assistance and escort operations.

SAAM said the investment supports its wider growth ambitions as it seeks to strengthen its presence in the Americas and position itself for broader international expansion. The company currently operates in more than 100 ports across 12 countries with a fleet exceeding 200 tugboats.