Recently, Greek large tug operator Med Tugs and Türkiye Med Marine Shipyard officially signed two new generation tug construction contracts. This order includes two SVS series fully revolving propulsion tugboats with a tie up pull of 75 tons, expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026.

The background of this new ship order is a long-term cooperation agreement reached between Med Tugs and Helleniq Petroleum, a major refining company in Greece. The contract is for a period of ten years, with an annual value of up to 60 million euros (approximately 70 million US dollars), covering professional berthing and disembarkation assistance services for all crude oil transport ships and product oil tankers docking at the Helleniq Petroleum terminal.

It is understood that in order to execute this important contract, Med Tugs and another Greek joint venture company Nemeca have jointly established a specialized company called Refinery Tugs. The company has been officially put into operation since last month and is expected to deploy a fleet of about 30 tugboats to provide services.

Med Tugs is an important tugboat joint venture in Greece, jointly established by Vernicos Scafi and multiple Greek partners, currently operating a fleet of approximately 35 tugboats. It is worth noting that member company Vernicos Scafi has successfully received three similar tugboats from Med Marine shipyard in the past three years, demonstrating a stable cooperative relationship between the two parties.

This is not the only Greek order Türkiye has recently received. In July 2025, the partner Nemeca has received the 497 gross ton escort tug Gaia from Türkiye's Sanmar Shipyard, which marks the continuous recognition of Türkiye's shipbuilding industry in the international market, and the maritime equipment made in China is also playing an increasingly important role in this process. This cooperation reflects the continuous integration and development of the international maritime services market, with major operators enhancing market competitiveness by updating their fleets and strengthening cooperation. It also demonstrates the stable development and upgrading of European energy infrastructure supporting services. Editor/Yang Beihua