MED MARINE CELEBRATES A NEW CHAPTER WITH STEEL-CUTTING CEREMONY FOR OMMP’S FLEET OF SIX TUGBOATS

On September 2, 2024, MED MARINE, a leader in shipbuilding, proudly marked a pivotal moment in its history with the steel-cutting ceremony for its esteemed client, OMMP. This event signifies the beginning of an extraordinary journey—the creation of six cutting-edge azimuth stern drive tugs, part of a prestigious contract sealed between OMMP and MED MARINE in November 2023.

These six RAstar 2800 series tugs, designed by the renowned Robert Allan Ltd, will each boast an impressive length of 28 meters. This ambitious project showcases the synergy between MED MARINE's shipbuilding excellence and OMMP's forward-thinking vision, underscoring their shared commitment to pioneering maritime solutions.

The ceremony was graced by a distinguished assembly, including key representatives from OMMP and MED MARINE, alongside officials from BUREAU VERITAS. Notable attendees from MED MARINE included Mr. Hakan Şen, CEO of MED MARINE; Mr. Kemal Bektaş, General Manager of EREGLI SHIPYARD; Ms. Melis Üçüncü, Business Development Director of MED MARINE; and Mr. Ayhan Akyol, Shipyard Deputy Manager of EREĞLİ SHIPYARD. Among the distinguished attendees from OMMP were Ms. Khaoula Belakhdhar, CEO of OMMP; Mr. Khemaies Ouerfelli, Director of Floating Units at OMMP; Mr. Yasine Guermazi, Chief Engineer of OMMP; Mr. Zouhaier Amara, Chief Engineer of OMMP; and Mr. Ali Labiadh, Advisor to MED MARINE (Engineer).

Additionally, MED MARINE was honored to welcome esteemed guests from local authorities, including Mr. Bülent Eyüpoğlu, Port Manager of Kdz. Ereğli; Mr. Oğuz Ünlüer, Chairman of the Kdz. Ereğli Branch of the Chamber of Shipping; Mr. Arslan Keleş, Chairman of the Kdz. Ereğli Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Mr. Selçuk Oktay, Chairman of the Alaplı Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

MED MARINE’s CEO, Mr. R. Hakan Şen, conveyed his deep appreciation, remarking, “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter with OMMP as we begin the steel-cutting for six 28-meter tugboats. This milestone underscores the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to excellence and innovation. As we embark on this project, we are crafting vessels that will confidently navigate the seas, strengthening the ties between Türkiye and Tunisia. With each advancement, we remain dedicated to ensuring these vessels meet the highest standards and reflect the enduring legacy of our collaboration.”

The steel-cutting marks the first tangible step in the construction of these new vessels, where innovative ideas begin to take shape in steel. MED MARINE is eager to see this project through to successful completion, delivering six state-of-the-art tugs to OMMP, further cementing their valued partnership.

About Med Marine:

Med Marine is a leading Turkish shipbuilder and tugboat operator. The company employs Eregli Shipyard, one of the largest shipyards in Turkey based on some 180.000 sqm with more than 30.000 sqm indoor areas to build state-of-the-art tugboats, workboats, offshore vessels and coated/Stainless Steel (STST) IMO II type chemical/oil tankers, either for its own operations or clients around the world. Med Marine has an extensive selection of state-of-the-art tugboat design portfolio, and the shipyard is constantly being improved with advanced production standards by keeping up with latest health, safety and environmental regulations. Med Marine has successfully completed the construction and delivery of almost 200 projects, including tugboats, chemical/oil tankers, mooring and pilot boats. Eregli Shipyard, owned by Med Marine Group, has received certifications for “Shipyard Security Compliance” and “Shipyard Production Compliance” certificates to build naval ships for Turkish Military and NATO.

About OMMP:

The Office of the Merchant Marine and Ports “OMMP” (former Office of National Tunisian Ports “OPNT – Office des Ports Nationaux Tunisiens” and former State Department of Commercial Ports coming under the Ministry of Public Works) was created by virtue of the law n° 65-2 dated February 12th, 1965, modified by the law dated February 15th, 1972. OMMP is a public state establishment endowed with financial autonomy and legal status. As a port authority, the OMMP’s main task is to handle in optimal conditions of lead time, cost and safety the whole of ships and goods passing through the Tunisian ports. The activity fields of the OMMP port chain are characterized by the diversity of maritime traffic, whether line or tramping traffic, handling containers, RO/RO, passengers, cruise passengers. Thus, the OMMP manages and runs its rich and varied installations in compliance with the norms of productivity and safety: oil ports, container terminals, a passenger terminal, ore terminals, specialized installations.