Damen Shipyards Group has signed its first contract with Turkey’s Albayrak Group, covering the delivery of an ASD Tug 2111 and ASD Tug 2813. The Albayrak Group is one of the largest businesses in Turkey and its broad range of activities includes port management at Alsancak Port, Izmir, and Trabzon Port, Turkey; Conakry Port, Guinea; Mogadishu Port, Somalia; Pointe-Noire Port, Congo; Banjul Port, Gambia; Bata and Malabo Ports, Equatorial Guinea; and Baku Port, Azerbaijan. The ASD Tug 2111 and ASD Tug 2813 will provide towage services in the ports of Conakry and Pointe-Noire, respectively. The Albayrak Group selected Damen due to the strong reputation enjoyed by its tugs and its ability to facilitate a fast delivery. Thanks to its build for stock program, Damen had already begun construction of the ASD tugs prior to receiving the order. As a result, the shipbuilder will deliver both vessels within five to six months of the contract signing. Damen’s ASD Tugs are designed to offer compact power suited to modern port operations. They are highly maneuverable and suited to a wide range of port duties including push-pull, harbor assistance, and escort towage. The ASD Tug 2111 is being constructed at Damen Shipyards Changde, in China and the ASD Tug 2813 at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam. T The ASD Tug 2111, measuring 21.02 x 11.13 meters, offers 50 tonnes of bollard pull, while the ASD Tug 2813, measuring 25.59 x 12.93 metera, delivers up to 83 tonnes of bollard pull. The Albayrak Group has chosen to customize the standard Damen design of its tugs with additional options that includes equipping the vessels for the local flag state and climate requirements. “We initially turned to Damen based on the good reputation of its vessels, said Yunus Yilmaz, General Manager of the Albayrak Group. “When we began our discussions, we were very pleased to discover that Damen was able to offer a delivery time within half a year from the signing of our contract. We view this collaborat