Black Sea Tugs

[sea monkey]

Saw these recently in Istanbul. Two of this class are stationed in the Dardanelles at Cannakale and the 3-4 more at Istanbul and at the south end of the Bosporus. 

[sea monkey]

Istanbul also has a few of this class tug as well - some serious towing power on call.

[sea monkey]

I took a ferry trip up the Bosporus (60c for a 2 hour ride) - it’s one of the world’s great ferry trips - right up there with Sydney and New York. Plenty of interesting boats on display - including this rubbish collector. Would make an unusual subject for a model - good for retrieving things.

[sea monkey]

This one is from Batumi in Georgia.
Batumi is Georgia’s main port and also the terminal for the Azerbaijani pipeline so it has plenty of tugs of all shapes and sizes, ranging from old Soviet designs to modern Damen and Sanmar tugs.
Saw a couple of unusual looking Russian tugs that might make it onto my wishlist.

[sea monkey]

This one isn’t from the Black Sea - it’s from Baku on the Caspian Sea. Baku is a big oil terminal so there are plenty of tugs but the port is along way from town and not very accessible, so no photo opportunities.
Most of the tugs here are Turkish or Russian designs. Getting them here must involve a journey through Rostov, up the Don and then cross over into the Volga and down through Astrakhan to the Caspian.
This tug is a recent addition to the port.
Strange looking wheelhouse, it looks bent in the middle.

[sea monkey]

Here’s one more from Batumi in Georgia.
A nicely designed little tug, and very well maintained.