Page 47: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2017)

BY ROLAND H. WEBB

Senior Vice President

Robert Allan Ltd.

eing based just across the open short hours away from Seattle by car, it is border between Canada and not surprising that Robert Allan Ltd. be-

America since 1930, Rob- gan selling ? shing vessel designs to U.S. ert Allan Ltd. has developed clients as early as the 1960s, and tugs in

Ba deep understanding of the 1970 and continues to do so. Early cus-

American market and just how our ship tomers included Dunlop Towing and designs can be tailored to suit our neigh- Puget Sound Freight Lines of Washington bors’ requirements. State. They were followed by Hawaiian

America is unique in many ways. The Tug & Barge and Shaver Transportation current designs of American towing ves- who both acquired versions of the Cates sels are largely the result of domestically 2,400 hp ASD ship handling tugs initially focused requirements not encountered developed for use in Vancouver harbor. elsewhere. As a result, Robert Allan Ltd. We continue to work hard to understand has had to learn to treat America as unique the market and will never assume we are and not to assume means and methods entitled to ongoing participation. used elsewhere will suit the U.S. market. Some of our U.S. clients include G &

A simple example is the use of the U.S. H Towing, Signet Maritime, Wilmington

Standard system of measurements as op- Tug, Foss Maritime, Harvey Gulf and the posed to the metric system in use else- U.S. Navy, to name a few. Bay-Houston where. Our designs are metric with frame Towing Co. and Suderman & Young numbers starting aft and running forward; Towing Company have recently ordered however, we can and do willingly provide total eight more improved Z-Techs for designs in U.S. standard dimensions and use in Gulf Coast ports, increasing their increments of frame spacing, using angles ? eet to 24 such vessels. G & H Towing instead of bulbs etc., and have even ? g- will operate these vessels. This new de- ured out how to reorganize frame num- sign incorporates sponsons for increased bers running from bow to stern. stability when performing escort towing

All joking aside, it is fair to say the U.S. duties, with the additional bene? t of re- market is very competitive and demand- duced motion in seaway. ing. Based in Vancouver, BC, only a few Signet Maritime has built and/or oper- www.marinelink.com 47

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