View non-flash version
In 2005, Robert Allan Ltd will cele- brate its 75th year of continuous busi- ness as a firm of Consulting Naval Architects. From its base in Vancouver, the company serves the international marine community with a wide range of specialized workboat designs, as it has done since its inception, through three generations of family ownership. The company has experienced considerable growth in the past decade, and currently has more than 30 vessels to its designs under construction around the world, including a myriad of high-performance tugboats of all types, fireboats, crew- boats, patrol craft, ferries, and barges. The following are some highlights of current Robert Allan Ltd. projects that will be delivered in the early months of 2005. Europe In January the highly advanced AVT 37/65-E Escort Tug for Østensjø Rederi AS of Norway will start trials out of Gondan Shipyard in Northern Spain. With an unusual hull form, a novel skeg design, and the world's first application of the new Voith Turbo-Fin device, this 121.4 ft. (37 m), 5,000 kW tug will set a new standard in escort towing perform- ance. Also in Spain, Unión Naval Valencia have just launched the first two in a series of three RAmparts 2400-A Class ASD tugs. Based on the same suc- cessful compact hull form as the tug Blackadder built in new Zealand in 2003, this new design features a full crew accommodation facility, and an increased fuel capacity for greater range. In Italy, Cantieri Navali Termoli are making good progress on two AVT 27/60 Class Voith tractor tugs for Rimorchiatori Riuniti of Genoa. The first of these very compact, powerful harbor tugs is due for completion in the first quarter of 2005. Further south, Fratelli Neri of Livorno will soon award a contract for the construction of a series of the new AZT 26/60 Class Z-drive tractor tugs. These tugs will serve vari- ous ports along the Mediterranean coast of Italy. Middle East Turkey continues to be bustling with new tugs building to Robert Allan Ltd. designs, including the following: Sanmar Deniczilik of Istanbul is just completing the second of two RAmparts 3200 Class ASD tugs, a sister to the 105 ft. (32 m), 67 ton BP Achille Onorato, delivered in July 2004 to Rimorchiatori Sardi of Sardinia. Sanmar are also build- ing two more of the successful, econom- ic, 82 ft. (25 m) twin-screw Dogancay Class tugs, and two more 72 ft. (22 m) twin-screw Nehir Class tugs, all Robert Allan Ltd. designs. Uzmar Uzmanlar of Izmir are building two Robert Allan Ltd. designed ASD 30/65 Class tugs for service in the Caspian Sea, due for delivery mid-year, and these will be followed by a series of customized RAmparts 3000 Class tugs for Uzmar's own stable. Med Marine are building a compact twin-screw tug of the TS 22/40 Class, and will shortly begin construction of the first of a series of Robert Allan Ltd.'s well-proven ASD 24/45 Class tug which has been built in numerous copies through- out North and South America. Med Marine are also putting the fin- ishing touches on a RAmparts 2500 Class tug with 3,520 kW for ARPAS. Another TS 22/40 Class tug is building for DEKAS Maritime Pilotage. One of the most anticipated projects in the New Year will be the multi-tug contract for the new ASD 36/70- E Class tugs designed for IRSHAD, the marine operations arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. These powerful terminal/escort tugs will serve ADNOC's port facilities throughout the Middle East, and will be the world's first dedicated ASD Escort tugs. The result of an ongoing R&D program performed by Robert Allan Ltd. in conjunction with the Institute of Marine Dynamics in Newfoundland, the hull form of these tugs incorporates features designed to enhance indirect towing forces and high-angle stability required in these demanding escort towing operations. These same features result in a hull with exceptional sea-keeping capabilities, thus offering much greater comfort and less fatigue to the crews. The RFP for this project is expected to be in ship- yards very early in the New Year. South Asia In Sri Lanka, another facet of Robert Allan Ltd.'s work is taking shape at Colombo Dockyards Ltd., with the con- struction of the first of the new RAlly series of aluminium crewboats. The RAlly 3000 and RAlly 3300 designs, 98.4 ft. (30 m) and 108.2 ft. (33 m) respectively, feature robust construction, with a multi-chine hull form proven through numerous prototypes to offer a good turn of speed and excellent sea-keeping. Southeast Asia In Singapore, the RAmparts 2400 Class tug Kaori, was just recently delivered by President Marine to SORA of Noumea, a division of Compagnie Maritime Chambon of France. This class of original "compact" tug, 78 ft. (23.8 m) length with 2,610 kW, pro- duces 42 tons BP, offering a powerful and economic package for harbour ship- handling operations. PSA Marine of Singapore continue to work with Robert Allan Ltd., marketing the highly successful Z-Tech ASD tug designs to the world market. Orders have now been placed for eight tugs of the 88.6 ft. (27 m) Z-Tech 6000 Class, like the first of Class Indee. Labroy Marine of Singapore are well underway with construction of the first of the 164 ft. (50 m), 8,000 bhp RAmpage 5000 Class Offshore Support Tugs for Seabulk Offshore Ltd. Completion is anticipated mid-year. China A 7,000 ton DWT, bulk cement han- dling barge for Lehigh Northwest Cement Company of Seattle is nearing completion at Jinling Shipyard, under the Project Management of Seaspan (Cyprus) Ltd. As recently announced, Robert Allan Ltd. have just been award- ed the contract for new RAmparts 3200 Class tugs for the Ningbo Port Group Ltd., marking the first time ever a Chinese Port Authority has gone outside of China for a new tug design. The well- proven 104.9 ft. (32 m) tug design will be customized for the port's require- ments and a larger crew size than would be normal in Europe or North America. North America Irving Shipbuilders East Isle Shipyard Division on Prince Edward Island con- tinue to turn out the Robert Allan Ltd. designed ASD 30/60 Class tugs for numerous international clients, with a recent order for the 18th tug of this series. Halifax Shipyard is building a second of the ASD 33/70 Class tugs for Danish Owner Nordane Shipping A/S. In Mississippi, Colle Towing are making good RAL: Celebrating 75 Years of Ship Design Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering 58 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News RAmparts 3200 for Ningbo Port Group MR MARCH 2005 #8 (57-64).qxd 3/2/2005 8:48 AM Page 2
