Mike Fitzpatrick News

Marine News spoke to leaders at three North American naval architecture and marine engineering firms about some of the latest trends impacting their business today. Mike Fitzpatrick, president, Robert Allan Ltd.; Jeff Bowles, director, DLBA Naval Architects; and Rich Mueller, president and CEO, NETSCo., weigh in on topics such as digitalization, decarbonization and the naval architect talent pool.How do you view the maritime industry’s ongoing shifts in areas such as digitalization and decarbonization…

The 60m RAmpage 6000-ZM vessel Koc Al Zour, built by Uzmar Shipyard, will be the largest Robert Allan Ltd. design ever built in Turkey. She is designed and constructed as a modern double azimuth stern drive (ASD) and is the most capable multipurpose oil spill recovery and offshore support vessel Kuwait Oil Company has ever ordered.The vessel is equipped to undertake operations such as oil spill response, oil spill containment and recovery, area surveillance, offshore fire fighting…

Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards announced it has inked a deal with HaiSea Marine for the build and delivery of three liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled escort tugs and two battery-electric harbor tugs which will provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat, B.C., on Canada's west coast.Following an initial tender process which began in 2018, HaiSea Marine has awarded the contract for all five tugs to Sanmar plus an option for a sixth.

A unique partnership formed between the Haisla Nation and North Vancouver-based Seaspan ULC will produce battery-powered and low emissions liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual fuel tugboats to serve the $40 billion LNG Canada project in Kitimat, B.C.Majority-owned by the Haisla Nation, the new venture is called HaiSea Marine, which has a major contract with LNG Canada to build and operate escort tugs and harbor tugs required for the largescale LNG export facility. The company will…

Robert Allan founded Robert Allan Ltd. in 1930 when Allan commenced private practice as a consulting Naval Architect after serving as Technical Manager of a local major shipyard. In the 90 years that have passed, the organization has evolved from a one-man shop to a global powerhouse in the business of naval architecture and marine design. Following the founder into the business were his namesake son and grandson, with the company in recent years passing to an employee-owned model led by Mike Fitzpatrick. Robert G.

Robert Allan Ltd. is a consulting naval architectural firm, established in Vancouver, Canada in 1930. Mike Fitzpatrick has been a driving force in the company’s growth since joining the firm in 2003. As a key member of the initial employee ownership group, he was named president and CEO in 2015, responsible for corporate direction, business development, management of senior project managers, and project priorities, schedules and profitability. Fitzpatrick is a 1995 graduate of the University of New South Wales in Australia, with a Bachelor of Engineering in naval architecture.

In business, as in life, after major anniversary milestones like 60 (Diamond) and 75 (Diamond or Sapphire), it seems that every year after that is worth celebrating. However, 90 years is somewhat in the nether regions of celebrations; certainly, a major achievement after say 75, but not quite the centenary either. However, Robert Allan Ltd. has been an active and growing business now for 90 years and we believe that is worth celebrating in a time when it feels, frankly, that there is not a great deal to celebrate.The family lore has always been that my grandfather…

Abu Dhabi Ports has signed an agreement with Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd to develop the world's first fully autonomous commercial marine tugs.The tugs will undertake operations with SAFEEN, Abu Dhabi Ports’ maritime service arm.One of the primary advantages of the innovative design includes greater capability, as shifting the human element from on-board to on-shore, will allow such vessels to operate in far more adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the new technology will help increase efficiency and enhance operational safety.Abu Dhabi Ports will work closely with one of Canada’s oldest privately-owned Naval Architectural and Marine Engineering firms on the research and development of remotely-controlled marine tugs that will be fully unmanned…

When markets expand niches are created, goes the logic. For builders of tugs, that market is “floating gas” and the expanding use of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, as a fuel. In support of LNG, there’ll be more oceangoing tug duty — the new floating storage and regasification units, or FSRUs, mean busier LNG carriers, and LNG cargo owners have an interest in tug escorts that share their “carbon footprint”. Still, new emissions rules offer ways to keep using refinery products, and the work of master tug designers suggests the new breeds of tugs are about more than fuel.

Customized cable and rope specialist Cortland Company said it has received full endorsement from the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) for its inspection and testing facility in Western Australia. The facility has received ISO/IEC 17020 and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for the testing and inspection of high performance round slings and ropes used in a range of industries along with associated fittings and hardware. NATA accreditation formally recognizes the facility’s competency in performing specific types of testing and…

With about 82 employees, Robert Allan Ltd. is Canada’s most senior consulting Naval Architectural firm, established in Vancouver, B.C. in 1930. The company has earned an international reputation for innovative, successful designs for a wide range of ships and has been a leader in creating cost-efficient vessels for service in the marine transportation industry. Ship Design Robert Allan Ltd. has an experienced, professional staff of Naval Architects and Engineers capable of handling any type of ship design, but the company is best known for tackling the innovative and unusual design problem.

EPA Tier 4 regulations (for engines of 804 hp and higher) and propulsion advancements have many manufacturers and vessel designers changing course to adapt to new requirements and customer demands. Jensen Maritime is designing a new 110-ft. harbor class ship assist docking tug with 6,770 horsepower. “It’s a little larger than most. The extra length allows for towing which is secondary use,” says Vice President Johan Sperling. “There will be Tier 4 equipment in it. Bryan Nichols…

The Board of Directors of Robert Allan Ltd. have accepted the announcement from Ken Harford, P. Eng. of his intention to retire in June, 2016 after eight years of leadership at Robert Allan Ltd. “Having completed the ownership transition from Rob Allan and his family to a group of senior managers and subsequently involving a further group of dedicated employees in the company ownership, it is time to pass the helm to the next generation” Harford said. The company informed that the Board extends its sincere gratitude to Ken for the superb job he has done in managing the company through this challenging process. The Board of Directors have appointed Mike Fitzpatrick as the new President with Ken Harford remaining as a Managing Director during this succession process.

A North American design tailored for South American operation: the new fleet of diesel-electric push boats engineered by Robert Allan Ltd. (RA) brings an improved level of performance to the Paraná River. The Paraná River flows some 3,000 miles through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, meeting the Paraguay River and then farther downstream the Uruguay River before eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Buenos Aires. Second only to the Amazon for longest river in South America…

Robert Allan Ltd. announced that a long-planned re-structuring of the company has just been completed. Effective July 2008, Robert G. Allan has been appointed as Executive Chairman of the Board and remains at the helm. A core group of senior employees have become shareholders of Robert Allan Ltd., and will become increasingly involved in the company business. Robert Allan Ltd. The new organization will establish the culture of employee ownership and facilitate the succession from generation to generation. Assuming the position of President will be Ken Harford, P. Eng., who has been a key figure in the company for the past twenty years, most recently as Vice-President of Marine Engineering.

Robert Allan Ltd. Naval Architects said it will soon multiply its Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computing power by a factor of six with the purchase of a new dedicated High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster. “Needless to say, this represents a major advancement in our processing capability,” said Bart Stock dill who heads the CFD group at Robert Allan Ltd. Indeed, the last four years has seen CFD’s role within the company evolve from basic flow and resistance predictions to highly sophisticated propeller analysis, wake wash studies and predictions for tug escort performance.