Robert Allan Ltd.
Robert Allan Ltd. is a globally renowned Canadian company specializing in the design of commercial workboats, particularly tugboats, and other vessels for various marine applications. Founded in 1930 by Robert Allan, the company has earned a reputation for innovative design, engineering excellence, and a strong commitment to quality. Its headquarters are located in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Key Aspects of Robert Allan Ltd.:
History and Legacy:
- Founding: Established in 1930, initially focusing on local tug, barge, and ferry designs.
- Evolution: Over the decades, the company has grown and flourished, expanding its range of services and its global footprint.
Specialization:
- Tugboats: Known primarily for their advanced tugboat designs, which are used worldwide in diverse and challenging environments.
- Fireboats, Barges, and Workboats: In addition to tugboats, the company designs a variety of specialized vessels tailored to meet the needs of different maritime industries.
Innovative Designs:
- RAstar and RAmparts Series: Well-known series of tugboat designs that offer high efficiency, stability, and safety.
- Environmental Considerations: Incorporating eco-friendly technologies and designs to reduce environmental impact.
Global Reach:
- International Projects: Robert Allan Ltd. has an extensive portfolio of projects spanning multiple continents, delivering vessels to clients around the world.
- Collaborations: Works closely with shipyards and marine operators globally to ensure that design specifications meet local and international standards.
Engineering and Consulting Services:
- Custom Designs: Providing bespoke design solutions to meet specific client needs.
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering: Offering comprehensive engineering services including hull form development, structural design, and stability analysis.
- Consulting: Advising on vessel modifications, retrofits, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Commitment to Quality and Safety:
- Standards: Adhering to rigorous quality standards and best practices in naval architecture.
- Safety: Emphasizing safety in all designs, ensuring that vessels can operate efficiently and securely under various conditions.
Leadership and Innovation:
- Industry Influence: Robert Allan Ltd. is considered a leader in the maritime design industry, often setting trends and introducing innovations.
- Research and Development: Continuing to invest in R&D to enhance vessel performance, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.
Notable Projects:
- The company has been involved in numerous high-profile projects, including the design of some of the most sophisticated and powerful tugboats and specialized workboats in operation today.
Vision and Future:
- Sustainability: Focused on integrating green technologies and sustainable design practices.
- Technological Advancements: Continually leveraging the latest advancements in technology to improve the functionality and efficiency of their vessels.
In summary, Robert Allan Ltd. stands as a paragon of naval architecture and marine engineering, recognized for its comprehensive and forward-thinking vessel designs, commitment to quality, and substantial impact on the global maritime industry.
- Phone: 604-736-9466
- Web: www.ral.bc.ca
- Fax: 604-736-9483
Locations
Robert Allan Ltd. News
Taiwan Navigation Orders Two New Tugs

PT. Graha Trisaka Industri has awarded tug design contracts to Robert Allan Ltd. for a RAmparts 3200-W and a TRAktor 3200-V. The tugs will be built and operated by Taiwan Navigation Co. Ltd. under a long-term charter contract for CPC Corporation, Taiwan.PT. Graha Trisaka Industri is an affiliate of PaxOcean Group, Singapore with the shipyard located in Batam, Indonesia. PaxOcean and Robert Allan Ltd.
Med Marine Builds New Tug for Israeli Coal Company

A new 32-meter ASD tug was has been built and delivered from Med Marine’s Eregli shipyard in Turkey for The National Coal Supply Corporation of Israel.The newbuild Hadera is named after the port in which it will operate. It is a RAmparts 3200-SD ASD tug with escort notation and firefighting capabilities. It is the third tug designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. for operations in Israel.
New Tug Built for Port of Shanghai

China's Sanlin Shipyard has built and delivered a new harbor tug for the Port of Shanghai.The Robert Allan Ltd.-designed workboat Hai Gang 501 will be used by Shanghai Harbor Fuxing Shipping Service Company for berthing and unberthing in harbor as well as coastal towing services and firefighting duties in China’s busiest port.The 498 gt tug is 32 meters long with a 12-meter molded beam and 5.29-meter maximum draft.
New Tug Delivered to Svitzer Australia

Svitzer Australia recently took delivery of a new RAstar 3000-W series ASD tug, Svitzer North, from ASL Shipyard in Singapore.The vessel's design was developed by Robert Allan Ltd. in close cooperation with Svitzer’s operations team, to meet the unique demands of the Port of Geraldton, Western Australia. With over 400 ship visits per year, the port’s primary cargo is iron ore, with over 10 MTPA exported.
Designing Boats: Robert Allan Ltd. Surpases 90 Years (& Counting)

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…
Eren Energy Buys Sanmar-built Tugboat

Sanmar Shipyards sold a Bogacay Class tugboat to Eren Energy. Built in 2018 at Sanmar’s Altinova Shipyard, Bogacay XXXlll is an example of the Sanmar RAmparts 2400SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. The twin Z-drive, diesel powered tug has been designed for maximum efficiency in the performance of ship-handling duties for sea going ships.Eren Energy is part of the Istanbul-headquartered conglomerate Eren Holding…
Propulsion Profile: US Navy's Tier 4 Tugs

Built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash., the first of the U.S. Navy's new fleet of six YT 808-class tugs was delivered in October after completing the last construction phase. Measuring 90 feet long and 38 feet 3 inches wide, the YT 808 vessel is powered by twin Cat 3512E marine engines, each rated at 1,810 horsepower. The engines drive two Schottel SRP 340 fixed-pitch z-drive thrusters…
PSA Marine Takes Delivery of Two New Tugs

Singapore's PSA Marine recently took delivery of two new 32-meter harbor tugs, PSA Marvel and PSA Valkyrie, from PaxOcean Engineering Zhuhai Co.The newbuilds, which follow the PSA Thor and PSA Hulk delivered from the same builder in 2018, are of the same basic design with some improvements, said naval architect Robert Allan Ltd.The RAmparts 3200 ASD tugs are designed for ship assist in berthing and un-berthing operations at ports/terminals…
Schottel Scores Two-year Supplier Deal for Sanmar's Bigaçay Tugs

Turkish boatbuilder Sanmar Shipyards has signed a framework agreement with Schottel that makes the German propulsion specialist the exclusive supplier of thrusters for the Bigaçay class tugs for two years.“The agreement puts Sanmar in a position of a contractual partner offering the latest propulsion technology with Schottel exclusively providing our shipyards with two 2,700 kW rudderpropellers type SRP 560 CP for each vessel of the Bigaçay tugboat class…
Dakota Creek Delivers New US Navy Yard Tug

The U.S. Navy’s first Yard Tug (YT) 808 class tug recently delivered to Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton Annex. Only 17 days after delivery, YT 808 was in the water assisting USNS Richard Byrd (T-AKE 4) as it moved away from the dock at Naval Magazine Indian Island.“Narrowing the gap between delivery and providing operational support is a priority for our team,” said Mike Kosar, program manager of Support Ships, Boats, and Craft Program Office within Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships).
SNAME Honors Rob Allan as Honorary Member

Canadian headquartered naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. announced that its Executive Chairman, Robert G. "Rob" Allan, has been made an Honorary Member by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), making him one of only 50 living individuals to enjoy this privilege. This membership is awarded to a person as result of their dedicated service to the maritime industry and the…
Seychelles Ports Authority Takes Delivery of New Tug

Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) recently completed technical acceptance of a new azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug from Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey. The latest addition to the SPA fleet is another of the Sanmar flagship RAmparts 2400SX, designed by Robert Allan Limited exclusively for Sanmar and designated the Bogacay XLI.Mobilization has already commenced under the direction of a Sanmar delivery crew.
Seaspan Takes Secondhand Tug from Sanmar

Seaspan Marine said it has taken delivery of the first of two secondhand tugs acquired from Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards. The two 24-meter, 75+ ton bollard pull tugs are escort rated and feature Class 1 Fire Fighting capability. They will service the Vancouver market.“These powerful tugs are an example of Seaspan’s continued long-term commitment to service our ship docking customers in a market where the average ship size continues to increase over time…
Svitzer Orders Tug from Med Marine

Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine said it has won repeat business from Maersk's towage arm, securing an order to deliver a new 23-meter tug for Svitzer’s German fleet.The contract signed last week for a MED-A2360 series tug follows a deal inked in September 2019 for two 30-meter icebreaking tugs for the Danish operator's Scandinavian operations. The newly ordered vessel (hull name ER80) will have 60-ton…
Sanmar Delivers Tug Pair to Scotland

Earlier this month Sanmar Shipyards delivered a pair of Robert Allan Ltd. designed terminal support/escort tugs to Orkney Islands Council Marine Services, in Scotland. The unique and historical names Odin of Scapa and Thor of Scapa were chosen by a widely supported, local voting exercise launched by the Council in November of 2019. The two 32-meter newbuilds are replacing two of the three tugs currently…
Interview: Mike Fitzpatrick, Robert Allan Ltd.

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.
Sanmar Builds Final Tug for Svitzer's Sohar Operations

Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards said it will soon deliver the fifth and final vessel in a series of new tug builds for operator Svitzer at Oman's Port of Sohar.The newest tug Svitzer Saham is the third 80t bollard pull RAstar 2900SX variant, Sanmar’s Bigacay class, joining sister vessels Svitzer Sohar and Svitzer Shinas, alongside two other earlier deliveries in 2020 of the 50t bollard pull variant of the RAmparts 2200 (named Svitzer Liwa and Svitzer Barka)…
Cat Powers Brusco's New Tugs

Caterpillar Marine recently signed a contract to supply its solutions for the next generation of Brusco Tug and Barge’s new tugs. The first tug was delivered in December 2019, and the second vessel will soon be under construction at Diversified Marine Inc. (DMI), in Portland, Ore., featuring a bollard pull of 84 short tons and complete system integration by Caterpillar Marine.Caterpillar Marine’s West Coast territory sales manager Enrique Aponte said…
Eastern Delivers Tug to Bisso Offshore

Eastern Shipbuilding Group said it has delivered the second of two 80-foot, 5,100-horsepower Z-drive tugs for Bisso Offshore, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son of New Orleans, La.Following delivery on June 11, the newbuild ship-handling tug A. Thomas Higgins completed its bollard pull testing witnessed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and received its USCG Sub-M Certificate of Inspection (COI). In addition to A. Thomas Higgins, E.N.
Cheoy Lee Delivers First of Two New Tugs for Yiu Lian Dockyards

The first tug of a two vessel contract, Hai Kun, built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards, was delivered to Yiu Lian Dockyards Ltd., Hong Kong on July 15, 2020.This delivery marks the 21st vessel built and delivered by Cheoy Lee of the Robert Allan Ltd. RAstar 3200-CL design. Unique modifications were implemented to this hull to accommodate both the owner’s selected Niigata propulsion package and the required escort capability of the tug.