Ahbra Franco News

On July 1st, 2013 Harley Marine Service’s new Z-drive tractor tug, the M/V Robert Franco arrived in Southern California. This 100’x40’ tractor tug will enter the ship assist and tanker escort market for both Millennium Maritime and Harley Marine Services in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. The M/V Robert Franco was built with the most technically and environmentally advanced equipment available. This tug features Tier III engines and cold ironing/shore power capabilities. It also marks the second Tier III engine on a ship assist/escort tug boat…

Harley Marine Service’s new Z-drive tractor tug, the M/V ROBERT FRANCO has arrived in Southern California. This 100’x40’ tractor tug will enter the ship assist and tanker escort market for both Millennium Maritime and Harley Marine Services in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. This tug features Tier III engines and cold ironing/shore power capabilities. It also marks the second Tier III engine on a ship assist/escort tug boat, meeting EPA’s low emission standards in the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

105 years young, Markey Machinery has a strong history in the workboat and oceanographic market, and according to Blaine Dempke the orderbook is full and the future is bright. Blaine Dempke, President, Markey Machinery, is somewhat like the company he leads: long-term and steady, as the 30+ year veteran explained. “I began my career at Markey Machinery in 1978 as an entry level drafter and worked my way up through engineering,” Dempke said. “In 1996 I was made president, and my compatriot on the shop floor, Robert LeCoque, was made vice president.

On March 14, 2013 Nichols Brothers Boat Builders launched the M/V Robert Franco  the first of two tractor tugs Nichols has contracted with Harley Marine Services. Nichols began construction of the 100’ x 40’ Z-drive ship assist tractor tug in May of 2012. On March 14th 2013 Nichols launched the vessel into Holmes Harbor of Whidbey Island from their Freeland Shipyard. The vessel was then towed to Nichols Langley site for final vessel outfitting, dock and sea trials. The M/V Robert Franco will be delivered to Harley Marine Services in mid April 2013.

Crowley Maritime subsidiary, Jensen Maritime complete design of 2 ASD tugboats & a deck cargo barge for Harley Marine. Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company Jensen Maritime recently completed the designs of two new ASD tugs, based on the popular Valor tugboat design, and a 250’ x 70’ x 15’ 8” deck barge for customer Harley Marine, a Seattle-based marine transportation provider. The tugs, named Robert Franco and Ahbra Franco, will provide tanker escort and ship assist services along the U.S. West Coast once delivered.

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, recently completed the designs of two new ASD tugs, based on the popular Valor tugboat design, and a 250’ x 70’ x 15’ 8” deck barge for customer Harley Marine, a Seattle-based marine transportation provider. The tugs, named Robert Franco and Ahbra Franco, will provide tanker escort and ship assist services along the U.S. West Coast once delivered. The barge, Iliuliuk Bay, will transport a wide variety of cargo between Dutch Harbor and Akutan, Alaska, with up to three runs per week. Jensen designed the two new industry-setting tugboats similarly to the classic Valor concept, but upgraded them with Tier 3 Cat 3516C engines and Rolls-Royce US 255 Z-drives.

As the new year begins, Markey Machinery is preparing a new TES-40-75HP electric towing winch for shipment that will be installed on Harley Marine Services new Z-drive ship assist tractor tug “M/V Robert Franco”. The first item of two suites of deck machinery specified by Harley for both the “M/V Robert Franco” and its’ sister, the “M/V Ahbra Franco”, the TES-40-75HP towing winch also fills out Markey’s electric towing winch line which now covers wire sizes between 1-1/4” through 2-1/2”.