Vancouver Harbor News

As one of the largest, most widely known naval architecture and marine engineering firms in the world—celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2020—Robert Allan Ltd. is no stranger to being approached by marine engine manufacturers seeking input on their products. But no one’s ever come to the Vancouver, Canada-based company as early in the process as Caterpillar did during the development of its U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 Final solutions.Like many in the industry, the team at Robert Allan Ltd.

On February 13, the two new RAstar 3200 escort tugs SST Grizzly and SST Orca for SAAM SMIT TOWAGE CANADA Inc. (SST Canada) were the toasts of a blessing ceremony in Vancouver Harbor.Designed by Robert Allan Ltd and built at Cheoy Lee Shipyards, these two significant additions to the SST Canada fleet were showcased to guests aboard the luxury harbor cruising vessel Pacific Yacht. Distinguished guests for the evening included local First Nations leaders, valued customers and trusted suppliers…

Heavy transport specialist Mammoet was recently called in to transport of two 430-ton tugboats from the Island Tug and Barge (ITB) Annacis Island facility to Vancouver Harbor.The Island Raider and Island Regent, which each measure 23.9 meters long and 12.5 meters wide, needed to be moved to Vancouver Harbor for berthing, but the ITB facility has no clear access to the water.Initial scoping of the transport route identified numerous obstacles, including a below grade railroad siding and three sets of railway tracks between the yard and the steep bank of the river…

Being based just across the open border between Canada and America since 1930, Robert Allan Ltd. has developed a deep understanding of the American market and just how our ship designs can be tailored to suit our neighbors’ requirements. America is unique in many ways. The current designs of American towing vessels are largely the result of domestically focused requirements not encountered elsewhere. As a result, Robert Allan Ltd. has had to learn to treat America as unique and not to assume means and methods used elsewhere will suit the U.S. market. A simple example is the use of the U.S.

Seaspan hosted a groundbreaking ceremony today to announce it has officially started construction on a new head office in North Vancouver. The 7,800 square metre (84,000 square foot) corporate headquarters, scheduled for completion in late 2017, will be constructed at the foot of Pemberton Avenue on the south western spit of the property. Once complete, the building will be four storeys high and include state-of-the-art office space, meeting rooms, expanded bike storage, electric vehicle charging stations, a full-service cafeteria, as well as panoramic views of the Vancouver Harbor front. It will house 350 Seaspan staff (up from the current 130) from across its various companies.

Kvichak Marine delivered two all-aluminum 36.6’ Crew / Pilot Boats to Tymac Launch Service, Ltd. of British Columbia, Canada. The vessels were designed by Kvichak for the specific use of transporting 12 or fewer passengers for BC coast pilots, government officials, ships agents and surveyors, longshoremen, repair crews etc. The areas of operations include Vancouver Harbor, Indian Arm, Howe Sound, the Fraser River and Southern Gulf of Georgia Strait. Powered by twin John Deere 6090SFM85 diesel engines rated for 425 bhp and ZF 305-3 marine gears.

Unions representing members working for Seaspan, one of the two tug companies serving the port of Vancouver, are meeting today and tomorrow, June 3 and 4, to vote on whether to take strike action, GAC reported in its daily Hot Port News report. If the vote – expected June 4 at the earliest – is in favor of strike action, the strike can begin 72 hours after notice is served, which could be as soon as Saturday, June 7. GAC said that if the strike takes place, the port’s other tug company Smit Tug will handle vessel operations in Vancouver Harbor with some delays, but it will not be able to handle coal vessel loading at Westshore Temrinal in Roberts Bank. gac.com

Seaspan International announced the largest tug build commitment of a single class of vessels in over 35 years. The company signed a contract with Sanmar Denizcilik Shipyard, of Istanbul Turkey; to build four state-of-the-art ship assist tugs. The prime duties for these tugs will be to dock, undock and escort ships in Vancouver Harbor and Roberts Bank. The RAstar 28 m tugs will feature full fire fighting capability and upon arrival will be amongst the most powerful vessels to sail BC waters.

North Arm Transportation Ltd. of Vancouver, BC, Canada recently purchased the 70ft. twin screw tug Josee M (ex: Hamilton Bailie) from McKeil Boat Works Ltd. of Hamilton Ontario, Canada. The tug was originally powered by twin CAT D346TA engines developing 960 BHP. The tugs was refitted in 1996 with twin GM 16:V92 DDEC series engines developing 2200 hp at 2100 rpm. McKeil Boat Works Ltd. will deliver the tug to Florida where it will be put on a lift ship and then delivered to Vancouver Harbor in late November. Harlow Marine International Inc. of Langley, BC, Canada brokered the sale of the vessel.

John Jacobson, president and CEO of Offshore Systems International Ltd. announced the award of a $700,000 contract to deliver a radar display and tracking system to the Canadian Coast Guard for the new Marine Communication and Traffic Services Centre in Vancouver. This system will consist of three Offshore Systems radar displays and radar data processors, communications equipment, precise network timeserver and a full complement of spare equipment to provide a world-class solution for the Canadian Coast Guard. Offshore will provide project management, software engineering, systems engineering, documentation, integration, quality assurance, commissioning and training services.