Robert Allan milestones to mention

RAL has reported the completion of an order package comprising two pusher tugs and 20 barges to principles in Brazil, delivery of Cheoy Lee Shipyard’s 100th RAL design tug, delivery of first of two high-performance RAmparts tugs by Chinese builders for Peruvian owners and finally on a more domestic note appointment of a new board member at RAL.

Cargill Transportation is involved in the movement of grain products on the Amazon river system and its latest fleet additions include two shallow-draught RApide 2800-Z2 class pusher tugs built at INACE in Fortaleza, Brazil and twenty hopper barges from the Belem, Brazil yard of Rio Maguari.

Tug number one is named Cargill Cachara, (vessel number two to be named Cargill Tucunare) and first of a new marque specifically designed to push barge convoys on the Amazon river and first of several new generation Z-drive tugs from RAL for operation in this area. Main dimensions are: 28m LOA, 10.5m beam and minimum draught 2.2m. Schottel SRP550 Z-drives are powered by two Caterpillar 3512B diesel engines with auxiliary power from two Caterpillar gensets. Accommodation is provided for up to 13 people.

Hopping from Brazil to China, Hong Kong-based Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd is a prolific builder of many classes of vessels including tugs and has joined the RAL ‘Century Club’ with launch of its 100th vessel to a RAL design. The honour fell to yard number 5098, a RAstar 3200 class ASD tug due for completion this year. Cheoy Lee is only the second shipyard to join the ‘Century Club’ after Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyard reached the milestone in 2013.

Still in China, Jiangsu Wuxi Shipyard recently launched the Chincha, first of two RAmparts 2400W ASD tugs for Peruvian maritime and port operations company Trabajos Maritimos SA (Tramarsa). The second of the pair Tupaq followed shortly after with both scheduled for delivery as this is being written. Launching of Chincha was attended by Tramarsa representatives vice president Mr Enrique Tarazone Soria, and technical manager Mr William Revilla Valdiva, along with representatives from RAL and other major suppliers. The tug is 24.4m LOA on a beam of 11.25m with two 2,240kW main engines expected to deliver a bollard pull of 75 tonnes.

Finally, it has been announced that Mr Peter Barnard QC, a well-known and highly regarded retired maritime lawyer in Vancouver has been elected to the board of directors of RAL. Mr Barnard has over 45 years’ experience in maritime law and his experience in the international market is expected to be particularly valuable to RAL with 80% of business outside North America.

By Peter Barker