Groundbreaking Robert Allan Ltd. ElectRA Tugs Named at Ceremony

On March 7^th and 8^th, 2023, naming ceremonies were held at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey for two series of revolutionary new tugs. The ceremonies were attended by Mike Fitzpatrick, CEO & President of Robert Allan Ltd., along with executives from HaiSea Marine (a joint venture between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan ULC), LNG Canada, Seaspan ULC, Sanmar Shipyards and the Haisla Nation.

The vessels named on day one are from Robert Allan Ltd.’s RAstar 4000-DF series. These tugs will be the most powerful escort tugs operating on the west coast of Canada and are intended to provide LNG carrier escort in Douglas Channel and Hecate Strait between Kitimat and the open Pacific Ocean.

The tugs were named:

HaiSea Warrior: Chosen by the Gitxaala Nation, this vessel will share a name with the Kitkatla Warriors basketball team, which is a point of pride for the nation. The name will thus keep a connection to the Nation’s warring past and will represent every Gitxaala member.

HaiSea Kermode: Chosen by the Gitga’at Nation and representing the Spirit Bear and the sacred environment that we all share.

The vessels named on day two are the first of the ElectRA 2800 series battery electric tugs. Robert Allan Ltd. worked closely with HaiSea Marine to realize their goal of protecting the pristine wilderness in northern British Columbia by minimizing the carbon footprint of these powerful ship-docking tugs,. The tugs are designed to meet the unique requirements of assisting LNG carriers on and off the berths at the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat, while operating in zero-emissions mode.

The names were chosen by Haisla community members and reflect the Nation’s culture, history, and territory:

HaiSea Wamis: According to Haisla oral history, Wamis brought his family to Kitamaat when seeking sanctuary—beginning the Haisla Nation.

HaiSea Wee’git (Raven): Wee’git is a revered figure in Haisla culture and is well known for getting things done; and doing big things such as bringing light into the world.

HaiSea Brave: Brave is the name of all the sports teams in Haisla territory and has been emblazoned across Haisla jerseys for decades.

These groundbreaking vessels are a revolution in the design of sustainable tug fleets and are reflective of a modern course in Canadian history—where the inherent rights of Indigenous communities and culture, as well as the physical environment, are respected and brought to the forefront.

For more information on the ElectRA series or any other high-performance vessel designs from Robert Allan Ltd., please contact [email protected].

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