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22 Sep 2025
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21-23 May 2024
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21-23 May 2024
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Robert Allan: ITS Lifetime Award-winning tug designer
After receiving the International Tug & Salvage (ITS) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, Robert Allan continued to define naval architecture and vessel design
Using more than 50 years of experience in vessel design, he provided an insightful, personal account of his life in vessel design to ITS (ITS January/February 2023) and completed a two-year project to produce and publish Workboats for the World: The Robert Allan Story.
In January 2024, Mr Allan told Riviera Maritime Media about that project and others he has worked on since as a prelude to this year’s 27th ITS Convention, to which Robert Allan Ltd is a main sponsor and conference contributor.
“At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, I started work on a long-planned project to accurately document the history of Robert Allan Ltd,” said Mr Allan.
“Being in isolation from Covid-19 was actually the ideal environment in which to focus on such a task. Lurking in the background of this objective was the fact that in 2028, Robert Allan Ltd will celebrate a century in business.”
This is no mean feat for a small company, remote from most of the world’s maritime centres. “Although I had the benefit of a lifetime of familiarity with our body of work, there were many gaps that had to be filled. The time afforded by pandemic isolation was perfect to delve deeply into the missing parts of the story,” Mr Allan explained.
Workboats for the World: The Robert Allan Story, at more than 600 pages, was published by Harbour Publishing Ltd, a marine industry publisher in British Columbia, Canada.
It received numerous accolades including two major book awards: an Axiom Awards Gold Medal and John Lyman Book Award by the North American Society for Oceanic History.
“Capping off the project was a very successful book launch party held in early April 2022 upon my return from a three-month voyage around South America,” said Mr Allan.
“My other major activities, between senior naps, include trying to save a historic steam tug, and helping to set up the new offices of Robert Allan Ltd.”
He continued efforts to fundraise for the restoration of the historic steam tug Master, the sole remaining wooden-hulled, steam-powered tugboat afloat in the world (ITS January/February 2023).
“Built in Vancouver in 1922, Master is a beautiful example of the era of steam tugs on the British Columbia coast and it remains in the original configuration,” said Mr Allan. “I would be delighted to see the global tugboat industry rally around this cause in our efforts to raise around C$5.0M [US$3.7M] to restore it and create a legacy fund to ensure its care for at least another generation.”
In late 2023, Robert Allan Ltd moved into new offices, its first move in over 25 years. “I was asked to look after the creation of a gallery which would house our collection of ship models and other historic paraphernalia,” Mr Allan continued. This includes past front covers of ITS journals featuring tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd.
“That project is still a work in progress but is fast nearing completion, and we are very proud to show off this space. The backdrop to the model display is a montage of elements of manual drawing extracts by my grandfather from the 1940s and 1950s.”
Mr Allan graduated with a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK in 1971. He joined Robert Allan Ltd in 1973 and was promoted to president in 1981.
In 2008, Mr Allan was appointed as executive chairman and he joined the board of trustees of the Vancouver Maritime Museum in 2012, was appointed president and joined the executive committee of the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries in 2019.
From his lessons from a life in tug design, Mr Allan said his best moment in tug design was the 2600-hp (1,940 kW) tug Jervis Crown. “The first project where my father (although ever watchful) gave me a lot of design freedom.”
His biggest achievement was enabling the transitioning of Robert Allan Ltd from a family owned business to one which is 100% employee-owned, under first Ken Harford and then Mike Fitzpatrick, who is the current company president.
“I am immeasurably proud of how well that transition has gone, while still honouring the family heritage on which it is founded.”
Mr Allan’s favourite tug was Ajax, the first tanker escort tug to incorporate Robert Allan Ltd’s unique RAstar hullform.
His advice to new people involved in naval architecture is, “Study hard. There are incredibly powerful design tools at your disposal today but considerable skill is required to use them well.”
ITS Awards 2024 winners will be announced during the gala dinner at the International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards. This memorable event saw over 500 industry members come together to recognise industry achievement and connect with colleagues in 2022.
Use this link to nominate any individuals, vessels or organisations that have stood out for driving progress for ITS 2024 Awards, which include categories for ports and harbours, tug owners, innovations, safety, salvage, lifetime achievement and tug of the year
Use this link to read: Lessons from a life in tug design: Robert Allan
Donations to support Master restoration can be made directly to www.ssmaster.org. or via Robert Allan Ltd.
Robert Allan: ITS Lifetime Award-winning tug designer
After receiving the International Tug & Salvage (ITS) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, Robert Allan continued to define naval architecture and vessel design
Using more than 50 years of experience in vessel design, he provided an insightful, personal account of his life in vessel design to ITS (ITS January/February 2023) and completed a two-year project to produce and publish Workboats for the World: The Robert Allan Story.
In January 2024, Mr Allan told Riviera Maritime Media about that project and others he has worked on since as a prelude to this year’s 27th ITS Convention, to which Robert Allan Ltd is a main sponsor and conference contributor.
“At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, I started work on a long-planned project to accurately document the history of Robert Allan Ltd,” said Mr Allan.
“Being in isolation from Covid-19 was actually the ideal environment in which to focus on such a task. Lurking in the background of this objective was the fact that in 2028, Robert Allan Ltd will celebrate a century in business.”
This is no mean feat for a small company, remote from most of the world’s maritime centres. “Although I had the benefit of a lifetime of familiarity with our body of work, there were many gaps that had to be filled. The time afforded by pandemic isolation was perfect to delve deeply into the missing parts of the story,” Mr Allan explained.
Workboats for the World: The Robert Allan Story, at more than 600 pages, was published by Harbour Publishing Ltd, a marine industry publisher in British Columbia, Canada.
It received numerous accolades including two major book awards: an Axiom Awards Gold Medal and John Lyman Book Award by the North American Society for Oceanic History.
“Capping off the project was a very successful book launch party held in early April 2022 upon my return from a three-month voyage around South America,” said Mr Allan.
“My other major activities, between senior naps, include trying to save a historic steam tug, and helping to set up the new offices of Robert Allan Ltd.”
He continued efforts to fundraise for the restoration of the historic steam tug Master, the sole remaining wooden-hulled, steam-powered tugboat afloat in the world (ITS January/February 2023).
“Built in Vancouver in 1922, Master is a beautiful example of the era of steam tugs on the British Columbia coast and it remains in the original configuration,” said Mr Allan. “I would be delighted to see the global tugboat industry rally around this cause in our efforts to raise around C$5.0M [US$3.7M] to restore it and create a legacy fund to ensure its care for at least another generation.”
In late 2023, Robert Allan Ltd moved into new offices, its first move in over 25 years. “I was asked to look after the creation of a gallery which would house our collection of ship models and other historic paraphernalia,” Mr Allan continued. This includes past front covers of ITS journals featuring tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd.
“That project is still a work in progress but is fast nearing completion, and we are very proud to show off this space. The backdrop to the model display is a montage of elements of manual drawing extracts by my grandfather from the 1940s and 1950s.”
Mr Allan graduated with a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK in 1971. He joined Robert Allan Ltd in 1973 and was promoted to president in 1981.
In 2008, Mr Allan was appointed as executive chairman and he joined the board of trustees of the Vancouver Maritime Museum in 2012, was appointed president and joined the executive committee of the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries in 2019.
From his lessons from a life in tug design, Mr Allan said his best moment in tug design was the 2600-hp (1,940 kW) tug Jervis Crown. “The first project where my father (although ever watchful) gave me a lot of design freedom.”
His biggest achievement was enabling the transitioning of Robert Allan Ltd from a family owned business to one which is 100% employee-owned, under first Ken Harford and then Mike Fitzpatrick, who is the current company president.
“I am immeasurably proud of how well that transition has gone, while still honouring the family heritage on which it is founded.”
Mr Allan’s favourite tug was Ajax, the first tanker escort tug to incorporate Robert Allan Ltd’s unique RAstar hullform.
His advice to new people involved in naval architecture is, “Study hard. There are incredibly powerful design tools at your disposal today but considerable skill is required to use them well.”
ITS Awards 2024 winners will be announced during the gala dinner at the International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards. This memorable event saw over 500 industry members come together to recognise industry achievement and connect with colleagues in 2022.
Use this link to nominate any individuals, vessels or organisations that have stood out for driving progress for ITS 2024 Awards, which include categories for ports and harbours, tug owners, innovations, safety, salvage, lifetime achievement and tug of the year
Use this link to read: Lessons from a life in tug design: Robert Allan
Donations to support Master restoration can be made directly to www.ssmaster.org. or via Robert Allan Ltd.
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Dubai Trade Centre,
Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 (0)4 389 3999
Email: care@dwtc.com
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Riviera Maritime Media Ltd,
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Enfield EN1 2QN, UK
Phone: +44 20 8364 1551
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