The new line handlers joining SAAM Towage Canada’s fleet were unloaded from a heavy lift ship at the Port of Vancouver on Monday, January 6, after completing their delivery journey from Hong Kong.
"These multipurpose vessels play a key role in berthing and unberthing vessels by transferring mooring lines from the ships being assisted to crews on the ground," said Brook Walker, Director of Operations for SAAM Towage Canada. "They also assist with emergencies, rescuing people from the water and scanning for incipient changes in weather, tides and wind for pilots at the terminal where they provide services."
The new 14-metre vessels were designed by UK naval architecture firm Macduff Ship Design and built in Zhuhai, China.
SAAM Towage Canada has already chosen the names for both vessels: SAAM Lucille and SAAM Eriks.
Lucille is named after Lucille Johnstone, who worked with SAAM Towage in the 1970s and 1980s as its executive director and president. The second vessel meanwhile honours John Eriks, who worked as a captain and a dispatcher in addition to training numerous vessel crews during his time with SAAM.