Robert Allan Ltd. has been chosen to design a new RAmparts 3800 Ship-Handling/Fire-Fighting 2 tug for Ningbo Port, the Canadian naval architecture firm announced on 26 October 2026 through a report carried by MarineLink Maritime News.
The appointment covers the design of a RAmparts 3800 vessel configured for both ship-handling duties and FiFi 2 fire-fighting capability, a combination that ports increasingly specify for complex manoeuvring and emergency response. Construction of the tug will be undertaken by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd., the source noted.
Robert Allan Ltd. and Ningbo Port maintain a long-term relationship that dates back to 2004, the announcement stated, reflecting more than two decades of collaboration on vessel design, advisory work and port-related naval architecture services. The new commission continues that engagement with a design tailored to the port’s operational needs.
The contract and the parties involved
The design contract names the RAmparts 3800 as the chosen hull and arrangement concept and specifies a FiFi 2 fire-fighting standard as part of the vessel’s role. The arrangement couples conventional ship-handling capability with a dedicated fire-fighting outfit to meet port emergency preparedness requirements.
Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd. is signed as the builder tasked with translating the RAmparts 3800 design into an operational vessel for Ningbo Port. The announcement did not provide construction timeline, delivery dates or technical particulars beyond the design class and the builder assignment.
Purpose and continuity
The project highlights Ningbo Port’s ongoing investment in harbour craft that combine manoeuvring performance with emergency response systems. Robert Allan Ltd.’s continued involvement since 2004 underscores the port’s preference for a familiar design partner when renewing or expanding its auxiliary fleet.
The selection of the RAmparts 3800 design indicates a focus on a standardised platform offered by Robert Allan Ltd., adapted for the port’s ship-handling and fire-fighting needs. The public notice via MarineLink did not supply further specification such as propulsion configuration, bollard pull ratings or fire pump output.
Robert Allan Ltd. described the award in the report carried by MarineLink Maritime News on 26 October 2026, signalling a continuation of the two organisations’ commercial relationship. The builder and the design house will proceed to the detailed design and construction phases as outlined in the announcement.
The new tug commission forms part of the regular cycle by which large mainland Chinese ports maintain and upgrade harbour craft to support increased vessel calls, emergency readiness and tug-assisted movements. While the report gives the contracting parties and the design name, additional project details were not published with the announcement.
This appointment will be followed by the customary next steps of detailed design finalisation and construction milestones, led by the design house and the yard respectively. MarineLink Maritime News published the initial item on 26 October 2026, which served as the public notice of the arrangement between Robert Allan Ltd., Ningbo Port and Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd.