Markey Tapped by SAAM Towage for Winch Retrofit Project

Markey Machine, a leading name in the shipbuilding sector, has been awarded its first-ever contract from SAAM Towage. The contract entails retrofitting the controls on a Timberland towing winch aboard the Vancouver-based tug, Point Valiant.

The project was first discussed with Markey in May 2023. Following an on-site winch inspection by Markey’s after-market service division, Sentinel Survey, the Class I winch-control package was pitched. SAAM responded with a contract order in late December, with the winch controls package scheduled to be delivered by mid-2024.

Pablo Caceres, Engineering and Development Director at SAAM Towage, said, “Markey’s achievements in workboat winches are highly respected, particularly in the area of winch control. We were eyeing the original OEM’s controls but wanted to experience Markey’s technology firsthand. Our emphasis in recent years has been on future supportability and reliability, especially with our fleet expansion this year.”

For the uninitiated, SAAM Towage is part of the SAAM conglomerate, headquartered in Santiago, Chile, which operates in 13 countries and employs upwards of 4,000 people. With over 210 tugs at more than 90 ports, SAAM Towage is the unrivaled leader in tug operation in the Americas.

Markey’s CEO, Blaine Dempke, expressed excitement at the partnership, stating, “We are honored by SAAM’s vote of confidence. Winning their business was a major milestone for us, and we’re happy to have a new partner in South America.”

Point Valiant was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Ocean Industries Inc. of Quebec in the late 1990s. It has a bollard pull of 45 tonnes, powered by twin 2,038bhp Mitsubishi S16R-MPTA main engines.

Learn more about Markey’s workboat winches

Read the full article by Marine Link