Page 135 - Peterson 85 Years and Going Strong
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MARINE PETERSON ON THE BAY (2013)
Peter Zwart knew boats probably better than anyone else on the San Francisco Bay. As Baydelta Mar- itime’s vice president of operations, Zwart drove the local tugboat business in ways only an old sea captain could. Many of the tugs on the West Coast draw their designs from innovations and ad-
vancements he and his team implemented through the years—like adopting Z-drive thrusters that give 360o maneuverability. Or using special 4-inch-thick soft lines of high-tensile fiber to guide tankers through the bay. Or the new hybrid, electric drive-assist system that minimizes fuel consumption during standby. Without a doubt, Baydelta Maritime is a trendsetter. “We may be small,” said Zwart back in 2016, “but we have a big reputation in the business.” Baydelta currently operates three tugs on the San Francisco Bay and one in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Zwart met Peterson salesman Rich Floyd—another old seadog with a foreign accent. Both men grew up on the water in opposite hemispheres: Zwart on the fishing boats and locks of Amsterdam, Floyd on the beaches and yachts clubs of Australia. By the time they met, each had already accrued a career’s worth of experience in the marine industry repairing, building, and selling boats, and sailing the world’s oceans. Floyd tried to persuade Zwart to switch to Peterson for his marine engines. At the time, Baydelta was building all their tugs outside of Peterson’s territory, which meant they bought all their engines from another dealer. On the Delta Lindsey build, all Floyd won were the two harbor sets (50kW generators). It was a test.
Zwart decided to give Peterson a try with the next build—the Delta Audrey.“When you’re buying two engines worth over a million dollars apiece, it helps when someone is willing to work with you,” explained Zwart. “Rich was helpful, fair, and really wanted our business. That’s why we switched to Peterson.” Since then, Baydelta has built three tractor tugs, using Peterson Power Systems both for their new engines and their product support. The relationship has been good for both parties.
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