(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) — The harbor tugboat Dr. Hank Kaplan has joined the Cook Inlet Tug & Barge fleet. The tug entered service in Alaska earlier this month.
Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., this RAmparts 2400 series tug has 5,350 horsepower and was the first built in North America with Caterpillar integrated propulsion systems featuring Cat engines and z-drives. Cat also supplied electrical generators powering the 79-by-36-foot vessel.
Cook Inlet Tug and Barge traces its Alaska heritage back to 1924 and continues to be committed to the state.
“We call ourselves ‘Alaska’s tug and barge company,’ and we take seriously our 98-year commitment to the state,” said Jeff Johnson, president of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge. “This vessel brings additional capability to the Cook Inlet region while further supporting Alaska’s economy. We are based in Alaska, operated by Alaskans and acquiring the Dr. Hank Kaplan helps grow our fleet in our namesake’s region of Alaska.”
Built in 2017, Dr. Hank Kaplan is named in honor of the chief of medical oncology at Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle. Kaplan has worked throughout his career on cancer research and treatment.
“This tug is built well, extremely powerful and complements the incredibly capable tugs we have in our fleet. It will help us grow our business while meeting our expanding customer needs,” said Mike O’Shea, vice president of business development and planning at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge.
Powered by Cat 3516C marine diesel engines paired to Cat MTA 24-T z-drives, Dr. Hank Kaplan is Caterpillar equipped throughout. Its electrical service is provided by two EPA Tier 3-complaint Cat C7.1 generator sets. The deck equipment consists of a Markey DEPC-46 towing winch on the bow and a Markey DEPC-32 towing winch on the stern.
“The tug packs 30,000 gallons of fuel, 2,800 gallons of fresh water and 370 gallons of lube oil,” said Capt. Mark Theriault, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge’s director of operations. “(It) not only opens up our operating window, but it is also just what our customers have been asking for.”
Dr. Hank Kaplan is home-ported in Anchorage and painted with the blue and white colors of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge.
– Cook Inlet Tug & Barge
