It had to happen, of course. Nothing ever stays the same in life, and now we know that is also true of Crowley Maritime’s famous Invader-class tugboats. Crowley has already contracted with Bollinger Shipyards for construction of a pair of its new Ocean-class tugs that are nothing if not modern looking. People are saying that these 10,000-hp tugs could, if successful, become the eventual replacement class for the 136-foot, 7,200-hp Invaders, which are already more than 30 years old. The new Ocean-class tugs, while sleek and streamlined above the waterline, will also be up to date below the water, and here we are referring to the propellers. While the Invader tugs have conventional fixed-pitch propellers, the Ocean-class tugs will have controllable-pitch (CP) propellers in nozzles. That may seem surprising for…
It was the tug J. George Betz that recently got my attention. For some reason the name of that tug has always stayed in my mind, ever since it was featured in the first edition of American Tugboat Review — back in 1996. Something about its no-nonsense appearance, brute strength and all that serious towing gear on the aft deck seemed to make it stand out. The Bouchard tug, J. George Betz, shows off her offshore towing gear in this photo shortly after her delivery from the former Trinity Marine shipyard in 1995. The tug, featured in the first issue of American Tugboat Review, is already 15 years old. (Photo courtesy Bollinger Shipyards) That issue was dated 1996, but the tugs it featured were largely built over the prior year…
Barge 455-3, launched at Gunderson Marine in Portland, Ore., was the third in Crowley Maritime Corp.'s Heavy Lift 455 Series. Gunderson anticipates delivering four more barges in the series to Crowley in 2009. (Courtesy Gunderson Marine) After nearly five years of talks and revisions, the U.S. Coast Guard will give the public its first look this spring at proposed inspection rules for tugboats, towboats and barges. While trade associations, most notably the American Waterways Operators (AWO), have established programs for voluntary inspections of towing vessels, all but the largest seagoing craft in this class have not been subject to mandatory federal review. Lobbying from the industry led to congressional action in 2004 mandating that these vessels be removed from the uninspected ranks, which in turn has led to the Coast…
Film Review SS United States: Lady in Waiting by Kristian Schmitt The bridge, radar mast and funnel were illuminated by lighting artist Robert Wogan for the film. (Photos courtesy Big Ship Films) SS United States: Lady in Waiting is the hopeful story of one of the most historically important ships in the United States, aptly named the SS United States. The film opens with images of the Philadelphia landscape, where the protagonist of our film, The Big U, sits idle at Pier 82 in Philadelphia. Although her red funnels are a prominent feature of Philadelphia's skyscape, early interviews in the film make clear that little is known about the United States by the general public. One man interviewed says that the ship looks like "a little tugboat." Another is surprised…
The ASD tug Lynne Moran working with an LNG tanker at an LNG terminal in Freeport, Texas, that opened earlier this year [Brian Gauvin photos] Were it not for Edison Chouest Offshore, American tugboat companies might have turned in a perfect record in the past few years: Americans just don’t go for the “true” tractor-tug design. Whether it’s a tendency toward irascibility, stubbornness, national pride, practicality or a natural inclination toward versatility, almost all tugboat operators in this country go for the azimuthing stern drive (ASD) form of modern harbor tug. They usually do not even consider other forms of tug designs that are more popular in Europe and Asia. Of the dozen or so new tractor-style tugs built each year in the United States, almost all are of the…
The following is a press release issue by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: (WASHINGTON) -- Tugboats puff out more soot for the amount of fuel used than other commercial vessels, and large cargo ships emit more than twice as much soot as previously estimated, according to the first extensive study of commercial vessel soot emissions. Scientists from NOAA and the University of Colorado conducted the study and present their findings in the July 11 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The primary sources of soot, or small particles of black carbon, are fossil fuel combustion, wildfires, and burning vegetation for agricultural purposes. In the Arctic, an increase in soot may contribute to climate change if shipping routes expand, according to the study. “Commercial shipping emissions have…
Above, the ship sustained a gash about 200 feet long on its port side just aft of the bow. Two fuel tanks were penetrated. (Abner Kingman photos) Since November 2007, government officials have wondered exactly what caused the Cosco Busan to run into the Bay Bridge and spill 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay. A better question may be, what didn't cause the disaster? After the Nov. 7 accident, a California state pilots' board charged the pilot with negligence. Other investigators and maritime officials have criticized the actions of the ship's captain, pilot and Coast Guard; rules for transiting in fog; the confusing multitude of navigation systems; the cleanup response; and even the design of the ship itself. The National Transportation Safety Board and Coast Guard are…
In its first winter in service, Thomas X. Grasso, a new tugboat built for New York Power Authority (NYPA), proved itself to be the right boat for breaking ice. December 2025 was colder than normal in the Capital District of New York, the metropolitan area surrounding Albany, but the first six weeks of 2026 saw a deep freeze, with more days recording lows below zero than highs above freezing. Ice built up quickly on the Mohawk River portion of the NYS Canal System, as it did nearby on the Hudson River, where U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers, as well as private contractors using vessels with reinforced steel bows, were out keeping a track open for commerce, moving heating oil, road salt, manufactured goods for export and pulpwood for import. But on…
I am a master mariner with an unlimited master’s license for steam and motor vessels and a 500-ton master of auxiliary sailing vessels with many years at sea. Your magazine is a valuable source of information for the maritime industry. However, it seems that there is greater use of incorrect terminology appearing. In the December 2024 issue, there are three articles that use helm as a verb. This is incorrect. A person doesn’t helm a vessel. They steer, pilot or conn a vessel. Saying a person was helming a vessel is not professional. John M. Gandy — John, thank you for the terminology check. It’s important to us that we describe the industry correctly, especially when it comes to the nuances of the job. The new editor of Professional Mariner comes from a sailing and recreational boating background, where the verb “helming” is frequently used. (As well as “driving.”) A close relative to the editor, who is a maritime…
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