Crowley charters new tug for West Coast ship assist and escort services
Crowley Maritime Corp.’s marine services group has entered into a bareboat charter with Brusco Tug and Barge for an all new RApport-design tractor tug to serve Pacific Northwest and California ports, performing ship assist and harbor escort work.
The vessel, which Crowley will rename Hercules after delivery next week, was designed by Robert Allan Ltd., and constructed by Diversified Marine in Portland, Oregon, for Brusco. T
he 82-foot, 6000-horsepower tug is powered by twin Caterpillar 3512, U.S. EPA Tier IV-compliant engines. The engines drive two azimuth stern drive (ASD) thrusters, and provide 81 tons of bollard pull while still remaining nimble while assisting ships.
“This high performing tug exemplifies our continued commitment to providing the best technology and performance in our fleet of tugboats on the West Coast. Our customers count on our fleet to be efficient and dependable, and Hercules adds another highly reliable asset,” said Johan Sperling, vice president for Crowley’s marine service group.
The Tier IV engines are environmentally friendly and fuel efficient, while maximizing performance, and exceed federal and the State of California’s environmental regulations. With high safety and operational capabilities, the tug is specifically designed to handle all manner of conditions a vessel may face. It will start service in Puget Sound but is capable of handling operations in Crowley-serviced ports throughout California.
“The technology on the Hercules will ensure our customers get in and out of port efficiently to meet the demands of their supply chains, whether their vessel is a large tanker, a modern container ship, or other craft,” said Porter Sesnon, general manager of Crowley’s ship assist and escort services.
Crowley’s marine services group, with U.S. West Coast operating headquarters in Seattle, utilizes one of the most advanced fleets of ship assist and tanker escort tugs in North America. Crowley safely assists the ships through some of the tightest, most environmentally sensitive waterways in the world. Crowley entered the ship assist business at the start of the 20th century, operating steam-powered tugs in San Francisco Bay in 1906.
