Two Jensen Maritime-designed tugboats, the Elizabeth B and Beverly B, were commissioned into the E.N. Bisso & Son Inc. fleet during last month's WorkBoat show in New Orleans. The tugboats, which measure 96 ft in length and 34 ft in beam, are the fifth and sixth hulls of this class of tugs to enter service with Bisso. These Rolls-Royce US205MK2 Z-drive tugs are powered by twin Caterpillar 3516-C Series II main engines that produce a total of 4,000 BHP - driving Schottel ASD propulsion units - and are fitted with a Markey hawser winch forward and a Markey capstan aft.
These work boats are the latest in a line of tugs that Jensen has designed for Eastern Shipyard, which built the tugs in Panama City, Fla. Since 2001, 17 tugs of this class have entered service with a variety of operators and can be seen on the water from Galveston, Texas, to Portland, Maine. Installed power for this class of tugs has ranged from 4,000 to 6,000 BHP, with bollard pulls in excess of 75 short tons.