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A1 Towing Service News

27 Jan 2023

Master Boat Builders Delivers New Tug to Bay Houston Towing

Hayden Grace (Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.)

Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders has delivered the new tug Hayden Grace to Bay Houston Towing Co. for operations in Galveston, Texas.The new 85-foot-long vessel is the first in a series of three RApport 2600 tug designed by Canadian firm Robert Allan Ltd. ordered by Bay Houston Towing. The design team and the client worked to address operational challenges the vessel would face. Main features of this latest RApport design include compact size and shallow draft allowing it to operate in more confined waterways than previous Z-Tech vessels…

08 Oct 2019

Two U.S. Flag Tugs Recently Sold

Photo: Marcon International

Marcon International has announced to report the recent sales of the following two U.S. flag tugs as sellers continue to upgrade their fleets.The U.S. flag, 4,800 HP twin screw, flush-deck, articulated pusher tug “Java Sea” has been sold by Kirby Offshore Marine of Houston, Texas to private buyers. The tug was originally built by the well-respected Main Iron Works of Houma, Louisiana as the “Patriot” (Hull 360) - a 3,000 HP, EMD 12-645E6 powered, conventional twin screw tug with a raised 49.3’ height of eye pilothouse.

08 Feb 2019

Next Generation of Z-Tech Tugs Arrive

Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.

At the end of 2018, Gulf Island Shipyards completed the first of ten Z-Tech 30-80 tugs, five of which were ordered by Bay Houston Towing Company through its operator G & H Towing Company in Galveston, Texas. The Z-Tech 30-80 tug Mark E. Kuebler evolved from the previous Z-Tech 7500 design for the same owner. Once again, the design team and client worked seamlessly addressing operational challenges the vessel will face. A main feature of this latest Z-Tech is incorporating Robert Allan Ltd.’s unique RAstar series sponsoned hull form into the existing Z-Tech design.

06 Dec 2016

McAllister Sells Two Tugs to Port City Marine

Photo: Marcon International

The 4,300HP tugs Colleen McAllister (ex-Ellena Hicks, Hull 685) and Katie G. McAllister (ex-Libby Black, Hull 671) have been sold and delivered to new owners Port City Marine Services of Muskegon, Mich., reported Marcon International, Inc. The 124’ x 33.1’ x 19.9’ depth / 18’ loaded draft tugs were built in 1967 and 1966 respectively by Gulfport Shipbuilding Corp. of Port Arthur, Texas for Gulf Coast Transit Company, subsidiary of TECO Transport & Trade, of Tampa, Fla. and mated up with the 420’ x 80’…

12 May 2015

Signet Continues US Expansion

Signet continues Gulf of Mexico expansion and opens U.S. Signet Maritime Corporation informs it has completed Phase II of a $250 million capital expansion program with the acquisition and integration of the Harvey Gulf OTV fleet. The corporate strategy was to design and own vessels for multidisciplinary work, and diversify with the addition of the powerful offshore vessels, enabling Signet to broaden its services into new market segments, the company explained. Continuing this U.S. expansion, Signet has been awarded multi-vessel, long term charters by Trailer Bridge, Inc., an international freight service company, to perform weekly sailings from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

21 Jul 2014

Third RAmparts 2500 Tug for SMIT-Rebras

SMIT Panará (Photo: Robert Allen Ltd.)

Keppel Singmarine BrasilLtda. (KSMB), of Navegantes, Brazil has recently completed the construction of the SMIT Panará, the third of a series of six Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAmparts 2500 tugs, for SMIT Rebocadores do Brasil (Rebras), of Rio de Janeiro. The SMIT Panará was delivered in May of 2014, and follows its sisters, the SMIT Pataxóand the SMIT Pareci. The RAmparts Series is a standardized Z-drive tug design which was developed from a prototype vessel and refined to emphasize ease of construction and owners’ specific requirements.

21 Apr 2014

Time Charter of DP-1 Research Vessel Fixed

Photo courtesy Marcon

Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington reported that Stabbert Maritime of Seattle has time chartered the U.S. flag, DP-1, research vessel Ocean Pioneer (ex: Seabulk Montana, Montana, Seabulk Montana, Indian Seal) to FMC Technology of Davis, California. The 205' x 40' x 17' depth vessel was built in 1974 by Burton Shipyard in Port Arthur, Texas for Seal Fleet of Galveston, Texas and acquired by Hvide Marine, Inc. in 1996, along with seven other offshore supply boats. Hvide reorganized in 2001 and was renamed Seabulk International.

04 Dec 2013

Main Iron Works Built Tug Returning Home

Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington reported that the 5,570BHP tug Jabbar has been sold by Awal Marine Services of Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain to TradeWinds Towing LLC of Saint Augustine, Florida. Jabbar, meaning “powerful” or “tremendous” in Arabic, was originally built by Main Iron Works of Houma, Louisiana as their Hull 335 for McAllister Towing & Transportation of New York. The twin screw tug was operated by International Tug Service, a joint venture company between McAllister and Arabian American Oil Co. Ltd.

04 Jul 2013

Jensen-Designed Tugboat Delivered to Hyack Maritime

Tugboat Hawaii: Photo credit Jensen Maritime

Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm, Jensen Maritime, announce delivery of the 'Hawaii', the first of two 120’ x 35’ x 19’ Jensen-designed ABS machinery class ocean-going tugboats, to Hyak Maritime, a marine equipment and vessel owner based in Dover, Delaware. The Hawaii was built by JT Marine of Vancouver, Wash. Hyak’s second tug, the Washington, is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2013. The Hawaii and Washington are based on the successful Titan-class tugboats, which Jensen developed alongside Western Towboat, a Seattle-based tug and barge company.

15 Jun 2011

Tristan K: A Powerful New Z-Tech Tug

Photo courtesy Robert Alan Ltd.

Recently delivered to her Owners Bay-Houston Towing Co. of Galveston, Texas is the latest Z-Tech 7500 Class tugTristan K. This powerful new ship-handling/escort tug began her maiden voyage on June 9, 2011 for the destination of the recently commissioned LNG terminal in Cameron, Louisiana, where it will be operated by G & H Towing on behalf of the Owners. Tristan K was designed by Naval Architects Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C., with significant input from Mike Nigro, Vice…

20 Jan 2011

TradeWinds Adds Tug to Fleet

Photo courtesy TradeWinds Towing

TradeWinds Towing announced the addition of the former Seabulk tug "Challenger" to its fleet. This 3,800 bhp tug with nozzles is presently on an endurance tow to southern Chile. The Challenger and 300-ft x 100-ft heavy deck barge, Marmac 300, (in ballast) will come free in early February in southern Chile. This equipment is available to pick up cargo from the west coast of South, Central or North America. Tug Challenger will then come free in the U.S. Gulf in the first half of March. Length, o.a.

03 Nov 2010

Washburn & Doughty Delivers Mary Ann Moran

 Photo courtesy Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc.

On September 1, 2010, Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc. delivered the Mary Ann Moran, a 121 ft x 36 ft x 18 ft Intercon Tug, to Moran Towing Corporation. Designed by Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering Corp., Mary Ann Moran is the fourth vessel built by Washburn & Doughty to this design and delivered to Moran Towing. According to the vessel’s captain, Mr. Jake Jarrell, “I can say that this boat is by far one of the best vessels I have ever had the pleasure of working on in over 30 years in the industry.

26 Sep 2006

Companies Sign Joint Contract with ConocoPhillips

Bay-Houston Towing Co., Suderman & Young Towing Co. LP, and Moran Towing Corporation are pleased to announce they have jointly contracted with the ConocoPhillips Company to provide harbor tug services for LNG vessels calling at the Freeport LNG terminal, currently under construction in the Port of Freeport, Texas. Bay-Houston and Suderman & Young will each provide one 6300 hp Z-Tech tractor tug while Moran Towing Corp. will provide a 5100 hp ASD tractor tug. ABS Escort Service; and ABS Fire Fighting Vessel Class 1. Galveston, Texas will operate the three tugboats. The tugs will deliver a combined bollard pull in excess of 235 short tons. The Z-Techs are powered by two Caterpillar 3516C HD engines providing 6300 hp (4700 kw). Schottel Model SRP 1520 Z-drives.