Drive Tug News

SCHOTTEL founder Josef Becker invented the fully steerable rudder propeller, an innovation that continues to shape the maritime industry today.Since its introduction, more than 17,000 SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers have been sold, powering a wide variety of vessels on nearly every major body of water around the globe. This year marks the 75th anniversary of this development.With the invention of the SCHOTTEL RudderPropeller (SRP) in 1950, ships could, for the first time, use the full power of their propulsion system for maneuvering.

The crew of Moran Towing's tug Lynne Moran has been honored for its courageous response and rescue of two stranded boaters near the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on the evening of October 25, 2023.The crew has received the U.S. Coast Guard Public Service Commendation, presented by Captain O’Connell, as well as the American Waterways Operators (AWO) Honor and Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award, presented by Brian Vahey, AWO’s Vice President, Atlantic Region.In collaboration with the U.S.

The PSA Wayra ASD tug will soon enter service for PSA Marine Peru, a wholly owned subsidiary of PSA Marine (Pte) Ltd, as the first tug with a hybrid drive system on South America’s west coast. Hong Kong-based Cheoy Lee Shipyards has built the PSA Wayra on the RAmparts 2400W design from Robert Allan Ltd. The tug is propelled by SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers featuring patented SYDRIVE-M technology. This mechanical hybrid solution without the costly complexity of common hybrid technology reduces both the vessel’s maintenance costs and its fuel consumption.

Sanmar Shipyards delivered a RAmparts 2400SX class Z-drive tug to Svitzer for its operations in the Dominican Republic.Dubbed Svitzer Rivas, this is the 27th tugboat that Sanmar has delivered to Svitzer, and is based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAmparts 2400SX design from Robert Allan Ltd.“Our operations in the Caribbean are key to Svitzer Americas and by expanding and modernising our fleet, we aim to further strengthen our position as the leading towage provider in the Caribbean…

On September 18, Portland Port held the official naming ceremony of the newest tug to enter the fleet, the Rupert Best.It was announced earlier this year that the new tug would be arriving at Portland Port following its construction in 2019. The tug was built in Turkey to a Robert Allen design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class ‘RAmparts 2200’ azimuth stern drive tug will improve and help support the port’s ability to welcome larger vessels.The multimillion-dollar tug entered service earlier this year shortly after the passing of Commander Best.

Automation, where routine tasks are handled by machines, has been talked about throughout maritime sectors for much of the 21st Century. Initially touted by suppliers of engine room and bridge management systems for its cost savings (with reduced manning levels), its value proposition was then infused with risk management (reduced human error) and remote operations, where vessels could be managed from a shoreside control room. In early 2017, Rolls Royce —an early proponent of unmanned operations—teamed with tug operator Svitzer on a remotely operated vessel…

Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam recently installed the batteries aboard a fully-electric Reversed Stern Drive tug being built for New Zealand’s Ports of Auckland.In total, some 2,240 batteries, totaling 2,784 kWh, were installed. With this, the RSD-E Tug 2513, named Sparky, will carry out two or more berthing/unberthing operations with up to 70 tonnes bollard pull on a single charge. Following, it will take just two hours for the tug to recharge to its full capacity.For redundancy purposes, the batteries are arranged in strings.

Portland Port in the U.K. said it has taken delivery of new tug Rupert Best.Built in Turkey in 2019 to a Robert Allan Ltd. design, the Sanmar Sirapinar class ‘RAmparts 2200’ azimuth stern drive tug will increase and help support the port’s ability to welcome larger vessels. The tug has a bollard pull of 50t and her two Caterpillar engines deliver a total of 3,000 kw. The port's harbor master and general manager – marine, Captain Mike Shipley said, "We have been planning this purchase for a while, so it was a great day when she arrived in the port.

Towage operator Svitzer Europe announced it will start a new towage operation in Germany’s third-largest North Sea port from January 1, 2021. To fully service customers at the seaport of Emden, Svitzer will deploy two tugboats: the Svitzer Valand, a tractor tug with 45 tons bollard pull and part of the organization’s existing European fleet, and the newly purchased Svitzer Vestri, an azimuth stern drive tug with 60 tons bollard pull. Vestri is a newbuild from Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine…

Founded in 1958 as an extension of the Stradiotti family businesses, North Arm Transportation has grown to be a significant fuel company on the BC coast. Over the years, the company fleet has expanded and evolved. With tugs in a range of size and power, as well as cargo and fuel barges, the company services the coast out of its headquarters in Vancouver on the North Arm of the Fraser River. They also have facilities on Mitchell Island in the Fraser and at Masset on Haida Gwaii.

These days, cost-conscious municipalities across the fruited plain, from sea to shining sea, are ordering new waterborne assets to cover their many local responsibilities. When they do, they want ‘more bang for their buck,’ combining multiple missions – and the equipment that makes it all possible – onto one hull. That’s a tall order on the typically compact patrol boat style hulls that tend to be big on performance, but short on space for equipment that can demand a significant physical footprint. One such shipbuilder stepping up to plate to deliver on a raft of promises is Gulf Coast-based Metal Shark. Significantly expanding its presence in the fireboat market with a diverse range of fireboats currently in production for multiple customers…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has announced the launching of the first of two (2) 80’ 5,100 HP Z-Drive Tugs. The C.D. WHITE for Bisso Offshore, LLC, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son, Inc., launched on August 22, 2019. A RAL RApport 2400 Z-Drive Ship-handling Tug design was provided by Robert Allan Ltd located in Vancouver, Canada. The C.D. White is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility, along with a sister vessel, the A. THOMAS HIGGINS. The C.D. WHITE is…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has announced the delivery of the Escort/Rescue Z-Drive Tug Ava M. McAllister for McAllister Towing, Inc. on May 31, 2019. This Escort/Rescue Z-Drive Tug design is provided by Jensen Maritime Consultants and is issued a USCG Sub-M Certificate of Inspection (COI). The vessel arrived at Eastern in 2018.The Ava M. McAllister (ESG Hull #222) is from the same 100’ Z-drive tug design provided by Jensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle, WA as the Rosemary McAllister (ESG Hull #224) and the upcoming Capt. Jim McAllister(ESG Hull #223), tugs constructed at Eastern.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group has announced the launch of the Escort/Rescue ZDrive Tug CAPT. JIM McALLISTER for McAllister Towing on March 19, 2019.This Escort/Rescue Z-Drive Tug design provided by Jensen Maritime Consultants is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility. The vessel is scheduled to deliver later in 2019.Present at the launch was the Owners’ onsite representative, Jamie Thibodeaux of McAllister Towing with Eastern’s project manager Patrick D’Isernia. The CAPT.

Schoellhorn-Albrecht recently completed a contract to design and manufacture a Vertical Anchor Windlass and Thru Deck Capstan for St. Lawrence Seaways newest Ice Breaking Tug.The windlass was designed to ABS standards for a minimum design temperature of -25F°. Testing and certification was witnessed by ABS in our St. Louis facility. The Thru-Deck Capstan features a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) control package, a right angle drive gearbox, 20 HP marine duty motor and 18” diameter barrel.

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, has provided the detailed design for Shaver Transportation Company’s new, Z-drive tug – Samantha S. The multi-purpose tug was built at Diversified Marine Inc., in Portland, Ore., and is operating along the West Coast. The tug is ABS-classed and carries a FFV1 firefighting notation.The 112-foot by 44-foot tug has a 22-foot draft, was built for escort, ocean towing and ship assist, and has firefighting capabilities if needed. The tug features a raised pilot house and a squared forward end.

Florida-based shipbuilder Eastern Shipbuilding Group announced the launch of the Escort/Rescue ZDrive Tug Ava M. McAllister for McAllister Towing & Transportation Company, Inc. on December 7, 2018, 58 days after Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle.The family held shipbuilding company said in a press note that this Escort/Rescue Z-Drive Tug design provided by Jensen Maritime Consultants is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility.The vessel arrived at Eastern earlier this year and is scheduled to deliver the 2nd quarter of 2019, it said.Present at the launch was the Owners’ onsite representative, Jamie Thibodeaux of McAllister Towing with Eastern’s project manager Patrick D’Isernia.The Ava M.

Over the last few years, as the design output from Robert Allan Ltd. to the global tugboat community began to border on the prodigious, we were often asked, “How many tugs has your company designed?” Until very recently we really did not have a good handle on that number, so the answer was usually either “a lot” or “many hundreds”, neither of which were particularly illuminating. So a search was begun late in 2016 to review our archives and try to determine the tug tally much more precisely. Would we rival Helen? Where did it all begin?

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) delivereed the Reverse Tractor Tug Archie T. Higgins to Bisso Offshore, LLC in late 2015. Upon arrival in Louisiana and at the mouth of the Mississippi River, the vessel went right to work escorting its first ship northbound to New Orleans. The vessel names honors Archibald (Archie) Thomas Higgins, Jr., who passed away earlier this year. Higgins helped lead the company’s operations from 1973 until 1995. Higgins also served on the Board of Directors of E.N. Bisso and Son until the time of his death.

JonRie Marine Winches supplied its 6th ship set of Full 90 Ton Winch to McAllister Towing of NY installed on their new tug Jeffrey McAllister. The 92’ (30 meter) x 36’ (11 meter) Z-Drive Tug was built by Eastern Shipbuilding, Panama City, FL. The 5,150 HP tugs with a bollard pull of 75 Tons is the latest addition to the McAllister Fleet. The JonRie Series 250 Escort Winch was designed to handle in the Recover mode the full Bollard Pull of the vessel. The winch is capable of 180,000 lbs. (90 Ton) Line pull and makes the winch ideal for Escort Work, LNG Terminals and Ship Assist of the new Container Ships to come through the New Canal Expansion. The addition of the Jeffrey makes McAllister one of the largest fleet on the East Coast with High Horsepower tugs and super duty winches.

A challenge for designers or an emergency response vessel is deciding to what type of emergency the boat will respond. The designers at the non-government Marine Engineering Bureau in Odessa Ukraine have fitted a very wide range of capabilities into their 31.73 by 9.7-meter tug. The vessel’s beams and 4.1-meter molded depth will give it the stability for handling heavy ships. The azimuthing stern drive tug will be ready to handle a wide range of services. These will range from towing various objects to auxiliary operations in the harbor area.

Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. During the weeks of July 18-21, and August 1-4, Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. partnered with SUNY Maritime College and privately hosted the required USCG Leadership & Managerial Skills Course at Bouchard’s corporate headquarters in Melville, N.Y. for all Bouchard tug captains and chief engineers. Bouchard is the first operator to privately host this class for their vessel employees. Effective March 24, 2014, additional training and/or assessments became required for certain Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) endorsements.

Marquette Transportation Co. has taken delivery of a new 2,000-hp Z-drive towboat from Master Marine, Inc., Bayou La Batre, Ala. The 78'x 34’x11' St. Simon was designed by Entech Designs, La. for Marquette’s river division, based in Paducah, Ky. Master Marine is continuing to build Z-drive towboats, with one more underway for Marquette with an increased crew capacity of nine in five staterooms with 3.5 bathrooms. The steel-hulled St. Simon is powered by a pair of Thompson Power Systems Caterpillar C32 Tier 3 1…