Tractor Tug News

Silverback Marine has completed seatrials and commissioning of the OX series, twin Z-Drive equipped truckable tug earlier this month.The concept was designed to fulfill the vision of a truly tow-capable, tractor tug style vessel to the non subchapter M market. Traditional truckable tugs, driven by prop and rudder, are suited strictly for pushing, with limited maneuverability. The OX tug however, introduces a 25 x16 hull form with true tractor-tug lines, enabling the Schottel Z Drive propulsion package to deliver a whopping 14…

The William E. Moran has entered service in New York, bringing enhanced capability and performance to Moran’s evolving fleet. As the first vessel in the company’s next-generation class, it is purpose-built to meet the demands of modern port operations, support evolving customer needs, and advance Moran’s goals for safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. These next-generation tugs will be among the largest in the fleet, underscoring Moran’s continued focus on delivering safe…

McAllister Towing’s newest tractor tug, the Gerard McAllister, has arrived in the Port of New York.American made at Washburn & Doughty, the tug is the fifth in a series of six 84-metric-ton bollard pull, low-emission tractor tugs. She is McAllister’s 42nd tractor tug and the 13th with over 80 metric tons of bollard pull.Driven by 6,770 horsepower in her CAT engines, the Gerard McAllister is built to handle the largest ships arriving on the U.S. East Coast. She joins her sister vessel…

McAllister Towing’s newest tractor tug, the Gerard McAllister, was delivered from Washburn & Doughty, the fifth in a series of six 84-metric-ton bollard pull, low-emission tractor tugs. She is McAllister’s 42nd tractor tug and the 13th with over 80 metric tons of bollard pull, underscoring the company’s continuation toward a more powerful, hi-tech, and sustainable fleet.Driven by 6,770 horsepower in her CAT engines, the Gerard McAllister is built to handle the largest ships arriving on the U.S. East Coast.

The William E Moran, the first vessel in Moran's next-generation class, recently entered service in New York. Purpose-built, the next-gen tugs will be among the largest in the Moran fleet.Built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Alabama and designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the William E Moran belongs to the RApport 2800 series. This modern ASD Tractor tug is engineered for high-performance escort and ship assist operations. Measuring 92 feet in length with a 40-foot beam, the vessel delivers over 80 metric tons of bollard pull.

SCHOTTEL is to equip a new OX series tractor tug from U.S.-based aluminum workboat builder Silverback Marine with two SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers type SRP 100. Designed in collaboration with Seattle headquartered Elliott Bay Design Group, the truckable tug will have a bollard pull of almost seven tons and ensure excellent maneuverability with an extremely compact size of just 7.9 meters (26’-0”) in length and 4.4 meters (14’- 6”) in width. The vessel, being built for the U.S. Department of Defense, is expected to be delivered in late 2025.

The 39-metre tug Silivri has been delivered to The BOTAS Petroleum Pipeline Corporation in Turkey.The TRAktor V3900-DF series tug was recently completed at Uzmar Shipyard to a design by Robert Allan Ltd.Silivri is only the second vessel in the world to combine Voith Schneider propulsion with dual-fuel LNG/diesel engines. This unique arrangement has only been combined once before, on her sistership Sultanhani, delivered earlier in the year to the same owner.Equipped with Wärtsilä 6L34DF engines and 32X6 Voith Schneider propellers…

New-York-based McAllister Towing and Transportation Company has welcomed a newbuild tractor tug to its fleet under the name of Isabel McAllister.The christening and the launch ceremony for the newbuild tug took place earlier in January, according to an update shared by Brian Buckley McAllister, President at McAllister Towing.Built by Washburn and Doughty Associates, the tug is rated at 6,770 horsepower, boasting an 84 tons bollard pull.It is powered by two, Tier IV Compliant, Caterpillar 3516E engines…

Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. officially christened the M/V Mr. Brian on December 5, 2024, on the Mississippi River while docked at Woldenburg Riverfront Park at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.The Mr. Brian is a 100’ x 38’ x 13.5’ ASD Tractor Tugboat and was officially christened with a bottle breaking at 5:00 pm followed by a reception at the Audubon Aquarium - River Terrace Room.The Mr. Brian is named after Brian Cyprowski, who is the Bisso Towboat Vice President of Operations and a member of the company's executive team. Brian has been with the company for 37 years.

Silverback Marine has been awarded a multimillion-dollar DoD contract for its new OX series truckable tractor tug.Designed in collaboration with Elliot Bay Design Group of Seattle, Silverback Marine partnered with Darley Defense to secure the contract. Thespecific department of the DoD will remain anonymous until the first vessel is delivered, scheduled for late 2025.For illustrative purposes, Silverback Marine received permission from industry friends including Tradewinds Towing…

Turkish shipbuilder UZMAR Shipyard announced it has delivered the new tugboat Balahu to P&O Reyser for operations at the Port of Barcelona, one of Spain's busiest ports.The Balahu is an asymmetric tractor tug (ATT), designed by Spanish ship design firm Cintranaval to provide exceptional maneuverability, ideal for handling large vessels in high-traffic port environments. It features a propulsion system powered by Kongsberg azimuth stern drive (ASD) units and offers a bollard pull of 73.5 tonnes.The vessel is powered by two MAN Energy Solution 12V175D MM+ 12-cylinder high-speed diesel engines…

Uzmar Shipyard in Istanbul, Turkey has launched a first-of-its-kind tractor tug for Turkish operator BOTAS.The vessel, named the Sultanhani, was launched on February 27 as the world’s first Voith propelled tractor tug with liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual fuel propulsion. It is the first of two hulls being built for BOTAS to Robert Allan Ltd.’s TRAktor V3900-DF design.The TRAktor V3900-DF builds on Robert Allan Ltd.’s experience designing both Voith tractor tugs and LNG dual fuel tugs.

A new tugboat is slated to enter service for Bisso Towboat this Spring.The Luling, La. based marine towage provider has been working with Main Iron Works to update its fleet, replacing a conventional tug with a tractor tug about every 18 months. In late 2022, the Houma, La. shipbuilder began building a new tractor tug Mr. Brian—the sixth azimuth stern drive (ASD) tractor tug built by Main Iron Works for Bisso in the past eight years.Named after Bisso’s vice president of operations Brian Cyprowski…

New York based McAllister Towing announced it has taken delivery of its new shipdocking tractor tug Grace McAllister from East Boothbay, Maine shipyard Washburn & Doughty.Equipped with 3516E Tier IV Caterpillar engines powering twin Schottel SRP 490 Z-drive units, the 93- by 38-foot vessel produces 6,770 horsepower and achieved over 85 metric tons during bollard pull certification. Markey winches are installed on the tug's bow and stern.Grace McAllister has received Low Emission Vessel class notation from ABS.

Analysts and commentators are quick to point out that fossil fuels will power maritime equipment, and indeed dominate the fueling marketplace, well into the future. However, they will do so alongside new fuels, and new technologies, that will be introduced to the maritime sector in the coming years. In its September, 2023 report “Beyond the Horizon: View of the Emerging Energy Value Chains”, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) explains that, “During the recent 80th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80)…

Frank Manning has quickly risen through the ranks during his eight years in the shipyard business, today serving as president and COO at Diversified Marine, Inc. (DMI) in Portland, Ore. Crucial along the way has been a passion for the business itself and the people that make it all possible.“The first day I walked in a shipyard I knew that I was in the right industry,” Manning said. “DMI has always been a relationship-based business. All of our customers are close friends, and we have relationships that are second to none,” he said.

A pilot's decision to reduce the speed of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier resulted in reduced rudder effectiveness, ultimately leading to a collision with a moored tug on the Neches River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.In November 2021, a state licensed pilot from the Sabine Pilots took navigational control of the 754-foot-long Gas Ares as it was heading to load a cargo of propane and butane at the no. 1 loading dock at Sunoco Logistics, located in Nederland, Texas, on the Neches River.

Luling, La. based marine towage provider Bisso Towboat said it has ordered a new tractor tug from Houma, La. shipbuilder Main Iron Works. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2022 with delivery in early 2024, Bisso revealed in an announcement.The 5,000 BHP ASD tug will feature two Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4F main propulsion engines generating 2,500 BHP each at 1,600 RPM. The engines will drive a pair of Kongsberg US205S azimuthing thrusters with 2,400 mm diameter stainless steel propellers in stainless steel nozzles. Estimated bollard pull will be 66 tons.Other onboard equipment will include a JonRie Series 240 escort winch, Caterpillar C4.4 118 KW generator sets and a full complement of safety, monitoring and electronic equipment, Bisso said.

Sea Change - America’s first hydrogen powered ferrySWITCH Maritime’s new 70-foot passenger ferry Sea Change is navigating uncharted waters as the United States’ first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry.The pioneering aluminum newbuild, constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), has been completed and was launched this summer, though permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels is still being worked out with the U.S. Coast Guard.“Legislation and laws for passenger safety did not exist yet for this type of vessel.

On May 15, Fratelli Neri held a naming ceremony for three Damen RSD Tugs 2513 in Livorno, Italy. Two of the vessels, named Romito and Calafuria were built at Damen Shipyards Galati and were delivered to Fratelli Neri at the end of 2019. Both of these tugs offer 70 tonnes bollard pull in the configuration tractor tug.The latest addition to the company’s fleet has been named Gabriella Neri, for the wife of Chairman Piero Neri. Damen built the vessel at Damen Song Cam Shipyard and delivered her in Livorno in January this year.

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered another vessel in its Delicay tug series—this time to its own fleet.Like its sister tugs, the the 25.3m x 12m x 6.1m Delicay Vlll is a Z-drive tractor tug built to Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd’s exclusive to Sanmar TRAktor-Z 2500SX design, created in partnership with the Turkish tug-builder and operator for both harbor ship handling and towing duties.Built at Sanmar Shipyards Altinova, the tug is powered by 2x 2100kW main engines, giving it a speed ahead of around 12 knots and 75 tonnes of bollard pull.

Damen Shipyards Group said it has booked an order from South Port New Zealand for the delivery of a Damen Azimuth Tractor Tug (ATD) 2412. The vessel, with 65 tonnes bollard pull, will replace an older vessel with 35 tonnes bollard pull, bringing the port’s total bollard pull capability up to 105 tonnes.South Port has selected an ATD due to its ability to undertake indirect towage and for the vessel’s excellent maneuverability and power, according to Damen.Due to Damen’s practice of building standardized vessels in series and for stock…

This year, despite innumerable challenges and setbacks, a great number of new U.S.-flagged vessels made their way into service. In addition to Maid of the Mist's new electric tour boats James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla featured Wednesday, the newbuilds highlighted below are some of the most noteworthy to come out of U.S. shipyards in 2020.DredgerU.S. dredging contractors have been adding tonnage in a big way. This Spring, Callan Marine added a significant piece to the U.S. fleet with its new Jones Act cutterhead suction dredge (CSD) General MacArthur.