US escort tugs named in Texas

Bay-Houston Towing has named its latest newbuilding tractor tugboat additions at a ceremony in Texas, USA.

May Louise, delivered in 2024, and 2021-built George M were both constructed to Robert Allan Ltd’s Z-Tech 30-80 design for tugs ready to escort ships and support terminal operations.

May Louise was built by Master Boat Builders to ABS class with 5,220 kW of installed power coming from two Caterpillar-manufactured Cat 3516E main engines driving two Schottel azimuth thrusters. This azimuth stern drive (ASD) propulsion gives the 29-m, 300-gt tug a bollard pull ahead of 86 tonnes and astern of 78 tonnes.

George M was built by Gulf Island Shipyard, also to ABS class, with Cat 3516E engines with total power of 5,050 kw, powering two Schottel azimuth thrusters. This 29-m, 297-gt tug has a bollard pull ahead of 85 tonnes and astern of 76 tonnes.

Both tugboats have a FiFi1 class fire-fighting system, and Markey electric escort-class winches with automatic render and recover. They both are classed as Low Emission Vessel (LEV) as their propulsion complies with US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emissions standards, with selective catalytic reduction units removing NOx from engine exhaust.

In Q3 2023, Bay-Houston Towing contracted Sterling Shipyard to build low-emissions tugs to Robert Allan Ltd’s RAstar 3200-W design and ABS class for towing, escorting and handling vessels. Sterling will build these 32-m tugboats at its facilities in Port Neches, Texas, with an installed power of 6,560 kW, ASD propulsion and 105 tonnes of bollard pull.