Moran Towing Corporation recently christened its two newest ASD harbour tugs Newt Moran and Thomas C. Moran.
The tugs are sisters of William E. Moran (pictured), which was delivered earlier this year. All three tugs were designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd and built by Master Boat Builders of Coden, Alabama.
The tugs are engineered for high-performance escort and ship assist operations. They are compact with flush decks and are developed specifically for ship handling in modern but typically smaller harbours and ports.
The all-steel tugs each have a length of 92 feet (28 metres), a beam of 40 feet (12 metres), a depth of 16.6 feet (5.06 metres), a gross tonnage of 118, and a bollard pull of over 80 tonnes. Moran Towing said the vessels are equipped to manage the increasing size and complexity of ships calling at US ports with precision and control.
Power for each tug is provided by two EPA Tier IV-compliant Caterpillar 3516E engines producing a combined 6,770 hp (5,050 kW) and connected to twin Z-drives.