VESSEL REVIEW | Sir Barton & War Admiral – Towing and barge support tugs expand Turn Services' inland fleet

Verret Shipyard in Plaquemine, Louisiana, has handed over the two new inland pusher tugs Sir Barton and War Admiral to New Orleans-based marine transportation company Turn Services.

The tugs are the first two units in a series of eight vessels that utilise a common 1,600hp (1,200kW) twin-screw propulsion package.

Each vessel has a length of 65 feet (20 metres), a beam of 26 feet (7.9 metres), and two Mitsubishi main engines rated at 803 hp (600 kW) at 1,400 rpm.

Sir Barton’s engines are identified as S6R2 EPA Tier III units, while War Admiral’s are the S6R2-Y3 EPA Tier III variants of the engines fitted on her sister.

A familiar engine fitout for ensuring easier crew training

Turn Services’ selection of Mitsubishi engines followed operating experience with the same engine family aboard the company’s existing vessel Kenneland for over six years.

Reintjes WF 570 reduction gears are fitted to both newbuilds. Turn Services said the common platform is intended to support operating consistency and maintenance planning as additional boats enter the fleet.

Turn Services’ Chief Operating Officer Lucian Lott said the company's goal is to build vessels that are aligned with present operations while supporting the long-term needs of the fleet.

Consistency across the vessels is expected to help create a smoother transition for crews.

Designed for southern US inland waters

War Admiral’s auxiliary equipment includes an Ahead Sanitation AT-6T marine sanitation device.

The remaining tugs in the eight-boat programme are scheduled to be delivered to Turn Services later in 2026 and into 2027, continuing the operator’s fleet expansion for southern US waterways. These will join the other vessels in the Turn Services fleet in providing shifting, towing, and barge support services on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Sir Barton and War Admiral have adopted the names of two earlier predecessor pusher tugs in the Turn Services fleet.