If there is one type of vessel that a harbor simply can’t do without, it would be the tugboat. This small craft may look unremarkable compared to the large, ocean-going vessels that usually dominate the harbor, but a tugboat is the only thing that can help large ships reach the harbor in the first place. As the name implies, this boat tows or tugs larger vessels that are too large and cumbersome to make turns, yaws, or other maneuvers.
Tugboats are also quite powerful for their size; they have a power-to-tonnage ratio of at least 4.0 while most passenger liners only have about 0.35 to 1.20. This power is extremely helpful when performing towing services such as “tug assists” which involve moving oil tankers and container ships using more than one tugboat. Aside from towing, tugboats can also serve as a platform for ice-breaking, firefighting, and even salvaging disabled ships.
These other functions are most apparent in tugboats that are designed and cleared to operate in large oceans and rough seas. Azimuth stern drive boats, for instance, have much better maneuverability that allow them to take on huge, strong waves. These vessels are particularly adept at moving large, immobile objects in the water like weather instruments, oil platforms, and ships that are deemed “dead in the water.”
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