Crowley Maritime Corp.’s ship assist and harbor escort services group has taken delivery of the Apollo, a powerful and maneuverable compact tug.
The tugboat has completed final outfitting at Diversified Marine Inc., Portland, Ore., and will deploy soon to serve San Francisco Bay. Like its sister tug operated by Crowley, Hercules, the 78' Apollo was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. to be the nation’s most powerful tug under 80' with an estimated 94 tons of bollard pull.
As sustainability requirements become more important in California and other ports while containerships become larger, Apollo will be well suited for the Bay Area market. Operating on biofuel, the vessel’s fuel-efficient and lower carbon footprint results from a pair of Caterpillar Marine 3516 Tier IV-compliant engines that meet federal mandates and the state of California’s environmental regulations.
“With all the congestion in the ports of California, performance is a No. 1 concern for customers. Crowley’s newest tug will continue to make harbor escort and ship assist efficient for ship operators while meeting and exceeding current demands for sustainability,” said Crowley Vice President Paul Manzi. “Maneuverability improves safety and allows for more efficient service.”
“With Apollo, we have a rare mix of high performance with an efficient design with lower carbon footprint. It’s leading the way in California and showing the industry what’s possible in light of the sustainability push that’s taking place,” Manzi added.
Crowley’s marine services group operates one of the most established fleets of ship assist and tanker escort tugs in North America, Crowley said. Crowley began operating tugboats in San Francisco Bay in 1906.
