Mcallister Towing and Transportation Co. Inc., New York, announced that its newest tugboat, Gerard McAllister, has entered service in the company's flagship New York operations.
Built by Washburn & Doughty Associates Inc., Boothbay, Maine, the 6,770-hp tractor tug features a pair of EPA Tier 4-compliant Caterpillar 3516E engines that power Schottel SRP 490 FP Z-drive units, offering a bollard pull of 84 metric tons to assist the largest containerships calling the U.S. East Coast.
"She is our 42nd tractor tug and our 13th with more than 80 metric tons of bollard pull," McAllister said in press release.
The 93'x38' tug is equipped with 99-kW John Deere 4045 AFM85 EPA Tier 3 generators, Markey Machine winches on the bow and stern, as well as CAT C18 fire pump and FFS monitor with 6,000-gpm foam injection capability. Capacities include 30,000 gal. fuel oil, 4,000 gal. potable water, and 500 gal. aqueous film-forming foam.
The newbuild — classed by the American Bureau of Shipping as an A1 Maltese Cross Low Emissions Vessel — is the fifth in a six-tug series built by Washburn & Doughty for McAllister Towing. The series' four previous vessels have been delivered within the past two years, and the final tug, Mary McAllister, is scheduled for delivery in 2026.
The Gerard McAllister — named in honor of Gerard Smith, a fourth-generation member of the McAllister family — was launched and christened in August.
On its way to homeport, the Gerard McAllister stopped at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where cadets toured the new tug, met the crew, and learned firsthand about careers in the tugboat industry. "For the next generation of mariners, the Gerard McAllister is a commanding example of where the industry is headed: high-tech, low-emission, and mission-critical to global trade," McAllister Towing said.
“As vessel sponsor, it’s an incredible honor to see this tug bear my name,” said Gerard McAllister. “This vessel represents where McAllister is headed — more power, cleaner technology, and new opportunities for the next generation of mariners. I hope the cadets who walk her decks at Mass Maritime can see themselves building a future in this industry and, one day, standing on a tug like this in New York Harbor.”
