Crowley Christens Fourth of Six Harbor-Class Tractor Tugs

Crowley Marine Services christened the fourth of its new Harbor-Class tractor tugs in January. Faye Plummer performed the time-honored tradition of christening Leader. Leader is the fourth of six 105-ft. Harbor-Class tractor tugs designed and constructed for Vessel Management Services, Inc. (VMS), a Crowley Maritime Corporation subsidiary. VMS has entered into a long-term bareboat charter of Leader to Crowley Marine Services. Each of the six ship assist and escort tugs feature Voith Schneider twin cycloidal propulsion and a hydrofoil-shaped skeg that provides greatly improved steering, control and seakeeping ability when the vessel is running at high speeds in the skeg-first direction. Leader, at 4,800 hp, is powered by two Caterpillar 3516-B engines and has an indirect bollard pull in excess of 120 tons at 10 knots. Leader was built by Nichols Bros. Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash.