A Tugboat, more commonly known as a tug, is essentially a secondary boat that aids berthing or mooring operations by a ship. It allows pushing or towing the ship towards the ports. This is known to be a special class of boat which is imperative to allow larger ships to get into the port. In addition to this primary purpose, tugboats can also be used to supply essentials like food, water and other things to the ship.
The name is derived from its purpose, which is manoeuvring the operation of vessels by pushing or ‘tugging’ them along the port. Manoeuvring large ships through slim water channels is next to impossible. This is when tug boats come in handy. They sometimes also carry particular domains of the ship and tow them through these channels.
Uses of Tugboats
Due to the strong structural engineering behind these small yet efficient boats, however, apart from that, there are many reasons why you should consider opting for tug boat rental. Mentioned here are some of its most important functions apart from getting a ship to port.
- Due to the strong structure of the boat, tugboats can be used as icebreakers or salvage boats.
- These boats have the capability to offer fire-fighting assistance to barges or ports and come with the necessary equipment.
- They act as a saviour boat for ships that are stuck in narrow canals or due to bad weather. Even though tugboats are important in the marine community, they are often the most neglected ones.
Types of Tugboats
Tugboats can further be divided into three types based on their purpose of use. Namely, they are conventional tug, azimuth stern drive tug and tractor tug. Knowing the purpose of each can help you make a better decision for a tug boat rental.
Conventional Tug:
As the name suggests, these are the most basic and oldest tug boats in the marine community. However, its older, sometimes even obsolete method of build gives it lesser manoeuvrability and speed. That said, these tugboats are on the cheaper side of the spectrum and are still used in a majority of the ports in the world.
Azimuth Stern Drive:
Forming a middle ground between tractor and conventional tugs utilises both their benefits. While the main propulsion unit includes two rating azimuths that are placed like a conventional screw tug, it can have two towing locations. The towing points are placed in the forward and the other ones amidships.
Tractor Tug:
This kind of tugboat uses two multidirectional propulsion units. While the first one is a large rotating outboard motor, the other consists of rotating vertical blades. This careful development enables the thrust units to move side by side. With the right driver, these tugboats are relatively a lot more maneuverable and efficient.
With this information, you can now know if you need to rent a tug boat and, if yes, which kind of tug boat you need. Rest assured, in the right hands, a tug boat is quite an efficient rent.
Peter Dong Blog 