Newbuild Set to Expand McAllister's Florida Tugboat Fleet

McAllister Towing has taken delivery of its latest newbuild harbour tug, Mary McAllister, as it continues investment in fleet expansion in US East Coast harbours. Built by Washburn & Doughty Associates in Maine, the tug is the sixth newbuild of a seven-tug series and offers a bollard pull of 84 tonnes. The 43rd tractor tug in the fleet, it will head to its new home in Port Everglades, Florida, following an initial assignment in Baltimore.

 

Details of the Delivery

 

McAllister Towing has taken delivery of a tug. It is a newbuild harbour tug. It expands the company's towage services. These are in US East Coast ports. The tug is named Mary McAllister.

The tug was built in Maine. Washburn & Doughty Associates built it. The company is headquartered in New York. It continues investing in fleet expansion. This focuses on East Coast harbours.

 

The Vessel Series

 

The tug is part of a series. It is the sixth of seven newbuilds. It joins recently built sister tugs. These were built in 2025 and 2026. Together they form a fleet series.

The tug adds to a large fleet. It is the 43rd tractor tug. This reflects the company's scale. It joins its established fleet. This demonstrates ongoing expansion.

 

The Vessel Capabilities

 

The tug offers strong capabilities. It has a bollard pull of 84 tonnes. Two Caterpillar engines power it. These meet EPA Tier 4 standards. They drive two azimuth thrusters.

The tug features firefighting capability. It has a FiFi1 firefighting system. This propels 12,000 gallons per minute. This uses pumps and monitors. The company called it a mission-critical tug.

 

Read More: https://oceaneconomist.com/articles/dijvler-anchor-mooring-winch-seagoing

 

The Vessel Design

 

The series shares a common design. The tugs measure 28 metres. They have two Schottel Z-drives. These use fixed pitch propellers. Generators provide electrical power.

The tugs feature specialised equipment. They have escort winches. These offer render and recover capabilities. They handle substantial line lengths. This supports escort operations.

 

The Deployment

 

The tug has a defined deployment. It first sailed to Baltimore. There it joined a sister tug. This was for an assignment. It then heads to Florida.

The tug's home will be Port Everglades. The company operates there already. It has two other tugs there. The company called it a dynamic force. It will serve for years to come.

 

Significance of the Delivery

 

The delivery reflects continued investment. The company invests in new tugs. These are American-built vessels. They are state-of-the-art tugs. Another is coming in 2027.

The future tug is already named. It will be Cathy McAllister. It will have similar performance. This continues the series. It reflects sustained fleet expansion.