(SAN PEDRO, Calif.) — Crowley Marine Services is deploying the tugboat Veteran in the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach to provide enhanced docking safety for all vessels, including large petroleum tank vessels with deep drafts greater than 65 feet calling on Long Beach Berth 121. With a bollard pull rating of over 90 short tons, Veteran will be one of the most powerful tugs in the market.
These very large crude carriers (VLCCs) are calling more regularly in Long Beach, and Tesoro and the Long Beach Pilots are now requiring a tug with a minimum bollard pull rating of 90 short tons be placed on the stern when assisting these tankers in and out of Berth 121.
“We are responding to this need by relocating the tug Veteran from San Francisco to Los Angeles/Long Beach Port Complex to replace the tug Goliah,” said Mark Homeyer, Crowley’s general manager of ship assist and tanker escort services. “Veteran will be operated by some of our most experienced and senior crews to provide the highest possible measure of safety and operational excellence.”
Goliah will join the tug Valor, Veteran’s sister tug, in San Francisco. Both Valor and Veteran were designed by Crowley’s naval architecture and marine engineering firm, Jensen Maritime of Seattle.
Having just completed a shipyard period, Goliah is ready to go and better than ever. Its z-drives were replaced with larger drives to leverage the increased Tier 3 engine power; the escort winch was replaced with a state-of-the-art render recovery winch; fendering was upgraded, and its bollard pull was increased to over 70 short tons.
“The Goliah has always been one of the most capable offshore towing tugs on the West Coast,” said Homeyer. “With these improvements, she will be an even more stout and capable tug for harbor assist, tanker escort and offshore rescue work in the Bay Area.”
Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 125-year-old Crowley Maritime Corp., is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides project solutions, energy and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its 50 percent ownership in Ardent Global; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found at www.crowley.com.
