Delta Lindsey


Yet another in a long series of new tugboats was introduced by Baydelta Maritime, of San Francisco, in late 2010. The 6,800-hp ASD ship-assist tug Delta Lindsey was immediately sent out to charter with Foss Maritime.

Baydelta's newest tug, Delta Lindsey, undergoes bollard pull testing in San Francisco using its JonRie InterTech wire towing winch. (Brandon Durar photo)

The 100-foot tug was built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, of Whidbey Island, Wash., and delivered to Baydelta in September. Naval architecture was provided by Jensen Maritime Consultants, of Seattle. Like others in the series before her, Delta Lindsey is powered by Cat 3516C electronically controlled engines, each producing 3,400 hp at 1,800 rpm. The tug is rated at 94 tons of bollard pull.

As of this writing, Baydelta has six tugs out on charter to large tug companies and only two working out of its home base at the Embarcadero waterfront section of San Francisco. Those out on charter include Delta Lindsey to Foss; Goliath, Valor and Vigilent to Crowley; Pacific Explorer to Hawaiian Tug & Barge; and Delta Deanna to Signet Maritime. Still working at home are Delta Billie and Delta Cathryn, these being assigned to a pool along with two Crowley tugs.

Baydelta, founded close to 20 years ago by three San Francisco bar pilots, has been steadily building new tugs for more than a decade.

Baydelta tugs are considered somewhat more versatile than many other harbor tugs because most are built with a wire towing winch on the stern, provided by JonRie InterTech, as well as with the more typical bow-mounted hawser winch, provided by Markey Machinery.

Most of the new Baydelta tugs also are set up with Smith Berger tow pins and a hold-down hook. Fendering is by Schuyler Rubber.

The new Baydelta tugs also have tankage for 76,000 gallons of diesel fuel which enables them to head offshore in pursuit of a broken-down ship, should the need arise. The tugs are driven by Rolls-Royce z-drives with free-running speed of up to 14 knots, according to the company.

The new Delta Lindsey, repainted in Foss colors, has been employed thus far by Foss on ship-assist work in the Northwest and as backup tug for a huge module towing project which Foss is handling on the Columbia and Snake rivers leading to Lewiston, Idaho.

The project, which started last fall and could last for a year or more, involves up to 40 tows of oil production equipment on barges. The equipment is destined for the Kearl Oil Sands Project near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Each tandem tow from Vancouver, Wash., to Lewiston takes about 65 hours. From there, the equipment is transported to Canada by heavy truck.

By Professional Mariner Staff