Crowley has taken delivery of Athena, its fourth and most powerful Tier IV ship assist and harbor escort tugboat.

The 77-foot Athena provides the agility of its compact size without the sacrifice of power – offering the most bollard pull for a tug under 80 feet in the market. The Robert Allan Ltd.-designed RApport 2500 D vessel operates on a pair of 3,386-horsepower Caterpillar Marine 3516 Tier IV-compliant engines, resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions while achieving a power output of nearly 6,800 horsepower and 96 tons of bollard pull. The vessel is equipped with Berg Propulsion MTA 628 drives with electric steering and slip clutch.

“We are proud to add another powerful vessel to our Tier IV fleet,” said Paul Manzi, vice president, Crowley Shipping. “Joining sister Tier IV tugs Hercules and Apollo as well as our tug Valor, Athena further exemplifies Crowley’s commitment to sustainable performance for customers, advancing our progress to reduced emissions and a smaller carbon footprint.”

Serving the Pacific Northwest out of Puget Sound, Washington, Athena, built by Diversified Marine Inc. and chartered from Brusco Tug & Barge, complies with U.S. EPA Tier IV pollution control technology criteria. The vessel is outfitted with remote monitoring for increased vessel efficiency and data interchange. It features a Markey Machinery Company, Inc. DEPC-52 winch.

“We are pleased to have built another record-setting tug for Crowley’s fleet. Athena is going to be a head turner in the Puget Sound,” said Frank Manning, vice president, business development and operations, Diversified Marine. “We appreciate the partnership between Brusco Tug & Barge and Crowley and look forward to continuing to move the needle in tug performance, technology and sustainability.”

(Source: MarineLink)