Foss builds flexibility into latest West Coast ship-assist tug

摘要

Foss Maritime Co. is nearly finished with a four-boat order from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders that has solidified its fleet of West Coast ship-assist tugboats.The company's 100-by-40-foot ASD-90 series consists of four Valor-class tugs designed by Jensen Maritime, now known as Crowley Engineering Services. The vessels carry the same proven legacy as other Valor-class workhorses, but with cleaner-burning Tier 4 engines and a host of other upgrades. The lead boats in Foss' ASD-90 series, Jamie Ann and Sarah Avrick, are working in San Francisco Bay escorting and docking tankers and other large ships.Leisa Florence left the Freeland, Wash., shipyard early this year and is a modified ASD-90 class tugboat. It shares the same 6,866-hp MTU power plant delivering 92 tons of bollard pull ahead and 90 astern, and the same robust Markey hawser winch. The primary difference is the deck gear installed on the aft deck.