Dances with Dolphins: Transforming Boston's Tug Assist Landscape for the Better
On Monday of this week, I got a telephone call from my boss as I was cruising west on the Mass. Pike, headed for Stamford, CT. "Are you at the show?" he asked. I replied that I had been, to which (now somewhat exasperated with me) he replied, "Well, Brett is at the booth and he can't find you." I then realized we were talking about two different things and finally told him that the real show was in Boston on Monday morning. On my way to Connecticut, I saw an opportunity to see, first hand, the new "Dolphin" class tug boat now on site in Boston Harbor. Thankfully, Conti Coluntino and Marc Villa of Constellation Maritime Company graciously made it happen. The time was well spent and when it was over, it was clear that the business of tug assist work in Boston would never be the same. And, that's a very good thing.
The advent of the "tractor" tug boat on the U.S. harbor scene happened a long time ago. Anyone who has anything to do with all things maritime has heard the raves of what these things can do. Until you actually step on board a tractor tug, however, you can't appreciate the power, versatility and utility that these vessels provide. On the other hand, the standard, first generation tractor tug boats long employed in Boston Harbor will, very soon, be recognized for what they are: second best. In a spectacular 1-1/2 hour demonstration on Monday morning, Foss Captain Joe Rock put the tug "LEO" through her paces, and left absolutely no doubt about it.
There's a very good reason why virtually everything on the bridge, interior spaces and engine compartment on the LEO is "Velcroed" in place. Using twin, opposable "Z" drives and CAT engines producing a monstrous 5,500 HP, Captain Rock made my decision to eat a light breakfast seem like a good one. We departed the berth at 0915 hours, smartly easing off the dock in full control, using very little of the engines. Immediately, Rock took us into sideways "walk" achieving five knots in less than five seconds, with barely a shimmy in my full cup of coffee to show for it. I put the mug down to fish in my NOMEX jumpsuit (ever the safe journalist and former marine surveyor) for a pen. It would be the last time I left anything alone - for even a second - until we returned to the berth.
In the hour that followed our departure from the berth, seemingly innocuous terms like "doughnut," "power-slide," "wheelies," and yes, "dolphin," took on a whole new meaning for me. Let me explain: The term "rock and roll" refers to a power slide (moving sideways through the water at 12.5 KT). A "doughnut" is much the same maneuver as the one you performed in the high school parking lot with your first car, except that this maneuver is accomplished with just a bit more skill, within exactly one boat length of the tug. "Let me know when you start getting sick," our Captain advised. I noted grimly that he did not say "if."
The 360 degree turns took less than eight seconds to accomplish. Mercifully, the doughnuts ended. I scribbled some notes furiously; lest I lose my train of thought (or something else) before the next maneuver was commenced. Rock explained to me that the "doughnut" was more than a drill to make me dizzy; instead, he said, "This boat turns on a dime. And in tight places like Chelsea Creek, for example, sometimes, this maneuver can be the difference between being pinned between the transom of a large vessel and the pier, and executing just another routine docking evolution." A massive 65 tons of bollard pull from the Dolphin's unique, one-of-a-kind hawser winch completes the picture: nimble, quick - and powerful.
Arguably more impressive than the operational capabilities of LEO is her standard equipment; much of it designed with safety in mind, but producing much more than that in operational efficiency. One of the first generation of tug boats to sport heated decks, it is a good bet that LEO's crew will not be slipping and sliding as they handle lines in any weather. But the vessel's forward line handling winch, unique to this class of boat, sports an automatic "level-wind" feature which prevents the line from becoming balled up in any one direction, and smoothly pays out and takes in the towing hawser as necessary. Manual labor and the dangers inherent in that operation are thereby minimized and the push-button hydraulic controls are conveniently located at the pilot's fingertips on the bridge. A dual mode tension meter measures hawser tension pneumatically and electronically. This feature, as well as the remote-controlled fire monitor located on the starboard side, is, of course, also unique to the Dolphin class tug.
No day on the LEO is apparently complete without having to desperately cling to the bulkhead on the bridge during the impressive and equally thrilling "wheelie" maneuver. Monday was no different. Only 78 feet long, this is one place where size really doesn't matter. Rock took the tug boat from 10.5 KT full ahead to a similar speed directly aft, in seconds, and within the boat's 78 foot body length. He then reversed the maneuver and the Dolphin's mighty nose rose perilously out of the water, her aft decks awash. My coffee, long since consumed in one scalding gulp, (it was either that or spoil the karma on the spotless bridge with a large, sloppy black stain) growled in my stomach dangerously. I later learned that the maneuver, thought erroneously by some to be the reason that the boat's class was christened "Dolphin," is, nevertheless, probably the most visible manifestation of the boat's power and versatility.
As the demonstration ended, the radio crackled and a nervous watch officer on an outbound Coast Guard cutter inquired as to our intentions. We let him know that we were drilling and that we would stay out of his way. He then gave us a WIDE berth. For many years here in Boston Harbor, the Constellation Maritime Company (a wholly owned subsidiary of the MRG / Foss Group) has had a lot in common with their Coast Guard brethren. "Doing more with less," Constellation has set a standard for excellence in ship-assist skills, using what Constellation Executive Marc Villa characterized unapologetically as "mature" equipment. Those days are clearly behind him, however. Together with another new-generation tractor tug, the formidable "AMERICA," Constellation now features the two most-modern ship-assist platforms in Boston Harbor. And since the playing field for ship-assist equipment in Boston Harbor has finally been leveled, at least for the time being, this is good news for both shippers and public safety.
Accompanying PHOTO: LEO arrives in cold irons after being towed around to Boston. It will be the last time you ever see ice on its (automatically heated) decks. MarEx readers will have to wait until 19 April to see the unveiling of the "LEO" at Constellation's planned celebration in Boston Harbor.
Managing Editor Joseph Keefe stopped in Boston on his way to CMA to test ride Constellation's (MRG/FOSS) newest addition to their tug fleet. Keefe, in a former life, has performed hundreds of ship vettings and evaluations. He can be reached at [email protected]