The shipyard opened new state of the art facilities for tug and barge construction a little over a year ago. Handysize class tugs will be offered for sale, lease-purchase or charter through associate company TUGZ International, LLC.

Built for two man operation, the tugs are available as ASD’s or as conventional twin screw vessels. Jensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle, designers of the ‘Z class’, are also responsible for this new concept aimed at producing a vessel heralded as 'just the right size, just the right power, environmentally sound, fuel efficient and versatile enough to accomplish most tug jobs at the lowest operating cost'.

Handy-One ran sea trials, including speed and endurance tests, in the icy waters of Lake Eire under freezing winter conditions. The trials results exceeded design expectations for performance and handling, and at full speed the tug was able to stop in its own length.

The Handysize tugs are fitted with a pair of Cummins QSK38 main engines, each rated 1,400bhp at 1,800rpm and complying with Tier II emission control rules. Power is transmitted to a pair of 1.83m diameter four blade Rice ‘Aqualloy’ propellers, rotating within type 37 stainless steel lined propulsion nozzles via Twin Disc MG540 gearboxes with a 5.17:1 reduction ratio.

The steering system comprises four rudders, two to each nozzle, operated by Gulf Coast Hydraulic hydraulic steering gear and Kobelt ‘full follow-up’ controls. A bollard pull of 36 short tons is quoted and a maximum speed of 12 knots.

A second vessel, Handy-Two, will be completed in August and both will be employed as part of the TUGZ fleet. Handysize tugs will be available with twin screw and conventional nozzles and rudders or with ASD propulsion systems.

Some US operators believe that the conventional tugs will work better in ice and in debris filled, low, and muddy waters.