Vane Brothers Welcomes Another Model-bow Workhorse

In an era where more operators are using articulated tug-barge units to move oil and fuel, the model bow tugboat might seem like a throwback.

- Casey Conley

Vane Brothers defies this notion, however, having built a modern fleet of versatile model bows working along the East Coast.

Within the past year, the Baltimore towing company has taken delivery of six model bow tugboats from shipyards in Maryland and Florida. It also has contracts to build at least 10 more in the coming years across two vessel classes.

Senior Port Capt. Jim Demske, who oversees Vane’s construction program, said this design was chosen out of necessity. Years ago, Vane used barges of different sizes for bunker work, terminal deliveries and coastal runs. The company needed a tugboat that could handle different jobs efficiently.

“We found model bow tugs to be the most effective solution,” Demske said recently. “Most of our modern model bow tugs can grab any barge at any time and safely tow barges astern, push barges, tow barges alongside or assist other tugs and barges.”

Fishing Creek is the latest Sassafras-class tugboat built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, Md. The yard has delivered 13 of the vessels since 2008 when the lead boat Sassafras was completed. Seven more are planned. Fishing Creek arrived at Vane’s Baltimore headquarters in late February and soon departed for Philadelphia, where it now handles bunkering barges.

“They’re fast, they’re efficient and they’re great-handling boats,” Demske said of the Sassafras class. “For that reason, they are particularly well-suited for bunkering work.”

Renowned naval architect Frank Basile designed the Sassafras class more than a decade ago to handle 30,000- and 35,000-barrel tank barges. Fishing Creek and its sister vessels feature classic model bow design: narrow beam, forward superstructure and pointed bow.

Dimensions are 94 feet by 32 feet, with a 12.5-foot operating draft.