A towboat is to move cargo…or sometimes do work that assists larger towboats to move cargo. The ultimate goal is to provide water transportation, whether we are dealing with a tiny towboat (often called a harbor boat or tug) or a high-powered, multi-engined line boat on the Lower Mississippi, moving 40 or more barges.
This Is a Harbor Boat, Tugboat or Towboat
(Take Your Pick)
Tugboat Annie, 1,050 hp., shown working on the Ohio River - - Harbor boats, towboats, or tugboats (as some call them) usually work around the harbor, moving barges to be loaded or unloaded, spotting them in a tow, or moving work barges.
This Towboat Might Operate on the
Upper Mississippi
Or on Smaller Tributaries
The bigger the job, the bigger the towboat! The Mv. Robert R. Jewell, shown pushing 15 empties on the Cumberland River, measures 138 x 44 ft. and has 5,600 hp. Towboats that push 15 barges or less are used in many waterways.
This Is a Towboat
With Elevated Pilothouse
Elevated pilothouses can be lowered when towboats encounter bridges, then raised again to increase the pilot’s visibility. At left is the Jessica Brent on her first Ohio River trip. At right, the Mv. Ann G has lowered her pilothouse to pass beneath a low bridge on the Illinois Waterway on the Cal-Sag Channel near Chicago.
Now We Get To The Big Boys
The Mv. J. S. McDermott, 10,500 hp., is shown southbound on the Mississippi at Memphis, Tenn., with 35 loads. These big vessels have been known to push more than 70 barges.
