Can A Tugboat Go Into The Ocean? Here's How Seaworthy They Are

Tugboats are aquatic workhorses, built for power rather than speed, often spraying water while towing ships to celebrate their arrival. Despite their size, tugboats carry an impressive amount of strength, with powerful engines that allow them to handle heavy loads. While tugboats often operate closer to the coast, can they go further into the ocean and if so, just how seaworthy are they?

That depends on the tugboat itself and what it's designed for. Escort tugboats like river tugs for example, work primarily in canals and rivers and don't have the power to get very far into the open sea. They also don't have the hull strength it takes to withstand the force of the waves, making it an unsafe trip for everyone onboard. Another issue is the fuel tank, which would need to be much larger for any standard tugboat making long oceanic journeys.

Support tugs however, are built for ocean travel and can handle offshore work. They're also used for towing ships over long distances and can hold up under severe weather conditions. Ocean towing is easily handled by these tugs, which can safely move heavy loads of all sizes, like massive container ships.

Support tugboats can easily venture out into the ocean and handle a variety of towing, unlike escort tugs, which typically work best in rivers and closer to shore. For example, Ulstein, an international shipbuilder, manufactures a variety of seagoing tugboats, with key features like exceptional towing. This allows for disabled ships to be safely moved and wreckage to be easily salvaged. These tugs are also built to withstand intense conditions and can carry a crew of 35, with a deck area of 550 square meters.

Konsberg, a Norwegian maritime solutions company, utilizes Azimuth thrusters, which gives exceptional maneuverability and fuel efficiency to seagoing tugs. Those thrusters can achieve up to 180 tonnes of bollard pull, which is the measure of the tug's pulling power.  The company is also at the forefront of both hybrid and electric power solutions, which reduces emissions and promotes environmental sustainability.