McAllister Towing announced the arrival in N.Y. of the tug Capt. Brian A. McAllister, the first EPA Tier IV tug on the U.S. East Coast according to the company. Capt. Brian A. McAllister is powered by 3516E Tier IV Caterpillar engines with twin Schottel SRP4000FP units. Packed into its 100 x 40 ft. hull is 6,770 hp and more than 80 metric tons of bollard pull. Combining that power with a Markey class III escort winch on the bow and a Markey 2.25-in. wire winch on the stern puts the the tug in a class of her own. State-of-the-art remote controlled fire monitors and deluge systems (ABS FiFi certified) complete the package, making the tug a total Escort /Shipdocking/Rescue vessel unique to any East Coast port.
Captain Jackie Benton, who delivered the tug from Horizon Shipbuilding in Alabama, said the Capt. Brian A. McAllister “is one of the best riding Z-boats I’ve ever handled. She runs smooth as silk and is a fantastic boat.” Upon her arrival, she was quickly put to work on the recent ULCV’s and SULCV’s calling the port. On one of her first jobs Mate Matt Jernegan was at the helm and said “Her rate of turn was amazing. The power this tug has and her capabilities, allows us to be more efficient and safely handle these monstrous container ships.”
The Capt. Brian A. McAllister is named after the company’s Chairman, and is the 31st and most powerful tractor tug in McAllister’s fleet.