Tag Archives: port

Like a Tugboat, You May Be Small But You Are Powerful!

Tugboat pushes tanker into parking place
Tugboat pushes tanker into parking place in the port at Livorno, Italy
“Like a Tugboat, You May Be Small But You Are Powerful!” by Joan Y. Edwards
While on board the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Enchantment of the Seas on September 30, 2023 we stopped for the day in the port of Livorno, Italy.  My daughter, Mollie and I went ashore and toured the Canal there on a little boat. That afternoon Mollie and I set on deck and watched the ships go by. I noticed a big tanker being led by a rope by a Tug Boat.   I noticed as more of the ship came in view, there was another Tug Boat behind it and they were going to help park the big tanker. Oh my goodness! Parallel parking at its most difficult level!
Tugboats are small but powerful!
Zahra Ahmed says in Marine Insight.com that an average tug boat has 680-3400 horsepower engines (500-2500 kW), but boats which are larger and venture out into deep waters have engines with a power close to 27200marineinsight.com hp (20000 kW) and a tonnage power ratio ranging between 2.20-4.50 tons for large tugs and 4.0-9.5 tons for harbor tugs.
Below is a video that is approximately 30 minutes long of the tugboats helping park the tanker. They first got it in front of the parking space. Then they pushed it in from the front.  The front tugboat stayed at the front. People on small boats tied the ropes from the ship to the dock in 3 places.  Tugboats untied the ropes that attached the tanker to them.
It was truly fascinating to watch. We even got to see another boat being escorted by tugboats. If you watch and listen to the video, you will hear me and my daughter, Mollie. My phone stopped recording right before the tugboats actually left the scene. I am very thankful that we were able to witness this and tell you about it.

Remember that although you may feel small, God gives you strength, energy, and knowledge to help you survive and park yourself into the places that allow you to be the best you can possibly be.

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Resources

Zahra Ahmed. “What Are Tugboats?” https://www.marineinsight.com/types-of-ships/what-are-tug-boats/