VIDEO: Seaway Trident goes to work for Seaway Development Authority

At 60 feet in length, the Seaway Trident is right-sized for maneuvering inside lock chambers

Recently delivered to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) by Washburn & Doughty, East Boothbay, Me., the Seaway Trident is a highly customized, ice-strengthened tugboat based on Glosten’s HT-60 concept.

The Seaway Authority was in the market for an agile tug that could weather the icy conditions of the St. Lawrence Seaway while performing construction work, routine maintenance of aids to navigation, and ice management in and around lock chambers. To meet its requirements, Glosten customized all elements of the design to enhance the Trident’s ability to perform its intended work functions.

“The HT-60 is a Glosten concept that was introduced to provide operators with enough versatility to excel at a variety of harbor services, but especially barge-handling in confined waterways,” said Peter Soles, marine operations & business development at Glosten, and project manager on the design and construction of Seaway Trident. “This is precisely what GLS does in the Saint Lawrence – a variety of different work functions to maintain the operability of the Seaway. We had to design around some special requirements related to the boat’s ice management duties in winter. What they got in the end is an HT-60 variant that is uniquely suited to uphold the GLS mission.”

At 60 feet in length, the Seaway Trident is right-sized for maneuvering inside lock chambers, with a wide 28-foot beam to improve performance in ice and enhance stability for deck crane operations.

The vessel’s Schottel Z-drive units are powered by a pair of Caterpillar C18 diesel engines turning carbon fiber shafts to deliver a combined 1,300 bhp at 1,800 rpm. To effectively perform its duties in ice, the hull was strengthened to ABS Ice Class C0 standards. The deck is outfitted with a Markey Machinery headline winch and a fully foldable Heila Marine deck crane.

After completing a contract-level design package and technical specification, Glosten’s role on the project continued with onsite support at Washburn & Doughty during the Trident’s construction.

The video shows the vessel on sea trials.