Crowley sells two 1969-built tugs

DECEMBER 31, 2014 — Shipbroker Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, WA, reports that Crowley Marine Services, Inc. has sold the two 3,500 BHP twin screw, low profile harbor docking and coastwise tugs Spartan and Saturn to private U.S. West Coast buyers.

Both Red Stack tugs were originally built for Crowley in 1969  by Mangone Shipbuilding of Houston, TX – a subsidiary of Stewart & Stevenson.

Both came around from the Gulf to the West Coast with tows, the Saturn with a tandem tow of two new 150-series lightering barges before being assigned towing of large oil barges, and the Spartan with a new 250-series cargo barge before being outfitted for service in the Arctic hauling oil field supplies and fuel around Point Barrow, Alaska and later wintering over at Prudhoe Bay. 

The 91.0′ x 29.0′ x 13.3′ depth Spartan and Saturn were built as slightly larger and higher horsepower versions of the Apollo, Jupiter and Hercules built by Mangone two years earlier that also featured a low profile house and large aft deck.

The Spartan and Saturn are each powered by a pair of CAT 3516 diesels totaling 3,500 BHP at 1,800RPM with Lufkin 7:1 gears and fixed pitch, 5-blade stainless steel open props developing a bollard pull of abt. 54,800 lb ahead and 40,900 lbastern. Both boats were repowered from CAT D399s in 1994.

Towing gear consists of a Skagit RB-90 double drum waterfall winch with a capacity for 1,600′ of 1.75″ wire on each drum plus a 600′ 9″ circ. emergency tow line.

The tugs were working in San Diego, CA, at the time of the sale and are being replaced by more modern tugs. 

Marcon International acted as sole broker in the sale and has handled a number of sales and purchases for the buyer plus over a hundred sales and purchases for seller. 

Marcon has sold or chartered a total of 37 vessels and barges in 2014 including 9 tugs totaling 29,734 BHP, and 305 tugs with an aggregate horsepower of 951,329 BHP since first opening their doors. Four additional sales are pending and expected to close shortly after the New Year.by Mangone Shipbuilding of Houston, TX – a subsidiary of Stewart & Stevenson. Both came around from the Gulf to the West Coast with tows, the Saturn with a tandem tow of two new 150-series lightering barges before being assigned towing of large oil barges, and the Spartan with a new 250-series cargo barge before being outfitted for service in the Arctic hauling oil field supplies and fuel around Point Barrow, Alaska and later wintering over at Prudhoe Bay. 
The 91.0′ x 29.0′ x 13.3′ depth Spartan and Saturn were built as slightly larger and higher horsepower versions of the Apollo, Jupiter and Hercules built by Mangone two years earlier that also featured a low profile house and large aft deck. The Spartan and Saturn are each powered by a pair of CAT 3516 diesels totaling 3,500 BHP at 1,800RPM with Lufkin 7:1 gears and fixed pitch, 5-blade stainless steel open props developing a bollard pull of abt. 54,800 lb ahead and 40,900 lbastern. Both boats were repowered from CAT D399s in 1994. Towing gear consists of a Skagit RB-90 double drum waterfall winch with a capacity for 1,600′ of 1.75″ wire on each drum plus a 600′ 9″ circ. emergency tow line.”Spartan” and “Saturn” were working in San Diego, California at the time of the sale and are being replaced by more modern tugs. 
Marcon International acted as sole broker in the sale and has handled a number of sales and purchases for the buyer plus over a hundred sales and purchases for seller. 
Marcon has sold or chartered a total of 37 vessels and barges in 2014 including 9 tugs totaling 29,734 BHP, and 305 tugs with an aggregate horsepower of 951,329 BHP since first opening their doors. Four additional sales are pending and expected to close shortly after the New Year.