By Karen Robes Meeks
In mid-April, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge will add a shallow draft tugboat, the Bristol Wind, to its fleet. She will join sister vessel, the Capt. Frank Moody, in helping to transport cargo along the Arctic for the construction and oil and gas industries.
“Drawing just 3.2 feet, the Bristol Wind is uniquely designed to operate efficiently as a coastal tug,” said Michael O’Shea, senior director of Business Development and Planning at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge. “She has the unique ability to lighten the draft when water depths are extremely shallow – allowing her to safely service river and coastal locations that would otherwise be unreachable by conventional tugs.”
The Bristol Wind – which will be homeported in Anchorage, Alaska – will help meet growing opportunities in the Alaskan region, said Jeff Johnson, president of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge.