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When you go to a large port, you may see small vessels with "tires" fixed around their hulls. These are tugboats. In ports, large vessels such as car carriers loaded with many automobiles and tankers carrying oil are moored. In order for these vessels to unload cargo and oil, they need to berth alongside quays and piers in the port. However, large vessels cannot move freely within a narrow harbor space. This is where tugboats play an important role in maneuvering large vessels. In this issue, we will introduce basic information about small yet powerful tugboats and the tugboat business of the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Group.

What is a Tugboat?

As you know, "tug" means to "pull hard with force." Tugboats are equipped with propellers called "azimuth thrusters" that can rotate 360 degrees horizontally. Thanks to these propellers, they are highly maneuverable and can move freely within the harbor. In addition, their small hulls are equipped with powerful engines, giving them very high mobility. This allows them to move unhindered around large vessels and provide them with the necessary support! They may look small, but their power is outstanding, and they can be regarded as unsung heroes.

Tugboats can move freely

Azimuth Thruster

Examples of tugboats in action

Tugboats play a variety of roles, mainly performing the following tasks:

(1) Supporting Berthing and Unberthing operations
When large vessels enter or leave port, tugboats play a role in the safe berthing and unberthing of them by pushing and towing the larger vessel. Since large vessels cannot maneuver by small degrees on their own in the narrow confines of a harbor, tugboats are important in assisting their movement.

Voice from the Field: Tugboat Company Operator

Berthing operations for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) can take 5 to 6 hours. In cases of long working hours, labor management ensures sufficient rest time afterwards.

(2) Supporting safe operation through Escort Operations/Cargo Handling Watch
When large vessels navigate, tugboats use radios and loudspeakers to call out and warn of obstacles in their path and the presence of other vessels, thereby supporting the safe navigation of the large vessel. While many escort operations are carried out by dedicated boats, tugboats are also often in use due to their mobility. Especially in narrow harbors, escort boats and tugboats precede large vessels to check the course, ensuring their safe passage. Additionally, when large vessels load and unload hazardous materials such as LNG and LPG, tugboats are used to monitor for suspicious vessels in the vicinity and to check for cargo leaks using gas detectors.

Voice from the Field: Tugboat Company Operator

Large vessels have many blind spots and cannot quickly avoid obstacles, so early information provided by tugboats is crucial in preventing accidents!
 

(3) Towing Operations
Tugboats also tow heavy objects and barges that cannot move under their own power. This enables the transportation of floating cranes and structures within ports and at sea. Tugboats play an essential part in port development.

Voice from the Field: Tugboat Company Operator

If there are not many obstacles at sea, a tugboat may tow a large vessel by extending a stern-mounted wire rope about 500 meters! The photo above shows a tugboat towing a car carrier under construction.

(4) Maritime Disaster Rescue/Salvage Operations
Tugboats are equipped with firefighting equipment to enable them to respond to incidents when escorting vessels carrying hazardous materials, maintain a prepared watch during cargo handling, and respond to maritime rescues and fires. They also engage in maritime rescue operations for vessels involved in collisions, groundings, fires, and engine failures.

Voice from the Field: Tugboat Company Operator

When a fire breaks out at sea, tugboats with fire extinguishing equipment play an important role in the initial response!

Voice from the Field: Captain of a Large Ocean-going Vessel

Overall, tugboats in Japanese ports have sufficient power and are able to respond promptly to instructions from the larger vessel. Also, towing company operators are reassured that miscommunication is avoided through the verbal repetition of any instructions given.

MOL Group Tugboat Business

The MOL Group have numerous tugboat companies throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south. In our group's tugboat business, we focus on building and procuring high-quality vessels and maintaining equipment daily, as well as improving the skills and safety education of crew members. This has enabled our tugboats to operate without any accidents or injuries, even in operations that require a high level of competence.

List of Tugboat Companies in the MOL Group



MOL Group's Tugboats

(1) Nihon Tug-Boat Co., Ltd.
Nihon Tug-Boat Co., Ltd. engages in tugboat operations for the berthing and unberthing of vessels, escorting large vessels and vessels loaded with hazardous materials, and watching operations during cargo handling in the ports and surrounding areas/waterways of Ise Bay, Mikawa Bay, Osaka Bay, and the Seto Inland Sea. They also operate tugboats in Ishikari Bay, Tomakomai Port, Suruga Bay, and Ube Port. Their tugboats are identified by a red mast with the "N" mark.
 
NIHON TUG-BOAT CO.,LTD

(2) Green Shipping Ltd.
Green Shipping Ltd. is a port logistics expert engaged in tugboat services, ship agency services, customs clearance, warehousing, etc., throughout Kyushu. Furthermore, they handle towing projects for lifting cranes and offshore structures, and their operations cover the entirety of Japan. Green Shipping's tugboats are identified by a red mast with a green "G" mark, an orange funnel, and a cream-colored hull.

Green Shipping Ltd.

(3) Green Kaiji Kaisha Ltd.
Green Kaiji Kaisha Ltd. provides berthing and unberthing operations and guard vessel services at dedicated berths for LNG carriers, crude oil tankers, product tankers, wood chip carriers, etc., and at public berths used by container ships and car carriers in the Port of Nagoya. In the Port of Yokkaichi, they perform tugboat operations based on the Port Authority's vessel allocation. GREEN KAIJI's tugboats are identified by a green mast with a green "G" mark, and their ship names end with "～shio".

Green Kaiji Kaisha Ltd.

Overseas Tugboat Business

MOL has established tugboat businesses in Hong Kong (one company) and Vietnam (two companies) in partnership with local companies.

List of Overseas Tugboat Businesses

(1) South China Towing Co Ltd (Hong Kong)
They were established in Hong Kong in 1987 and have been engaged in tugboat operations, salvage, and ship management at the Port of Hong Kong for over 30 years since then.

(2) Tan Cang-Cai Mep Towage Services Co. Ltd (Vietnam)
They were established in 2010 for the purpose of towing vessels at the port of Caimep in southern Vietnam. They mainly operate towing vessels at TICT, a container terminal that is a logistics hub in the Caimep area of Vietnam, as well as at a bulk carrier terminal in the same area.

(3) Tan Cang Northern Maritime Jsc (Vietnam)
They were established in 2018 for towing vessel operations at Lach Huyen port in Northern Vietnam. In addition to towing operations at the container terminal HICT, a logistics hub in Haiphong, North Vietnam, the company also operates towing vessels in Central and South Vietnam and has a wide range of business operations.

Future Tugboats - Next-Generation Tugboats, Including the LNG-Fueled Tugboat "Ishin"

Youtube Link of launching ceremony of the LNG-fueled ferry "Sunflower Pirka" held in September 2024.

"Ishin" is an LNG-fueled tugboat owned by MOL and operated by NIHON TUG-BOAT. She was completed in February 2019 as a pioneer of LNG-fueled vessels.
LNG fuel is an environmentally friendly fuel compared to conventional heavy oil because of its reduced CO2 emissions, which are a cause of global warming. It also reduces SOx (sulfur oxides) emissions, an air pollutant, to almost zero. 
MOL is currently building a number of LNG-fueled vessels, taking advantage of the knowledge and expertise on LNG fuel gained through the development and operation of “Ishin. The towing operation by “Ishin” for the launching ceremony of the new LNG-fueled ferry “Sunflower Pirka” in September 2024 was symbolic of the passing on of our knowledge to the next generation of LNG-fueled vessels.

In addition to LNG-fueled tugboats, we are also successively introducing next-generation tugboats equipped with energy-saving devices. Technologies such as CRS (Common Rail Fuel Injection System) and PBCF (Propeller Boss Cap Fin) are indicative of our energy saving actions.

(1) CRS: IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. / NIIGATA / Common Rail System (Electronically Controlled Fuel Injection System)
This device electronically controls the injection pressure, timing, and duration (injection volume) of the vessel's fuel to achieve the ideal combustion in the engine.

(2) PBCF (Propeller Boss Cap Fin)
The PBCF reduces the vortex generated by the propeller rotation and improves propulsion efficiency, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

PBCF & Wind Propulsion Department｜MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd.

Message from Towing ＆ Associated Business Team

The Group will continue to work together to further develop the tugboat business. When you visit a port, please be sure to look out for tugboats, the unsung heroes in ensuring smooth, trouble-free vessel operations.

This blog post is written by Towing ＆ Associated Business Team, Wellbeing & Lifestyle Business Division.

Also Check Out…

Naming and Launching Ceremony Held for Sunflower Pirka, LNG-fueled Ferry on Oarai-Tomakomai Route -LNG-fueled Tugboat Ishin Supports Launching Operations-