Tugboat

boats · harbors · helpful ships

Push and Pull Power. Tugboats are specially built to shove big ships and barges through narrow harbors and canals where there's no room for those huge vessels to steer themselves. They can also tow disabled ships that have broken down or can't move.

Strong and Mighty. Even though tugboats are small compared to the enormous cargo ships and tankers they move, they have super powerful engines, usually diesel, that give them incredible pushing and pulling strength.

Tough in Ice. Some tugboats are icebreakers that can crash through frozen waters to help ships navigate in arctic regions, while others are salvage tugs that rescue ships in trouble at sea.

Water Firefighters. Many tugboats have special deluge guns that shoot powerful sprays of water, making them extra helpful for fighting fires in busy harbors where other boats can't easily reach.

Modern Steam to Diesel. The earliest tugboats ran on steam engines way back, but now they almost all use diesel engines that are more powerful and easier to control.