Tugs and Ice Breakers: Books - History and Types

Tugboats Illustrated : History, Technology, Seamanship

This book traces the evolution, design, and role of tugboats, ranging from the first steam-powered tug to today's hyper-specialized offshore workboats. Through extensive photographs, dynamic drawings, and enlightening diagrams, he explores the development of these hard-working boats, always shaped by the demands of their waterborne environment, by an ever-present element of danger, and by advancements in technology.
Whether making impossible turns in small spaces, crashing through huge swells, pushing or pulling or prodding or coaxing or escorting, we come to understand not only what tugs do, but how physics and engineering allow them to do it.

From the deck layout of a nineteenth-century sidewheel tug to the mechanics of barge towing - whether by humans, mules, steam or diesel engines - to the advantages of various types and configurations of propulsion systems, to the operation of an oil rig anchor-handling tug/supply vessel, Tugboats Illustrated is a comprehensive tribute to these beloved workhorses of the sea and their intrepid crews.

Information

Tugs in Colour - Worldwide

The latest in the successful maritime series with stunning colour photographs and detailed captions of a huge variety of tugs in an equally wide variety of locations.

Information

Tugs in Camera

A superb colour photographic album of tugs, accompanied by detailed captions. It is an A4-sized, hardback book with one colour photograph and caption on each of the 96 pages.

Information

Tugs in Colour - Northern Europe

Written by Bernard McCall, this book features colour photographs and detailed captions of tugs at work, others at sea, or at quaysides in northern Europe over the last forty years.
Detailed captions providing information about the tug and the location accompany each photograph.

The locations have been selected to illustrate the wide variety of tugs that have been seen in northern Europe over the last forty years and are arranged in a general geographical sequence from Russia via the Baltic States, Poland and Scandinavia to Germany.

This book is printed on glossy art paper to optimise the quality of the colour photographs.

Information

Svitzer Tugs (2) - Worldwide

The story of Em. Z. Svitzers Bjergningsentreprise (Svitzer) begins in 1833 when Emil Zeuthen Svitzer, a Danish entrepreneur, established a salvage business after noticing many losses occurring on trade routes to and from Denmark.
Its business extended to harbour towage in due course. The company has expanded considerably over the past two decades and claims to have 430 vessels working in about 100 different locations throughout the world.

Because of the huge size of the Svitzer fleet, it is covered in two volumes. This second volume begins in Denmark, the home of the company, and moves on to other Scandinavian countries and then northern Europe.
We look at tugs in Canada, the Caribbean, the Far East and finally Australia where Svitzer has gained prominence.

Information

Primer of Towing (3rd Edition)

As you cross bridges and see tugboats and towboats moving enormous cargos, do you wonder how these operations are managed? Towing operations are now the most significant part of the U.S. merchant fleet. Throughout the country, towing is providing an economical alternative to transporting cargo by train or truck trailers.
"Primer of Towing" brings you updated information on the modernization of this growing industry. Offshore coastwise and foreign trade is also seeing a boom. The largest independent carrier of petroleum products in the U.S. is a tug/barge operation. Major growth also is continuous in towing services, such as:
- Harbor work, assisting ships to maneuver, dock, and undock in confined waters
- Fleeting operations that provide moorings for inland barges
- Offshore work in the "oil patch"
- Anchor handling by pipe-laying barges
- Salvage
- Pollution control
- Escort towing
- Assisting dredging operations
- Marine construction
- Moving passenger RV tours on inland barges
- Assistance towing operations

This book provides information on all aspects of towing operations and related subjects. It is for avid boatmen and women interested in the diverse aspects of seamanship.

Information

Moderne Eisbrecher auf allen Weltmeeren (Typenkompass)

In the coastal regions of Northern Europe, North America and Asia, which have been characterised by icy and wintry conditions since time immemorial, shipping and sea transport would come to a standstill for months if the fairway were not kept clear by icebreakers.

Scientific research in the Arctic and Antarctic would also be unthinkable without icebreakers and icebreaking research vessels. In order to be able to work under conditions of several metres thick layers of ice, icebergs and pack ice, the impressive ships must withstand enormous loads.

This Typenkompass provides an overview of modern icebreakers in a handy format.

Information