THE tug Stephen B assists the barge John Blanche in the East River on a recent weekend afternoon. Behind it is the “gentrified” Domino Sugar refinery on the waterfront, which has become luxury apartments along with the new, lowercase “n” shaped 325 Kent. Like many tugs, the Stephen B has gone by more than one name. When built in 1983 at the Cenac Shipyard Incorporated, Houma, LA, it was the Clinton Cenac, keeping that name after it was acquired by Teppco Marine Services in Houma in 2008.
Following its acquisition by American Petroleum and Transport Incorporated in Port Jefferson, Long Island in 2015, it was renamed the Stephen B and acquired its upper wheelhousing. Info: Tugboat Information
Incidentally, I asked my pal Mitch Waxman, who often writes about water and trackborne transportation in the Newtown Pentacle, why many tugs have numerous tires fastened to the outer railings. “Bumpers,” was the answer, as they protect the structure in case of contact with another vessel.
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10/25/25
5 comments
This reminded me of one of the Hoboken Historical Museum chapbooks, Boats, Ships, and Everything, by a tugboat crewman. He worked the entire harbor, not just near Hoboken. A very dangerous occupation, with primitive facilities and no safety concerns by management or the crew themselves. Among several heartstopping anecdotes is one where, in the 1950s or 60s, they were attacked by a cloud of millions of mosquitoes near the Statue of Liberty. They were considering abandoning ship and diving into the harbor before they got permission to move away from the cloud. An excellent unforgettable memoir.
https://hobokenmuseum.org/chapbook/boats-ships-everything
They’re giving names to barges now?What an honor.How about
garbage scows,them too?
Pretty much anything that floats gets a name.
Tugboat operators: The unsung heroes of New York Harbor!
Tugster is a great blog about the 6th Borough, though he does cover other places on his travels:
https://tugster.wpcomstaging.com/