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FREEPORT
Photo by: Nate Lopez

Built in 2007, by USCS ATB LLC. of Wilmington, Delaware (hull #318) as the Freeport for U.S. Shipping Partners of Edison, New Jersey.

Initial construction of the unit commenced at SENESCO Shipbuilding of North Kingston, Rhode Island in August 2004. The tug was completed in 2007 at Sparrows Point Shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland.

Blount Boats Incorporated of Warren, Rhode Island, constructed the pilothouse and tower. The structures were blasted and primed. And, were hauled by barge to SENESCO Shipbuilding where they were mounted on the tug's hull.

In 2021, the unit was acquired by Seabulk Tankers Incorporated. A division of the Seabulk Group of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Where the unit retained her name.

The tug is fitted with an INTERcon coupler system. She is powered by two, Wartsila 9L32, medium speed diesel engines. With Wartsila Gear (SCV85-P51) and a Vertical Offset ratio of 2.4:1. Turning two, four bladed, 12 SSSq, Wärtsilä Lips propellers, mounted in kort nozzles. She is a twin screw tug, rated at 12,000 horsepower.

She is capable of operating on heavy fuel oil as well as No. 2 marine diesel fuel oil. To operate the tug while on heavy fuel oil, a thermal oil heating system has been installed with heavy fuel oil pumps and thermal oil piping all provided by S-Man/American United Marine.

The Freeport is married to the 521(ft) 04(in) 156,000(bbl), double hulled barge, the Chemical Transporter . Her construction was also begun in 2004 at SENESCO Shipbuilding. However, the barge was moved from SENESCO to Sparrows Point Shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland where it was completed in 2007.


  • Vessel Name: FREEPORT
  • USCG Doc. No.: 1184053
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • IMO Number: 9447249
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted, Registry
  • Call Sign: WDD6704
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 318
  • Ship Builder: USCS ATB LLC
  • Year Built: 2007
  • Length: 144
  • Hailing Port: WILMINGTON, DE.
  • Hull Depth: 27
  • Hull Breadth: 46
  • Gross Tonnage: 1248
  • Net Tonnage: 848
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    USCS ATB LLC