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EL GALLO GRANDE
Pictured as: the North Sea (Kirby Corporation) Photo by: Birk Thoams

Built in 1982, by McDermott Shipyard Incorporated of Amelia, Louisiana (hull #267) as the El Gallo Grande Tidewater Marine Services Incorporated of New Orleans, Louisiana.

In 2002, the tug was acquired by Captain Christopher Roehrig of the Roehrig Maritime Company of Staten Island, New York. Where she was renamed as the Eileen M. Roehrig.

The tug was named for the Roehrig Maritime Company's founder, and owner Captain Christopher Roehrig's wife. The company had an extensive renovation of the vessel performed. That included the addition of an upper wheel house.

In 2007, the Roehrig Maritime Company was acquired by K-Sea Transportation Partnership Incorporated of East Brunswick, New Jersey. Where the tug was renamed as the North Sea.

In 2011, the K-Sea Transportation Partnership Incorporated was acquired by the Kirby Corporation of Channelview, Texas. Where the tug retained her name.

In 2016, the tug was phased out of service. And, was "laid up" at the Kirby Corporation's facilities in Port Arthur, Texas.

In 2018, she was acquired by the Sause Brothers Ocean Towing Company of Portland, Oregon. Where the tug retained her name. And she was "laid up" at the Sause Brothers Ocean Towing Company's yard in Coos Bay, Oregon.

In 2022, the Sause Brothers Ocean Towing Company renamed the tug as the Kokua.

Powered by two, sixteen cylinder, EMD 16-645-E6 diesel engines. Turning two, cast steel, fixed pitch propellers. She was a twin screw tug, rated at 4,200 horsepower.

Her electrical service was provided by two, 125kW generator sets. The tug's capacities were 91,139 gallons of fuel.
(Captain Christopher Roehrig)


  • Vessel Name: EL GALLO GRANDE
  • USCG Doc. No.: 645685
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • IMO Number: 8201210
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted, Registry
  • Call Sign: WDE5025
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 267
  • Ship Builder: MCDERMOTT SHIPYARD
  • Year Built: 1982
  • Length: 120.1
  • Hailing Port: PORTLAND, OR.
  • Hull Depth: 16.3
  • Hull Breadth: 34
  • Gross Tonnage: 199
  • Net Tonnage: 135
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    EL GALLO GRANDE, EILEEN M ROEHRIG, NORTH SEA, NORTH SEA
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Twenty Grand Offshore LLC, TUG EILEEN M ROEHRIG LLC, K-SEA OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP, K-SEA OPERATING LLC, KIRBY OFFSHORE MARINE OPERATING LLC