On Jan. 31, 2020, Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. launched the second of two 80’x38’x13’2″ 5,100-hp Z-drive tugs, the A. Thomas Higgins, for Bisso Offshore LLC, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son Inc. The RAL RApport 2400 ship handling tug design was provided by Robert Allan Ltd. Vancouver, British Columbia. The tug is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility. The C.D. White, the first vessel of the series, was delivered in January.
Main propulsion will come from two Caterpillar 35...