What is the possible identity of the Moran tug below? We really don’t know.
The source is Xtian Herrou, a regular tugster reader and commenter. He writes: “Seen yesterday during a local model expo at Crozon in Brittany, France. The tug is very small (scale 1/400) and there is not really a name, just white tag. For details about the SS Brasil (1957), you can read the panel on picture 6326
Personally, I’m thrilled that a model maker in France does a Moran tug.
And a question from a reader, Mike Hatami, who did not take the photo. Mike provided follow-up on the repurposing of NYC DEP vessel Newtown Creek two years ago here.
What is this vessel? Is it a USN vessel?
A possible answer is found here. “We use these specifically in San Diego. I don’t know where this picture was taken, but we have a least a couple of these things tied to the pier right across from all the submarines. This exact type of tug. I don’t know how you guys do it in Norfolk, and hopefully I’ll never find out.” And
“It’s a security tug. Those protective barriers surrounding the water portion of the navy base don’t move themselves. It’s the equivalent of opening the gate for cattle to go in and out. Unlock it, unlatch it, swing it open, and close it when the ship has passed. Source: Submariner.”
Is this true? Is this really a USN commissioned vessel?
Thanks for reading and contributing, Xtian and Mike.
tugster: a waterblog 
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April 27, 2018 at 11:49 am
Tony acabono
A vessel like that is considered support craft. It would not be commissioned like a navy ship or coast guard cutter.
The sailors that operate them are usually craftmasters which carries its own badge
April 27, 2018 at 12:52 pm
tugster
TRANSCRIBED COMMENT from an email: “Saw your post this morning with the model of the Moran tug. Apart from a few minor inconsistencies, which may just be hard to model in that scale, the tug very closely resembles a WWII-era Army 86-ft ST tug. I can’t confirm how many of those Moran had in its fleet over the years, but one candidate is the GAY MORAN, operated by Moran from 1955 to 1961, and originally the Army’s ST-523.
http://tugboatinformation.com/tug.cfm?id=6215
A fairly clear picture of a preserved example of the class, for comparison, can be seen here:
http://www.hnsa.org/hnsa-ships/diesel-tug-vernicos-irini-ex-usat-755/
Diesel Tug VERNICOS IRINI (Ex-USAT-755) | Historic Naval …
http://www.hnsa.org
Class: ST Army Tug Launched: 1944 At: Continental Shipbuilding, Brooklyn, NY Length: 86 feet Beam: 24 feet Draft: 11 feet Gross Tonnage: 141.3 tons Engine: 650 hp Clark diesel Address: …
As for the Navy vessel, it would be considered a Navy small craft, which would be identified by an alphanumeric identifier of the format [length][type][serial] (eg 50UB1234 for a 50-ft utility boat). The boat is based off what would be called a “log bronc” on the west coast, small tugs used to wrangle stray logs and tow rafts at log storage sites. A Google image serach of the term will produce a plethora of pictures of the tugs, along with several varieties of their Navy emulations.”
April 27, 2018 at 2:02 pm
eastriver
Love the modeled “efficiency haze” emitting from the tug’s stack.
April 27, 2018 at 9:38 pm
JED
NOT a commissioned vessel. Service craft. Once known as Booming Beaverz, they are lugger tugs or log broncs, used for corraling floating timber in the PNW. They are used extensively in the Navy for the movement of anti-swimmer barriers.
April 28, 2018 at 10:15 am
William Lafferty
Moran had two STs like this, the Elizabeth Moran (ST 778) and the Gay Moran (ST 243). I recognized the model of the Brasil immediately. I received that kit on Christmas Day, 1960, but the model shown seems to have received very well done modifications, not the least of which are the railings.
April 28, 2018 at 12:03 pm
George Schneider
I’m very sure that GAY MORAN (ex ST 523) was the only 86-foot ST owned by Moran, or at least with a Moran name, and that certainly is what was represented in that model, although with some artistic license. I don’t believe it was the former ST 779, which was a DPC style tug, same length, but different bridge.
The Navy has quite a variety of the different boom boat designs. Your photo represents the smallest of them, the 19-footers. I have a photo of one that is officially designated 19BB0212, but has the local designation BB4. They adopt some of the jargon from their origins as log broncs and call them “Beaver Boats” to differentiate them from the other boats designed to transport or place the light oil pollution booms.
This class was built by Chuck’s Boat and Drive Company (“C-Bad”) of Longview, WA, who also built 25-foot version for the Navy. I imagine you’d find them at just about any station where the Navy ties up their ships. At least 12 of the 19-footers and at least 22 of the 25-footers have been built for the Navy, as well as other designs that begin to look more like conventional pushboats as they grow in size.