There’s nothing new that I know about Twin Tube, but she cuts a unique image as she works year round. She came off the ways in 1951, and just moves along doing essential and almost invisible work. Here’s a post I did on her four years ago telling about her previous incarnations. Here are many others with photos, with or without (as here) her boom.
What’s interesting to me is that the port of Philadelphia has (I’m not sure it’s still there.) a similar Blount-built vessel called Sailor, launched in 1977. It appears to have the same basic plan but with the orientation reversed, as you can see here.
Here’s something to research: Sailor had previously been El Paso Sailor. Where did it work in that iteration? Surely, it didn’t work here.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
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January 30, 2019 at 12:14 pm
ws
Will, Good Sharp Eyed Ship Spotting!
Twin Tube is one of a very few surface ships that have no AIS transponder..
Tug Kenny G is another surface ship with no AIS transponder..
Then there is Norwegian frigate F313:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HNoMS_Helge_Ingstad_(F313)
January 30, 2019 at 12:18 pm
tugster
Twin Tube is a stealth operator in the boro..
January 30, 2019 at 1:36 pm
William Lafferty
The Sailor has had its documentation renewed well into this year, still owned by Marine Lubricants. Inc. Actually, the El Paso Sailor worked “here,” or at least on Chesapeake Bay. It was originally owned by El Paso Algeria Corporation, formed in the 1970s to import Algerian LNG to a terminal at Cove Point, Maryland. Built as a supply boat, it had a slightly larger Blount-built sister, a tug, the El Paso Mariner, more familiar to you as your local Little Toot. Both vessels served LNG carriers coming into Cove Point.
January 30, 2019 at 2:56 pm
tugster
El Paso Algeria . . . at least part of that name is logical!
January 30, 2019 at 2:19 pm
William Hyman
Perhaps Sailor didn’t work in El Paso, but there is Tugboat Fish and Chips there. http://www.tugboatfishandchipselp.com/
January 30, 2019 at 2:55 pm
tugster
I love the Tugboat Fish and Chips there!!