Over the weekend, the Great Lakes Towing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, christened its newest tug, the Minnesota, while also celebrating 125 years in business. A LinkedIn post from the company highlighted the significance of the event and those in attendance.
“We were honored to have Natalie Ronayne, Chief Development Officer for the Cleveland Metroparks, as the sponsor for Tug Minnesota. Our fireboat CHIEF, previously known as Anthony J. Celenrezze, made a special appearance,” the social media post said.
Built in 2023 by the Great Lakes Shipyard, the Minnesota (hull #: GLS6508) is the eighth delivery in the 10-boat Cleveland class, constructed for the Great Lakes Towing Company. All tugs in the Cleveland class are based on the Damen Shipyards Group's Stan Tug 1907 ICE design, which includes enhancements such as extra hull plate thickness, brackets, and fendering. These modifications are intended to enhance safe operations during the ice season in the Great Lakes.
The 63.5’x24.2’x11.1’ Minnesota is powered by two Tier III compliant MTU 8V 4000 diesel engines, coupled with Twin Disc MGX-5321 reduction gears at a ratio of 5.46:1. The propulsion system features two 71-inch Kaplan, three-bladed, fixed-pitch propellers mounted in Kort nozzles, giving the tug a twin screw configuration with a total output of 2,000 hp. Electrical service is provided by two 99kW Kohler generator sets.
The tug's capacities include 7,000 gallons of fuel, 290 gallons of lube oil, and 1,205 gallons of water. For towing operations, the Minnesota is equipped with a DMT Marine CE-30KN capstan on the stern. The vessel’s hailing port is Wilmington, Delaware.
