Tugboat designed to be equipped with Tier III engines

The vessel - measuring appr 36m in length - is one of the first to be powered by Tier III CAT C175 engines, which have lower emissions than Tier II models, making it a more environmentally friendly option. Construction on the vessel is underway at Diversified Marine, Inc., in Portland, Ore., and is expected to be completed in 2012.
 
The tug, which will be home ported in Seattle, will have a crew capacity of 13. The vessel is the fourth in a series of these tugboats designed by Jensen. The first three were designed and built for Western Towboat in Seattle.
 
Once construction is complete on the "Bob Franco", it will be used to assist barges delivering supplies to rural communities in Alaska. As such, the tugboat was designed with highly capable Z-Drives, which offer increased maneuverability when working with vessels in the many narrow channels and fast tides of Alaska. Additionally, the tug is designed to more easily move alongside barges to help them dock safely in nearly any condition.