Tugboat Help In Turning A Ship

Today's ships are vastly larger than they have ever been throughout history. These huge ships can move forward and backward easily, but are usually unable to maneuver sideways. Some ships, have transverse bow thrusters which can assist the ship to move sideways, but even these advanced designs only allow limited side to side mobility, and many ships still require what is known as a "tug assist."

In a tug assist, one or two tugboats meet the larger ship while it is still outside the port. A common scenario has one tugboat behind the ship, attached to it by a line. This tugboat acts as a brake to slow down and stop the large ship. Another tugboat can be near the bow of the ship, at the port or starboard side, depending on which side the captain of the assisted ship wants to moor. This second tugboat is attached to the side of the ship by a line, allowing the tug to push or pull the boat in the desired direction.