Towage
Towage is the service of using tugs to move or assist a vessel. Harbour towage assists ships to berth, unberth and manoeuvre in confined port waters, working with the pilot. Ocean or deep-sea towage is the long-distance towing of a ship, barge, rig or other floating structure that cannot proceed under its own power.
Towage is provided under standard contract terms and is a distinct charge in the port disbursement account. The capability of a tug for the job is measured by its bollard pull — the towing force it can exert — matched to the size of the ship and the conditions.
Most large ships cannot berth safely in a modern port without tug assistance, so towage is a mandatory port service and a real cost line in every port call. For casualties and dead-ship moves, ocean towage is what gets a stricken or unpowered vessel to safety or to the yard.
What is the difference between harbour and ocean towage?
Harbour towage assists a ship to berth and manoeuvre within the port; ocean towage tows a ship or floating object over long distances at sea, often under a separate towage contract.