Tugs born and bred on River Clyde

By Bruce Biddulph
Clydeside enthusiast

The Clyde is arguably the birthplace of the tug. In 1817, John Wood, of Port Glasgow, built the 74ft vessel called TUG for the Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leith Shipping Co.

Tugs at work on their birthplace, the River Clyde

The local press described her as "being built for dragging vessels", so we can safely deduce tug replaced drag as a description of this activity.

The Clyde then grew into a monstrous seaport area and tugs were very much required, especially in the early days when sailing ships needed to be dragged or tugged up the river.

One of the earliest of towage companies was the Clyde Shipping Company.

This company operated tugs on the Clyde from the early 1800's until their demise as a towage operator in 1996 when the fleet was taken over completely by Cory Towage.

The Flying Phantom was the last vessel built on the Clyde for Clyde Shipping Co in 1981 and the last Clyde-built tug for service on the Clyde.

Clyde Shipping Company competed, often fiercely, with their main rivals Steel & Bennie for the towage trade on the Clyde from the 1860's.

This company was taken over by Cory Towage in 1971.

Launch days

The two firms built up sizeable fleets and many older Clydeside people will remember them docked at Greenock and in Glasgow, or jostling around the big ships they escorted.

Steel & Bennie tugs were distinctive by their black and white funnels, whilst the Clyde Shipping Company's striking livery was drawn from the days of sail, with mock gun ports painted on the sides.

Towing vessels is an occupation that many take for granted, but the job is often dangerous and filled with potential hazards

There are still two Clyde tug operators one being Svitzer, who took over from Wijsmuller who in turn had taken over from Cory Towage and the other is Clyde Marine Services of Greenock, who operate smaller, but powerful, harbour tugs.

Both companies' tugs can often be seen working in tandem with vessels heading up the river to Glasgow and Clydebank's docks.

Although modern ships are fitted with such enhancements as bow thrusters to help them dock themselves, the Clyde tugs are still required for a variety of purposes these days.

Large cargo vessels for Shieldhall with a variety of bulk and project cargoes and for Rothesay Dock in Clydebank with aviation fuel, quarried rock and road salt depend on the skill and expertise of the local tugman.

The shipyards too, of course, need the tugs on launch days.

Further down the Clyde, the tugs escort and assist giant oil tankers to Finnart, and to fulfil regulations one must be a stand-by firetug. Heading down the Firth still further, three or four tugs are very often required to assist with the berthing of enormous bulk carriers with coal at Hunterston which call on a regular basis.

Towing vessels is an occupation that many take for granted, but the job is often dangerous and filled with potential hazards.

That accidents have been few and far between on the Clyde is testament to the skills and knowledge of the crews of these hard-working vessels.