A First Tier Company

Norfolk Tug Company operates nine tugs working along the Gulf and East Coasts.  We have six model bow boats and three bay capable push boats.  Our vessels range in power from 1550BHP to 3000BHP and measure between 75' and 115' in length.   All have towing machinery and each of the model bows are well equipped for near coastal ocean work.  Our primary base of tug business exists in the Mid Atlantic.

Norfolk Tug Company pursues medium to long-term partnerships, working with a variety of barge-loaded bulk cargoes.  We provide tugs and barges for the safe movement of containers, fertilizer, coal, aggregate, petroleum, woodchips, steel, and dredge products, as well as "special project" transport work involving multiple barge and tug tows, and dredge tending and scow towing work and general assists work for marine based construction projects.  We offer local tug service in and around the dry docks and shipyards in Hampton Roads and maintain a strong general towing presence in the lower Chesapeake Bay.  We have a range of jumbo hopper barges, primiarly working in the woodchip and aggregate business in the lower Chesapeake Bay, and a variety of deck barges that work in many capacities.  The container barge NTC 35 operates on the James River as the "64Express" transporting containers (www.64express.com) between Hampton Roads and Richmond, Virginia.  

We are proud to be part of the American Waterways Operators (AWO) and believe the efforts of this important industry group, working in conjunction with the Coast Guard, will assist the tug and towing industry in becoming ever safer and more environmentally responsible.

Our tugs are well maintained and each has been rebuilt to top tier status.  The marine equipment here is subject to rigorous semi annually above and below the water line inspections and our newly repowered fleet has firmly scheduled and well documented overhauls and upgrades.  We've proudly built our Company around 1970’s and 1980’s vintage "steel" with a firm belief that quality built older tugs offer many advantages over new construction but if extensive upgrades, including new engines, generators, wiring and more are undertaken.   Each of our vessels has had its steel gauged for top tier integrity, engines replaced, shafts replaced with drip less packing added, generators replaced, and pipes thorughout inspected and renewed where necessary.  All the electronics are reviewed and upgraded bi annually.  

Since 2006, the year we started our re building program, we've made significant investment in new propulsion, new electrical power generation engines, improved visability via quality built high houses, and countless upgrades to shafts, wheels and more.   Six of our eight vessels have been re powered using top tier Caterpiller propulsion machinery and every tug received new tier II John Deere/Kohler power generators.  To further enhance our environmental policy, for the liner service that operates on the James River, we burn Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel fuel.  This expensive but important initiative leaves our vessels producing dramatically lower pollution.     

We are a bottom-up organization with a strong commitment to our employees.