Luling, LA— Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. is pleased to announce the delivery of our newest ship-
assist tug, the 6,008 BHP ASD Tractor Tug ‘Capt. Joseph Bisso’. The Capt. Joseph Bisso is the fifth
ASD Tractor Tug built in the past seven years by Main Iron Works, LLC, Houma, LA for Bisso.
The 100’ x 38’ x 13.5’ Capt. Joseph Bisso is powered by (2) Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4F main
engines, generating 3004 BHP each at 1800 RPM, which drive 2 Schottel SRP 460 FP Z-Drives.
The Z-Drives feature 2500MM diameter four-blade stainless steel propellers in stainless steel
nozzles. Estimated Bollard Pull is 75 Tons.
Electrical service is provided by (2) 118 Kw Caterpillar generators powered by (2) Caterpillar
C4.4 engines. The tug is equipped with a JonRie Series 240 Escort Winch featuring 500’ of 3”
diameter Saturn 12 line with 749,000# of breaking strength.
Other features include USCG-approved engine room monitoring and fire/smoke alarm systems,
fixed CO2 fire extinguishing system, Simrad navigation/electronics, soundproof insulation
throughout engine room/crew quarters, stainless steel bitts and bow staple and four bunk
rooms with seven berths.
Tankage includes capacities for 30,162 gallons diesel, 11,000 gallons potable water, 1,825
gallons each of lube and hydraulic oil and 2,000 gallons of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).
The Capt. Joseph Bisso will have a crew complement of four and carries an ABS International
Loadline in addition to being built to Subchapter M certification and receiving a USCG COI.
The Capt. Joseph Bisso brings the total number of tugs in the Bisso fleet to twelve, all of which
were built by Main Iron Works. Bisso continues their technology leadership of the Mississippi
River ship-assist trade with the largest fleet of ASD Tractor Tugs on the Mississippi River, with
nine, and the youngest fleet of tugs, with an average age of 13 years across the fleet.