More powerful tugboats added to Brunswick fleet

Moran Towing Company has added a new tugboat to its fleet at the Port of Brunswick. The Shiney V. Moran joins the Diane Moran as the company’s two newest tugs supporting Brunswick ship operations.

In 2024, GPA’s Brunswick terminals handled 733 vessel calls, including 614 from Roll-on/Roll-off vessels, 89 breakbulk carriers and 30 bulk cargo ships. Vessel docking operations are conducted 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Brunswick.

“These more powerful tugboats help prepare Colonels Island to better accommodate the 10,000-vehicle vessels expected to serve the U.S. East Coast,” said Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch. “Moran’s growth complements our investments in vehicle storage, auto processing capability and a future fourth berth for Roll-on/Roll-off vessels.”

The two new tugs will aid the Port of Brunswick in handling larger ships while offering enhanced safety and efficiency for existing port operations. Both tugs feature 5,100-horsepower engines providing more than 60 metric tons of pull. The towing company also has the Ann Moran, a 3,000-horsepower tug, deployed in Brunswick.

“The arrival of these tugs marks a strategic step forward in our support of Brunswick’s continued growth,” said Joe Myatt, Moran general manager. “Their enhanced horsepower, firefighting capabilities, and escort functionalities will help us meet the needs of our growing port. These assets will directly contribute to safer, more efficient operations for the port and our partners.”

Bruce Fendig, president of the Brunswick Bar Pilots Association, also welcomed the addition of the Shiney V. Moran and the Diane Moran. “Our Brunswick tugboat operators are key partners in serving maritime trade,” Fendig said. “These new tugboats enhance the safety of maneuvering vessels through the harbor and berthing at the docks.”

Bar pilots board vessels calling the Port of Brunswick 10 nautical miles out at sea.Around the Sidney Lanier Bridge on the Brunswick River, two tugboats begin shadowing each incoming vessel. Transit from the bridge to the docks takes approximately one hour.

In 2024, the Port of Brunswick became the nation’s busiest gateway for autos and heavy equipment, handling more than 900,000 units of RoRo cargo. GPA recently completed $262 million in capacity upgrades in Brunswick, including new warehousing and vehicle processing space.