Several years ago, I read an article written by someone who had spent a day on a Panama Canal tug. I enjoyed the article not only from a boating perpective but also from my own background as an engineer. Ever since, I had hoped to be able to catch a ride on a tug during our planned trip to Panama. Guy Pontifex, aboard the S.V. Rare Mettle, a sailboat that had been cruising with us, also expressed a desire to ride on a tug. So as soon as we arrived at the Pedro Miguel Boat Club, I started to inquired how to do that. Initial reports were not favorable, but my German heritage would not give up. Finally, I was put in contact with Captain Carlos Mata, who is in charge of the Southern Division of Tug Operations for the ACP (Autoridad del Canal de Panama).

Captain Mata indicated that such a trip was possible and arranged for us to spend a day on a tug. On the appointed day, we arrived at 8AM at his office in Diablo where we met Captain Gerardo Flores, Senior Captain of the tug Esperanza. He was going to be our host for the trip. We were then driven by van to the Miraflores Locks and boarded a crewboat that took us to the Esperanza. The Canal tugs operate round-the-clock and generally only come back to their docks for maintenance and fueling. They have 3 captains and crews assigned to be able to operate in that manner. That day, the Esperanza was in Lake Miraflores preparing to escort ships from Miraflores Locks to the Pedro Miguel Locks and then through the Gaillard Cut.

On board the Esperanza, we immediately headed for the bridge to watch Captain Flores handle this powerful machine. The helm did not have a large steering wheel but levers to control three rudders aft of each Kort nozzle propeller and two flanking rudders forward of each Kort nozzle. The flanking rudders are used for better control while backing.

The power of the tug quickly became evident. The pilot onboard the ship issued a request and the tug shuddered as Captain Flores applied full power to move a ship many times the size of the Esperanza. Then the pilot issued a radio request for the tug to change position and hold the ship against the lock wall. Captain Flores sounded a toot on the ship's whistle, spun the Esperanza around with a deft motion of his rudder and throttle controls, and held the ship tightly against the concrete lock walls.

That power and agility came from the engine room under the watchful eye of Chief Engineer Tomas Rowe. He showed us with pride the dual 1,500 HP main engines, as well as four additional engines for generators, hydraulic pumps, and fire-fighting pumps. It made for a very warm environment, but he kept them all in top operating condition.

Back on the bridge, we watched as the Esperanza followed an orange colored Ro-Ro (Roll-On/Roll-Off Car Carrier) through the Pedro Miguel Locks and then wait for a large container ship. The Esperanza was to be secured to the ship's stern during transit through the Gaillard Cut. All large ships are required to have a tug escort through the Cut to control the ship in the event that it loses power. The channel through the Gaillard Cut is narrow and a large ship could easily block the channel and close the Panama Canal in an accident.

Securing the Esperanza to the container ship was done with few commands from Captain Flores to his crew. He just brought up the Esperanza behind the moving ship and the crew attached the tug's hawselines to the messenger lines dropped from the ship. After the ship's linehandlers had pulled up and attached the eye of the hawsers to the ship's cleats, the Esperanza's bowman picked up the slack line and cleated it off on the forward bollard. It all seemed to be a very routine and well rehearsed maneuver by the Esperanza crew. We then drafted behind the container ship as the convoy proceeded through Gaillard Cut.

Tugs stay with the ships until Gamboa where the channel widens and there is no danger that a drifting ship could ground and close the Canal. Our wait at Gamboa lasted for about an hour before the arrival of the next ship assigned to the Esperanza. It too was a container ship, only this one was headed south towards the Pacific. The Esperanza once again came up behind a moving ship, attached its lines, and the convoy proceeded through Gaillard Cut towards the Pedro Miguel Locks.

It was 5PM by the time we passed through Gaillard Cut and were met by a crewboat bringing the evening shift to the Esperanza. After shift change formalities, Captain Flores and his shift crew, as well as Guy and I, boarded the crewboat for Paraiso, a landing one-half mile north of the Pedro Miguel Locks. There we were met by a van to take us back to our starting point that morning.

Guy and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip that day. Captain Flores and his crew made us feel welcome and educated us not only about the Esperanza but also about the Panama Canal. They are a professional and dedicated team enjoying their work. We sincerely thank them and Captain Mata for allowing us to spend a great day on a Panama Canal tug.

Muchas Gracias Amigos!

 

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