TugEsperanza

Tug Esperanza

The Esperanza was built in 1985 and is 98 ft. long. It has two EMD 645 E V-12 Diesel engines each delivering 1500 horsepower to drive 4 bladed, 8 ft. diameter propellers through pneumatic clutches. Each propeller is in a Kort nozzle with 3 rudders behind and 2 flanking rudders ahead of the nozzle. The flanking rudders are used for directional control while backing. The maximum forward thrust is 86,000 lbs. while full reverse thrust is 62,000 lbs.

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	The Esperanza at the Gamboa pier while waiting for the next ship from Colon. At Gamboa, all large ships have a tug attached to the stern for emergency steerage before proceeding through the narrow Gaillard Cut. The tug then unties from the ship and helps to maneuver the ship into Pedro Miguel Locks.
	Captain Gerardo Flores, Senior Captain of the Esperanza. He has worked for 14 years on Panama Canal Tugs. The two sets of handles on the right are for the stern and flanking (forward of propellor) rudders. Next to them are the throttles for the twin engines. There is a second set of throttle and rudder controls just behind Captain Flores.
	Captain Fidel Cunningham has the 12AM - 8AM (Sunrise Shift) on the Esperanza. The Panama Canal tugs operate on a 24-hour basis and have 3 full crews assigned to them. The Computer screen to the right of Captain Cunningham can display the position of any vessel in the Canal. This information is broadcasted from a central station after receiving data from GPS transmitters carried by the pilots assigned to the ships.
	Chief Engineer Rowe in the engine room between the diesel driven generators (green colored). To his left is the port side main engine. On the Esperanza, there are two 1,500 HP Diesel main engines, two Diesel engines/generators, another Diesel engine for the fire pump, and a sixth Diesel engine for the hydraulic pump and motors used to turn the capstans.
	Chief Engineer Tomas Rowe (left) and Guy Pontifex on the stern of the Esperanza. Guy is on SV Rare Mettle, a sailboat we have been cruising with for several months. The 2 1/2 inch diameter Spectra line to the right of Guy is used to attach the tug to the ship being escorted. The Spectra line replaces 3 1/4 inch diameter polyesther line that was heavier and required additional crew to handle.
	*Bosun José Fadias on the stern of the Esperanza. The Esperanza* is operated by a crew of four persons on each shift.**
	Here I am standing along the top rail of the Esperanza while she is holding a Ro-Ro ship against the center wall of the Mira Flores Locks. Tugs hold ships against the wall after the electric locomotives, also called mules, have released their cables to the ship and it is waiting for clearance to proceed.
	A trainee at the helm of the Esperanza while transiting Lake Mira Flores. He is a third year cadet at the Mexican Maritime Academy in Vera Cruz. (Unfortunately, I misplaced his name and would appreciate anyone sending it to me).
	After leaving the Pedro Miguel Locks, all ships have a tug attached to the stern for emergency steerage through the narrow Gaillard Cut. Here the line handlers are dropping the line used to haul up the tug's hawsers.
	Our farewell view of the Esperanza as she is passing the end of the Gaillard Cut and nearing the Pedro Miguel Locks. She is still tied to the stern and dwarfed by a ship that is almost 965 ft. long and 106 ft. wide, the maximum length for "Panamax" ships. In the event the ship lost its engines, the tug would provide emergency steerage of the ship.

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