Crowley Tug Repowers Boost Maritime Readiness in America’s Busiest Ports

By VOICES Staff.

Two of the hardest-working tugboats on the West Coast are back in action—smarter, cleaner, and more powerful than ever.

Crowley has completed full repowers of the Master and Leader, its ship assist and escort tugs serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. These modernizations are helping ensure the ports — America’s two busiest container gateways — receive the superior harbor support they need to keep cargo flowing efficiently and safely.

In 2024, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled over 10 million and 9.7 million TEUs, respectively, setting new volume records. Together, this port complex moves roughly one-third of all U.S. container imports. In addition to being economic powerhouses, these ports are also designated as critical national security infrastructure under Coast Guard and Homeland Security oversight.

“The repowering of the Master and Leader reflects our commitment to maritime readiness, environmental responsibility and workforce investment,” said Bannon Crowley, general manager of Crowley’s ship assist and escort services, in a statement to American Maritime VOICES.

Crowley’s decision to repower rather than replace the tugs is a forward-looking investment in both equipment and workforce. The upgrades included new EPA Tier 4-compliant engines that significantly reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions while improving vessel performance, reliability, and fuel efficiency.

As California continues to debate and implement stricter environmental standards for harbor craft and ocean-going vessels, Crowley’s proactive modernization ensures compliance while maintaining operational readiness.

Instead of retiring these proven hulls, Crowley extended their service lives with cutting-edge systems that meet today’s regulatory demands. The result is cleaner, more capable vessels that help reduce downtime, protect air quality, and provide safe, dependable tools for U.S. tug crews.

 “These upgrades extend the life of proven assets while investing in the people and infrastructure driving America’s busiest ports,” said Bannon. “It’s a strategic step that enhances long-term reliability and reinforces our role in supporting a resilient U.S. supply chain.”

Projects like this also strengthen the domestic maritime industrial base. From engineers and mechanics to welders, suppliers, and compliance experts, these repowers activate every link in the U.S. maritime supply chain. That’s the kind of long-term investment the Jones Act makes possible—by ensuring these vessels are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed, the law helps keep critical work and expertise at home.

In revitalizing the Master and Leader, Crowley isn’t just updating two vessels; it’s reinforcing the people, policies and infrastructure that keep America’s ports moving.