Cook Inlet Tug & Barge Adds Powerful Vessel to Fleet
The 79-foot harbor tug is homeported in Anchorage.
J. Gomes
Dr. Hank Kaplan is a prominent oncologist in Seattle. Not to be confused with Dr Hank Kaplan, the newest vessel in the Cook Inlet Tug & Barge fleet.
The Doctor Is In
The 79-foot harbor tug was built in 2017 and named for the chief of medical oncology at Swedish Cancer Institute. Cook Inlet Tug & Barge recently acquired Dr Hank Kaplan, and the vessel entered service in Alaska in June, homeported in Anchorage.
Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the RAmparts-2400 series tugboat has 5,350 horsepower and was the first built in North America with Caterpillar integrated propulsion systems, featuring CAT engines and z-drives, or 360-degree steerable thrusters that eliminate the need for rudders. CAT also supplied electrical generators.
“This tug is built well, extremely powerful, and complements the incredibly capable tugs we have in our fleet. It will help us grow our business while meeting our expanding customer needs,” says Mike O’Shea, vice president of business development and planning at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge.
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January 2026
Prior to the addition of Dr Hank Kaplan, the company’s most powerful tug was Bering Wind, with 5,080 rated horsepower and z-drives from Rolls Royce.
Outside of the all-Caterpillar engine room, Dr Hank Kaplan’s deck equipment consists of a Markey DEPC-48 towing winch, mounted on the bow, and a Markey DEPC-32A towing winch, mounted on the stern.
Captain Mark Theriault, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge director of operations, says he is excited to see Dr Hank Kaplan join the fleet. “The tug packs 30,000 gallons of fuel, 2,800 gallons of fresh water, and 370 gallons of lube oil,” he says, which “not only opens up our operating window, but it is also just what our customers have been asking for.”
Cook Inlet Tug and Barge President Jeff Johnson adds, “This vessel brings additional capability to the Cook Inlet region while further supporting Alaska’s economy.”
Dr Hank Kaplan is the sixth vessel in the company’s Cook Inlet and Harbor fleet. Cook Inlet Tug & Barge also operates two vessels in its Ocean and Coastal fleet and five in its North Slope and Prudhoe Bay fleet.
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