Galveston / Texas / United States
Harbor and Coastwise TowingThe Bay-Houston Towing Co has been involved in ships and boats in Texas waters since Capt. W. D. Haden joined the schooner MERMAID as cabin boy in 1875. The redoubtable Capt. Haden would later purchase the MERMAID and sail as Master. The schooner carried building supplies from Galveston to Cedar Bayou, Texas. Capt. Haden began using a mule team to tow his vessel ( and others ) up Cedar Bayou, his first foray into towing.In the early 1890s Capt. Haden acquired his first steam tug, the ROSEMOND, which he used to transport reef shell on Galveston Bay. When the Houston Ship Channel opened in 1914, Bay Towing Co was there to provide tugs. In 1925, Capt. Haden purchased the Buffalo Bayou-Dan Ryan Towing Co, and renamed it Houston Towing Co When the port of Corpus Christi opened in 1926, Bay Towing Company provided the first tugs. In 1948, Capt. Hadens son, C.R. Haden merged the two companies into the present Bay-Houston Towing Co The same family has owned the company for over a century, with the fifth generation now working on the tugboats.From these humble roots has emerged one of the pre-eminent towboat companies in the United States. Our fleet is the youngest on the East and Gulf Coasts of the U. S, and is among the most modern in the world. The fleet available to Bay Houston is the fourth largest harbor tug fleet in the United States.In anticipation of increased traffic in the ports we serve, Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Freeport, and Corpus Christi, Bay-Houston Towing Co began a building program focused on the innovative Z-Tech design from renowned designer Robert Allan. Our first 6, 300 hp Z-Tech, the WESLEY A joined the fleet in 2007, and two others, the LEXIE M and HUNTER M were added in 2008.Bay-Houston Towing Co is dedicated to safety and quality. We are members of the American Waterways Operators, and are certified in the Responsible Carrier Program. Our fleet has been certified in the International Safety Management system ( ISM ) by ABS. We have invested heavily in technology, both on board the tugs and ashore. For instance, our tug tracking program is among the most innovative in the industry.Today, Bay Houston Towing Co is investing many millions of dollars in the future. We have been here for the last 120+ years and we are planning for our next century of extraordinary service to our customers.Bay Houston takes delivery of the HUNTER M and LEXIE M. The christening of both the LEXIE M and the HUNTER M was held on October 3, 2009.Roy Wick shows American Tug Review the WESLEY As Cat 3516C engines with Schottel z-drives.
