Propulsion/maneuverability class (conventional vs. tractor/ASD)
Bollard pull/capability (standard vs. high-bollard escort assets)
Service category (routine assist vs. escort vs. emergency “rig rate”)
Time rules (minimum hours, increments, standby/detention)
What follows is a practical, operator-facing breakdown of typical hourly rates by tug type, anchored in published rate schedules across multiple ports.
1) Conventional Harbor Tugs (Conventional Twin-Screw or Standard Harbor Assist)
What “conventional” typically means
Conventional harbor tugs are the workhorses for routine docking/undocking, shifting, and short harbor moves. They generally have lower maneuverability than tractor/ASD designs and typically price below those classes when tariffs explicitly separate types.
Typical hourly rate range (per tug)
Across published tariffs, conventional tug hourly rates commonly land in the mid-three figures to the high-$1,000s per hour, depending heavily on port size and cost structure.
Published examples
Port Canaveral (Florida) shows $1,350 per hour per tug for hourly work (with minimums and incremental billing).
A Houston-area tariff (Suderman & Young) lists routine tug services at $1,893 per hour (nearest half hour) after an included free-time period.
Bay Houston Tariff (May 2024) explicitly lists $1,893 as the hourly rate for conventional tugs.
Port of Grays Harbor (Washington) lists $475 per hour per conventional tug for ship-assist services beyond included time (a useful example of a smaller-market tariff).
Why the spread is so wide
Conventional tug hourly rates move materially based on:
local labor and operating costs
congestion and required response time
minimum-hour rules and billing increments (5 minutes vs. 30 minutes changes the effective cost)
2) Tractor Tugs (ASD/Tractor/VSP in “High-Maneuverability” Service)
What “tractor” means in tariffs
In many tariffs, “tractor tug” is used as a pricing proxy for high-maneuverability ship-assist assets (which may be Voith tractor tugs or azimuthing designs used in tractor-like roles). The consistent commercial reality is that tractor-class assets price above conventional because they deliver more control and can reduce operational risk in tight quarters.
Typical hourly rate range (per tug)
Across published schedules that separate tractor vs. conventional, tractor tug hourly rates commonly fall in the ~$950–$2,600 per hour band per tug, with higher rates in major ports.
Published examples
Moran (Philadelphia) states that additional services are $1,705 per hour per tug, but if a tractor tug is requested or required the applicable rate becomes $2,557 per hour.
Suderman & Young’s Houston-area tariff references tractor tugs at $2,519 per hour in certain contexts (e.g., “Freeport” additional tugs).
Bay Houston Tariff (May 2024) lists $2,519 per hour for tractor tugs (with a bollard pull qualifier).
Port of Grays Harbor lists $950 per hour per tug for ship assist services provided by a tractor tug (again reflecting a smaller-market rate structure).
What you are really paying for
Tariffs typically price “tractor” above “conventional” because tractor-class assets:
deliver higher effective thrust vectoring and control
reduce risk in wind/current or tight berth geometry
can often achieve the same outcome with fewer “tries” (less time exposed to incident risk)
3) Escort-Capable / High-Performance Ship Assist Tugs (Premium Hourly Pricing)
What this category is
These are tugs hired for escort and higher-risk shiphandling roles (often tanker escort, constrained waterways, or terminals with stringent matrices). Pricing is commonly premium because the tug is not merely assisting at the berth—it is part of a risk-control system.
Typical hourly rate range (per tug)
In major port complexes, published escort rates often land in the ~$2,500–$3,300+ per hour per tug range, sometimes with minimums and fuel surcharges.
Published example
Crowley’s Los Angeles/Long Beach ship assist and escort rate sheet lists Escort Rates per Tug for Vessels Under Power at $3,243 per hour per tug with a one-hour minimum.
Practical interpretation
This “escort premium” is usually driven by:
higher bollard pull and escort performance requirements
specialized winches/towpoints and procedures
higher readiness expectations (dispatch priority, redundancy, crew experience)
4) High Bollard Pull Tugs (Surcharged Capability in Some Tariffs)
How tariffs handle high bollard pull
Some operators do not list a separate “high bollard pull hourly rate.” Instead they apply a multiplier or surchargewhen a tug meeting a defined bollard pull threshold is specifically requested or required.
Published example
McAllister (Baltimore tariff, 2025) states that if a high bollard pull tug (≥75 metric tons) is requested or required, a surcharge of two times any applicable rate(s) per tug applies.
What this means commercially
If your baseline harbor tug rate is, for example, $1,700–$2,000/hr in a given port, a “2x” rule turns that into a $3,400–$4,000/hr-equivalent outcome for the high-bollard asset—before fuel surcharges or premiums. The key point is that capability often prices as a multiplier rather than a totally separate tariff line.
5) Emergency / Dead-Ship / Aground Work (“Rig Rate” Hourly)
What this category includes
Emergency towing and incident response work typically triggers a higher rate class because:
the job risk is higher
the tug may be operating outside normal assist patterns
exposure to liability and equipment strain increases
Typical hourly rate range (per tug)
Published tariffs frequently show emergency/rig rates in the ~$2,800–$3,300+ per hour range per tug in certain markets.
Published example
Suderman & Young’s tariff lists $3,265 per hour for “pulling a vessel aground and for dead ship moves,” and also lists a harbor rig rate at $3,265 per hour.
Why emergency pricing is structured this way
Emergency work also tends to be paired with:
minimum-hour rules
rapid dispatch expectations
“unusual conditions” provisions that allow additional pricing if conditions exceed normal assumptions
6) Standby / Detention Hourly (Often Charged the Same as the Tug’s Hourly Rate)
A common point of confusion is that “standby” is not cheap. Many schedules treat standby/detention as fully billable tug time once free-time allowances are exceeded.
Published examples
Moran’s Miami schedule of rates charges waiting time/delay beyond included time at $2,175 per tug per hour, pro-rated.
Port Canaveral schedule notes that standby is charged at the tug’s hourly rate (with minimums), and lists the hourly rate at $1,350 per hour.
Operationally, this is why vessel readiness (lines, pilots, berth availability) directly impacts tug invoices.
7) A practical “rate by tug type” snapshot
Below is a consolidated view of published hourly numbers (each is “per tug” unless noted). Treat this as market examples, not universal pricing:
Conventional harbor tug: ~$475/hr (small port) to ~$1,893/hr (large/industrial port examples)
Tractor tug: ~$950/hr (small port) to ~$2,557/hr (major port example)
Escort tug (premium escort rate): ~$3,243/hr in a major West Coast complex example
Emergency/dead ship (“rig rate”): ~$3,265/hr example
High bollard pull surcharge: up to 2x applicable base rates in at least one published tariff
8) The key takeaway: “tug type” is really shorthand for capability and risk
If you want the most accurate framing for readers, it is this:
Conventional tugs generally sit at the base hourly tier.
Tractor/ASD tugs price higher because maneuverability and control reduce risk.
Escort-capable and high-bollard assets price at a premium or via multipliers because they are safety-critical.
Emergency work typically triggers a separate “rig rate” tier.
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