The Air Force tugboat sits on the beach near Thule AB, Greenland.
By Steve Brady, 21st Space Wing Public Affairs Office / Published September 30, 2013
The "Rising Star," Thule's harbor tugboat, was built by Swiftships in Morgan City, La., and delivered in 1991. The 71-foot tugboat is powered by two Detroit diesel two-stroke V-16 engines, each producing 900 water-churning horsepower.
Each summer, when the port is not frozen, Thule stages its annual resupply mission for fuel and other necessities needed for the long and brutal winter. During resupply, the tugboat obediently motors into North Star Bay to align massive cargo ships to the pier, push fuel tankers into position, and guide the fuel hoses to transfer the essential fuel to the base. It is also used to push icebergs away from the pier to prevent damage in the ice-cold 41 degree water. More