When you deliver the full power of the engines through three props, instead of two, you are able to use smaller wheels and therefore your tug will have less draft aft if operating in shallow water.

@ andreacs
ok,,thx info,, that,s make sense now,, more safety
seldom that a company opts for that

Following excerpt from Professional Mariner website...
"Cenac has long had preference for triple-screw propulsion for vessels that handle oil barge. About 75 percent of our fleet operating with triple screws. Mostly for reasons of redundancy and safety. We want to be always able to have our tugs maneuver as effectively as possible snd this way even if they lose an engine we'll still have a fully functional tug boat". This from following web site....
www.professionalmariner.com

Hi Captain Ted. Nice and very interesting photo.
MBregards.
ventuari

@ David
sure,,but if that is the criteria then all of such tugs should have that,, must be more then that.

Suspect it gives excellent flexibility for different towing conditions from full barge train against the stream to running light against it. Options for one, two or three engines.

@ Harold
But the Scott and Capt Billy Slatten are bigger than this one,,or ?
Three screws is of course a lot for such a tug,,any special reason why designed with three ?

She's a triple screw tug. There a few more around New Orleans and the Gulf. Two more in New Orleans that come to mind at the moment are SCOTT T. SLATTEN http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1120338, and CAPT. BILLY SLATTEN http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1996103. These two are owned by the Bisso Towboat Co. http://www.bissotowing.com/

Captain Ted, Three stacks make this an unusual tug; thanks for posting. Bill