Thank you Daniel and Mac, your inputs are greatly appreciated.

Excellent Christian.
It is easier to pick up and let go a tow if they are bow to stern like this. Often when towing a barge "on the hip", the barge is stern first. Let it go and it will fall into line astern.
Of course built up ice might make that more dificult!

Very good comment you make about the wheelhouses prevented from coming toghether when towing this way. Also,I suppose the idle tug lean inward because the moment of forces from the hawsers are opposed to the torque created by forces of resistance of the hull below the water.

Bonjour Daniel, en effet, strange but clever...
I am curious ?
My experience serving on YAGs, taught me that steaming abreast makes the pulled (idle) vessel lean inwards. Thus,i guess, but not sure, to prevent their upper wheelhouse to collide, bow to stern abreast towing is the solution. Is it the case ?

Strange but clever way to deliver two tugs to new owners while using one crew. Looks like they had icy fun travelling in the Gulf.