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On The Cover Harriet Moran Docking Schippersgracht North Locust Point Marine Terminal, Port of Baltimore 
Paper imports from Finland at the Port of Baltimore have been a significant activity as far back as the 1970s. In
January, 2001 this import increased dramatically with two additional Finnish companies declaring Baltimore as their
principal destination for high grade magazine quality paper.Among the shipping companies that bring this paper to ports in the United States is Spliethoff Bevrachtingskanoor, B.V. of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. During the year 2000 the Spliethoff fleet grew to over 30 ships with the introduction of their ten newest and largest. The new "S" class ships. In June, 2000 the first of these new ships, the Schippersgracht, made her first call at the Port of Baltimore. Moran Towing of Maryland provided tugboat support docking her at Pier 5 at the North Locust Point Marine Terminal where she was unloaded by Balterm, the terminal operator. The MORAN tugboats Harriet Moran and Cape Romain are docking the Schippersgracht stern first so that the side ports on the starboard side can be fully utilized. Harriet Moran worked the stern with Cape Romain, barely visible in this scene, working the bow. The 93 foot Harriet Moran (o/n 0588553) was built for Moran in 1977 in Oyster Bay, NY. She was a single screw tug rated at 2360 hp. In 1996 she was converted to a Mortrac® design and provided with a 600 hp 360 degree rotating retractable bow thruster increasing he total hp to 3005. This change greatly enhanced her performance enabling her to move and maneuver in any direction, turning her own length, and provide power for ship assistance with either the bow or the stern as required. In addition to the power enhancement, the Mortrac® conversion also included major changes in her deck arrangement and pilot house location. The 99 foot 3300 hp Cape Romain (o/n 0611686), built in Amelia, Louisiana in 1973 is one of the largest that has been operated by Moran in Baltimore. The Cape Romain is a traditional design modern twin screw tugboat that has worked this harbor for many years under both the Curtis Bay Towing Company and Moran colors. ABOUT THE ARTIST John C. Ritter, of Columbia, MD, is a maritime artist who focuses on workboat and maritime scenes of Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast. He has a special interest in working harbor scenes, especially tugboats. He is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists and a member of the Tugboat Enthusiasts Society. He works principally in watercolor (as in this scene) or pen and ink, often combining the two. His interest in harbor and tugboat scenes was largely influenced by his admiration of the Moran tugboat paintings of Carl Evers whose work has appeared on many covers of Tow Line. |
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