Glen class tug (1975)
Glendale and Glendyne at CFB Esquimalt with Fisgard Lighthouse in background
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Glen class |
| Builders: |
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| Operators: |
 Royal Canadian Navy
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| Built: | 1975–1977 |
| In commission: | 1975–present |
| Completed: | 5 |
| Active: | 5 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Tugboat |
| Displacement: | 250 long tons (254 t) |
| Length: | 28.95 m (95 ft 0 in) |
| Beam: | 9.29 m (30 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) |
| Complement: | 6-10 |
| Armament: | None |
| Notes: | Bollard pull : 19 tons |
The Glen-class tug is a class of naval tugboat operated by the Royal Canadian Navy.
The five vessels are divided between the two fleets of the Royal Canadian Navy, with three assigned to Maritime Forces Atlantic, based at CFB Halifax and two assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific, homeported at CFB Esquimalt.
On 15 September 2012, a Halifax, Nova Scotia charity, The Awesome Foundation, arranged to have "160 ton" navy tugboats participate in a fund-raising event. Two teams of 100 volunteers each competed in trying to tug a tugboat.
The Canadian Forces operates six other smaller tugboats, the 140-ton CFAV Tillicum, and five 45-ton Ville-class tugs. The smaller tugs are also split between both coasts.
While the Glen-class tugs are equipped for firefighting, the Canadian Forces maintained a pair of dedicated Fire-class fireboats, the 140-ton Firebrand and Firebird, one each in each port. The crews of the fireboats are cross-trained and able to crew a Glen-class vessel in emergencies. However, Firebird on the east coast was taken out of service and prepared for disposal.
The Royal Canadian Navy operated a fleet of tugboats during the Second World War which were also named the Glen class. The vessels of the current Glen class are each named after one of the vessels of the earlier class. The vessels of the earlier class were sold off into civilian service, with Glenevis still in civilian service as late as 2007, and Glencove still currently operating on the Pacific Coast as Glen Rover.
On 4 December 2012 the Department of National Defence published an enquiry for Canadian shipbuilders interested in building replacements for the Glen class tugs¸ and Fire-class fireboats. A single class would replace both the tugs and the fireboats, and would be operated by civilian crews. The replacement vessels would have water cannons that could be controlled remotely, by a single individual. The replacement vessels would have bollard pull of 40 tons. The replacement vessels would be limited to 33 metres or less, and limited to a draft of 6 metres or less. Since their intended role would be harbour duties, they would have limited range and crew berthing capacity.
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Wikipedia