The tug is built to ice class DO with the hull designed specifically for polar waters and reinforced to maneuver in ice.
Michele Foss was built at the Foss Rainier, Oregon Shipyard and named recently at Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Washington by the vessel’s namesake, Michele Seaver, one of three sisters who are primary shareholders of Saltchuk, parent company of Foss Maritime.
A number of environmentally focused designs along with structural and technological upgrades introduce a degree of innovation including: elimination of ballast tanks, removing the chances of transporting invasive species; holding tanks for black and grey water to permit operations in no-discharge zones (including parts of Alaska and California); hydraulic oil systems compatible with biodegradable oil; energy efficient LED lighting; and high-energy absorption Schuyler fendering.