In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, the hosts dive into the fascinating but often overlooked world of tugboats. They explore the long and rich history of these vessels, tracing their journey from initial skepticism to becoming essential players in today’s shipping and port operations. The discussion highlights their remarkable power and agility, emphasizing important aspects like bollard pull and the cutting-edge azimuth thruster technology. Beyond towing, the episode reveals the critical roles tugboats fulfill in salvage, search and rescue, and firefighting. The hosts wrap up by examining the economic factors that shape tugboat operations in modern ports. They also uncover the mystery of a previously unidentified track, “Subways of Your Mind” by the band FEX.
