Anyone who enjoys spending their time on the water and is looking for something that might even bring in little extra money, should probably start considering a tugboat business. This is a service that is in continual demand since there are always many ships that ply the water around the world and often find themselves in desperate need of help.
Just as is the case of plumbing, air conditioning, and other services, tugboats are most often called when there is a problem or an emergency, which means the owners of these services often charge a premium due to the sudden and unexpected nature of the business. Check http://www.nautisnp.com/offshore/tug-boats for more information. In the meantime, read below.
Anytime, Anywhere
It’s not hard to imagine the numbers of ships that ply the waters every day around the United States and around the world. All of this represents a huge potential market for anyone with a tugboat who wants to help in emergencies that could befall any of them.
All of this means a potential of earning a large amount of money even if the assistance was rendered on only one vessel involved in an accident or other experiencing another difficulty. This is because not only does a tugboat need to navigate to the location of a ship, but the tugboat needs to have the capability of giving assistance, and the crew needs the skills to do the work.
Tugboats perform different services, which is important to keep in mind whenever the decision is made on what type of vessel to invest in. For example, a tugboat that would be good to rescue a ship that’s stranded in the ocean might be totally unable to salvage a vessel that has run aground. There are also other considerations to make. These include:
Registration
Every vessel must be registered, which means deciding on where you want to work from. From there it needs to be registered with the appropriate agency in that area. Without this, your business would be considered illegal since it would not be charged the appropriate fees and taxes.
Towing Equipment
There’s a lot more to a tugboat than just a boat. Onboard, there is a lot of equipment used to tow vessels where they need to be. There is also rigging equipment, such as cables, ropes, and much more. And, none of this gear comes cheap. Just exploring the internet will give you a good idea that it takes money to make money in the tugboat business.
Personnel
To operate a tugboat, it takes a boat, of course, but it also takes the appropriately skilled personnel. These should be people who are experienced at dealing with this type of work, since towing is a lot more complicated than it looks.
Permits
Operating a vessel that is engaged in assisting others in need requires an appropriate permit. In order to qualify for this, there must be an inspection that makes sure the vessel is seaworthy and the crew is qualified to operate it and the equipment onboard. All of this requires a lot of paperwork to be verified.
Liability Insurance
Liability insurance is required for almost any business, including the towing business. There’s always a chance that an accident will happen, and you don’t want to take a chance that the results could ruin you.
The tugboat business isn’t difficult to get into, but there are issues related to doing it legally. Abide by the rules and chances are good you will enjoy a rewarding profession.
