HISTORY
Humble Beginnings
American Navigation Company was founded in 1976 by a high school shop teacher with a passion for tugboats.
Second Tug, More Horsepower
The first tugboat was so successful that a second tug was purchased, again at a U.S. Navy auction. The second tug was a larger one of 85 feet and had an 850 horsepower engine. This tug was repowered but this time the horsepower was quadrupled. A 4,000 horsepower locomotive engine was installed. Again the experts said the tug could not handle the horsepower. But the tug went on to be one of the most successful ship docking tugs of all time on the West Coast.
New Generation Tugs
American Navigation was a pioneer in developing tugboats with high horsepower engines in relatively small hulls. Today's designs compliment AMNAV’s original thought process with the new generation of tractor tugs. Today, the company as AMNAV Maritime LLC, continues to make history with its acquisition of high tech, high horsepower tugs.