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Colle family on the water, in business for 125 years: tugboat biz still offering challenges, opportunities after decades of success.

Article Excerpt
PASCAGOULA -- When the Colle family bought its first tugboat in New York 125 years ago, the steam boiler that ran the engines was fired by wood. During the trip back down the East Coast, around Florida and back along the Gulf Coast to Pascagoula, the crew had to stop along the way to cut firewood for fuel.

"They didn't have chain saws back then," says John Colle Jr., whose great-grandfather started the family tugboat business. "They had to use axes. You think how much work that was."

The boat with a charcoal iron steel riveted hull was the first tugboat brought in to the Port of Pascagoula. At that time, Pascagoula was a major lumber port. The schooner sailboats couldn't navigate the shallow waters in the river without assistance. That early Colle tugboat helped the schooners get into and out of the river.

In the years since, the Colles have carved out a valuable niche in the tugboat business. Today, they have a fleet of eight boats, a staff of 62, and are involved in vessel construction and repairs in addition to providing tugboat services. The fleet includes three push boats for large...

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