ROME, N.Y. — A new tugboat honoring the City of Rome is now floating in Bellamy Harbor.
The tugboat Rome was christened as part of a celebration that recognized the City’s connection to the Erie Canal, where the first shovels of dirt were turned.
Mayor Jeff Lanigan of Rome said, “That single act launched one of the greatest engineering achievements in American history, forever changing commerce, transportation and the growth of New York State.”
The tugboat will stay in the corridor between Utica and Rome, serving the area that shares its name.
Ben Walsh, commissioner of the New York State Canal Corporation, said, “This tug can do a lot; it can push barges. We use them for buoy placements, ice breaking and dredging, so we ask a lot of these boats.”
Walsh said, “This is pretty rare for the Power Authority and canals to make an investment of four new tugboats; that hasn’t happened in decades. I think it’s an important signal that in our third century of operation, we are looking towards the future, and we want to make sure we have the right vessels, the right fleet in place to keep this canal system going for another 100 years.”