Marine and Ports got a bargain in the $1.25-million purchase of the tug because the 47-year-old vessel was completely rebuilt to stringent US military standards.

Director of Marine and Ports Barry Coupland this week defended the purchase of the tug, saying it could extend the life of the current heavy tugs and by at least five years and a similar vessel could have cost between $12 to 14 million.

In addition, its registration with the prestigious Lloyds Registry, is another feather in the cap of the ? which has likely spent more time in the ocean over the last month than over its entire lifetime.

?The design of the vessel can go anywhere, do anything, all seas, all weather,? Mr. Coupland said, attempting to set the record straight.

?There is nothing negative here. The purchase of this ship is very good for Bermuda and we paid a damn good price. It was a bargain.?

Part of a large class of boat designed in the 1950s, the tug spent 35 years on the deck of a heavy-lift ship ? spending only 65 hours on the water.

?When fleet modernisation requirements came into vogue, she was taken ashore and completely gutted and stripped,? Mr. Coupland said.

?All the machinery, pipe work, electrical cabling were redone. The bar steel shell was shot blasted and re-coated and then the vessel was completely rebuilt in 1996.

?Brand new machinery and modern components were put in place.

?Then she was tried and tested and then the military decided to sell her.?

He added: ?At the time I became aware of her she had only been in the water for 65 hours.?

?Given you?ve got a 1950s design ? it was completely rebuilt and entered into class as a new ship ? that is what she is registered as.?

He disclosed the total cost of the ship was $1.25 million, including state of the art navigation equipment.

?Were we to approach the same vessel now and build her from scratch we would spend $12 to $14 million,? he said. ?We effectively have a brand new ship for ten percent of what it would cost to build her.?

The has six crew members, 22 bunks and will be used for search and rescue, training, backup support for current tugs, and maintaining navigational aids.

The 100-foot vessel was named after Edward M. Stowe Sr. and Edward M. Stowe Jr., long-standing former employees of Marine and Ports. T

he Stowe family has served Marine and Ports for more than 80 years.