USST 488, Small harbor tugboat in Port of Le Havre, France
The USST 488 is a harbor tugboat now displayed in the Eure basin behind the Docks shopping center. The vessel retains its original pilot house with wooden steering wheel and functional diesel engine in working condition.
The tugboat was built in Brooklyn in 1944 and arrived in Europe to help clear ports after the war ended. It was part of the effort to remove wreckage and restore shipping channels in the harbor.
The boat shows how people worked in wartime ports and the daily reality of those who operated such vessels. Visitors can observe the cramped working spaces and tools that were essential to harbor operations.
The tugboat sits in the water and can be explored from the outside, especially during annual heritage days. Wear appropriate footwear since the area around the basin can be wet and slippery.
The tugboat was designed to move floating cranes and pontoons far larger than itself using clever rope systems and positioning. This demonstrates an overlooked aspect of wartime engineering that made harbor clearance possible.
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