Bay-Houston Towing Celebrates the Christening of the George M and May Louise

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Bay-Houston Towing Celebrates the Christening of the George M and May Louise

2025-03-17 22:03 Last Updated At：22:21

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2025--

Bay-Houston Towing proudly marked another milestone with the christening of the George M and May Louise, two state-of-the-art tugboats that will enhance operations along the Houston Ship Channel and beyond.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250317599014/en/

During the christening ceremony, Kevin Lenz, Vice President of Bay-Houston Towing, addressed attendees, highlighting the critical role of the Houston Ship Channel in fueling the nation's economy and the company’s commitment to safety, strength, and environmental stewardship. The George M and May Louise incorporate low-emission technologies, reinforcing Bay-Houston’s dedication to sustainability and operational excellence.

"These remarkable vessels are a testament to the collaboration and dedication of so many," said Kevin Lenz. "From naval architects to mariners, pilots, and industry leaders, we celebrate the people who bring these tugs to life and ensure the success of our ports and economy."

Bay-Houston extends its deepest gratitude to:

The christening of a vessel is a maritime tradition that serves as both a blessing and a wish. As Bay-Houston welcomes the George M and May Louise into service, the company wishes them fair winds and following seas, ensuring the safe passage of vessels for many years to come.

The ceremony concluded with remarks by Bay-Houston Towing’s President Philip Kuebler and the honorary smashing of a champagne bottle by the Christening parties, marking the official welcome of these vessels into Bay-Houston’s esteemed fleet.

About Bay-Houston Towing

Bay-Houston Towing has been a cornerstone of maritime operations along the Texas Gulf Coast since the late 1800s. Operating a modern fleet of over 50 tugboats, Bay-Houston offers ship assist, escort, and offshore towing services across major ports, including Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Freeport, and Corpus Christi. Committed to safety, innovation, and environmental stewardship, the company continues to invest in advanced technologies and training to meet the dynamic needs of the maritime industry.

High winds continue to threaten Oklahoma after wildfires destroyed and damaged hundreds of homes

2025-03-18 10:28 Last Updated At：10:31

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Days after deadly fires swept across Oklahoma, Andrine Shufran and her husband spent Monday raking through the ashes of their home in a neighborhood that she said “looks like a checkerboard” as officials warned that high winds this week will again raise wildfire risk in the state.

“There’s no predictability or fairness about destroyed houses,” Shufran said. “There’s only two options for the homes in our neighborhood: standing or burned to the ground.”

Over 400 homes were severely damaged or destroyed in the outbreak of wildfires that started Friday in Oklahoma. At least four people died due to the fires or high winds, including a person who died in a vehicle accident as a result of poor visibility due to dust or smoke, officials said.

While calm weather over the weekend helped crews get a handle on most wildfires burning across Texas and Oklahoma, forecasters at the National Weather Service said extremely critical fire weather conditions were expected Tuesday over an area spanning from southeastern New Mexico through the Texas Panhandle and into western Oklahoma.

“These fires, once they get started, become really hard to stop," said Keith Merckx of Oklahoma Forestry Services. "They move more quickly than our resources can keep up with.”

He said officials will be returning their attention toward western and central Oklahoma, where high winds are expected to pick back up again over the next few days.

In Stillwater, a city of about 50,000 about 65 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City and home to Oklahoma State University, over 70 homes were destroyed by wildfires. The toll included Shufran's house, which burned to the ground in a matter of hours.

The smell of plastic lingered as she and her husband sifted through the remnants of their home.

Shufran, a director at Insect Adventure — a petting zoo part of OSU and the university’s extension campuses, said current and former students, friends and city officials have stepped in to help her and her husband.

“I’ve been more overwhelmed by how fantastic Oklahomans are when they’re friends with you, or neighbors with you, because we’ve had so many people reach out,” Shufran said.

Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce warned on Facebook on Monday afternoon of worsening fire conditions in the area.

“Be prepared to take action quickly, if necessary,” he wrote.

Southwest of Stillwater, residents in two parts of rural Logan County were urged to evacuate their homes Monday afternoon after wildfires that already burned more than 47 square miles (120 square kilometers) in the county since Friday picked back up amid high winds and dry conditions. An evacuation shelter had been set up at the county fairgrounds in Guthrie, said Logan County Deputy Emergency Management Director Shawn Pierce.

Pierce said an estimated 54 homes were destroyed in last week’s fire in the county, which is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Oklahoma City.

About an hour's drive west in Chandler, Deborah Ferguson told News 9 that her husband, Allen Ferguson, died after fighting a wildfire in a pasture with their 15-year-old son. She said that as they fled on a four-wheeler, it crashed into a tree in the heavy smoke.

State Rep. Jim Shaw said in a statement Monday that Ferguson was a “beloved youth wrestling coach" who died while trying to save his son, who remains in critical condition.

About 10 fires continued to burn in Texas on Monday as officials geared up for more high winds Tuesday, said Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson Erin O'Connor.

Although most of the fires have been contained due to slower winds Sunday, Texas officials are expecting wildfire danger to ramp up further into the week, O'Connor said.

AP reporter Sean Murphy contributed to this report from Oklahoma City.

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.