Nickelena

Photo by Todd Shorkey

This large tug was built in 1973 by Marinette Marine as the USS Chetek for the U.S. Navy. Retired in 1996, she was transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and was stationed at Buffalo as the Chetek. The Corps changed the name to Koziol in 2000, and in 2005 she was sold to the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for use on the U.S. side of the Seaway. Basic Marine of Escanaba then purchased the Koziol in 2007, and the following year remaned her Nickelena. In 2010, she received a new upper pilothouse for barge work.

Nickelena is currently used for towing and icebreaking alongside Basic’s other large tug, Erika Kobasic.