VESSEL: Point Comfort
TYPE: Tugboat
DATE: January 9, 1963
SIZE: 127-foot
OWNER: Gulf Canal Lines, Inc.
MASTER:
LOCATION: Houston Ship Channel, Galena Park, Texas

SUMMARY:
At 9:25 p.m. on January 9, 1963 the U. S. Navy tanker Maumee allided with the tugboat Point Comfort on the Houston Ship Channel at Galena Park, Texas. The Maumee struck the docked Point Comfort which was tied up at the Texaco dock being refueled. The Maumee signaled 4 short blasts alerting the 5 crew on board the tugboat. They were having coffee when the tanker was bearing down onto their vessel.  The 5 were just able to scramble to safety  seconds before the allision.  The tugboat sustained damage and suffered water ingress and later sank at the dock. The Maumee sustained a 5 foot gash in her bow, but was still able to continue down the channel. Fortunately, there were no injuries on either vessel.

The Coast Guard would later report the incident took place on a bend in the channel where the Maumee was unable to make the turn.  The tugboat sank in about 40 to 50 feet of water and was not an obstruction to navigation.

After the incident, the owners of the Point Comfort, Gulf Canal Line Inc., abandoned the sunken tug. Texaco would hire the New Orleans Coal and Bisso Towboat Company to raise and remove the wreck. By February 23, 1963, the tug was raised from the bottom. Repairs would be made to the tugboat so it could be towed to New Orleans. The Point Comfort was insured for $200,000.

REFERENCE:
The Houston Chronicle (Houston, Texas). January 10, 1963. Page 15.
The Flint Journal (Flint, Michigan). January 10, 1963. Page 8.
The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Texas). January 10, 1963. Page 2.
The Houston Post (Houston, Texas). February 22, 1963. Page 11.