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LEOPARD (1943)
Pictured as: the Miss Laura (Marine Tech) Photo by: Unknown

Built in 1943, by George Lawley & Sons, Neponset, Massachusetts as the YN 1291 Defense Plant Corporation.

In 1943, she was redesignated as the DPC-3 (Defense Plant Corporation).

In 1946, the tug was redesignated as the DS-43 .

Later in 1946, she was acquired by the New York Department of Sanitation where she was renamed as the Fresh Kills .

In 1969, the tug was acquired by Berman Tug and Barge of New York, New York in where she was renamed as the Richard K.

In 1993, she was acquired by the Providence Steamboat, Company of Providence, Rhode Island where she was renamed as the the Leopard .

In 1999, the tug was acquired by the R.J. Casho Marine Towing Company of Chesapeake City, Maryland where she retained the name Leopard .

In 2003, the tug was acquired by Marine Tech of Duluth, Minnesota where she was renamed as the Miss Laura .

She was originally powered by a single GM Detroit type EMD 8-567ATS 8 cylinder diesel engine rated at 700 horsepower. In the 1990's she was repowered with a GM EMD 12-567C-E2 diesel engine rated at 1,200 horsepower.
(David Wright)


  • Vessel Name: LEOPARD (1943)
  • USCG Doc. No.: 243953
  • Vessel Service: TOWING VESSEL
  • Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted, Registry
  • Call Sign: WDB5006
  • Hull Material: STEEL
  • Hull Number: 1291
  • Ship Builder: George Lawley & Sons
  • Year Built: 1943
  • Length: 81.1
  • Hailing Port: DULUTH, MN.
  • Hull Depth: 9.8
  • Hull Breadth: 24
  • Gross Tonnage: 146
  • Net Tonnage: 99
  • Owner:
    MARINE TECH LLC
    2220 WHITTIER ST
    DULUTH, MN 55803
  • Previous Vessel Names:
    Leopard, YN-1291, DPC-3, DS-43, Fresh Kills, Richard K., Leopard
  • Previous Vessel Owners:
    Defense Plant Corporation, New York Department of Sanitation, Berman Tug & Barge, Providence Steamboat, Company; R J CASHO MARINE TOWING CORP