Caroline McKee was constructed in 1972 by Main Iron Works at Houma, Louisiana, as their Hull #273. She was named David P. Guidry upon completion, and delivered to her new owners, American Offshore of Galliano, Louisiana, in early 1973. She is 122’02’’ long, 34’06’’ wide, and 12’07’’ deep, and powered by a pair of Alco 16-251E diesel engines, providing 5120 BHP.
David P. Guidry was sold to an unknown buyer in 1981, and was renamed Thunder. She was sold again in 1990 to Gulfcoast Transit Co., a subsidiary of Tampa Electric. She was sent to a shipyard for a refit, and a new elevated pilothouse and Bludworth ATB coupler system were installed. She was renamed Sharon DeHart, and paired with the bulk carrier barge Doris Guenther. The pair operated on the Gulf of Mexico, loading coal at ports near the mouth of the Mississippi River to Tampa Electric’s power plants in Tampa, Florida. The Gulfcoast Transit division was dissolved in 2002, and management of the fleet was transferred to Tampa Electric’s TECO shipping division.
Sharon DeHart was sold in 2013 to U.S. United Ocean Services of Tampa, Florida, and renamed Coastal 303. Her barge was included in the sale, being renamed Alabama Enterprise. The pair operated together briefly for United Ocean Services before they were laid up later in 2013. Her barge was scrapped shortly after they were laid up. Coastal 303 was sold again in 2018 to Dawn Marine Services of Gretna, Louisiana, who renamed her Southern Dawn. She never sailed under this name.
In early 2019, Southern Dawn was acquired by Port City Marine Services of Muskegon, Michigan, who had her sailed to the Bollinger Algiers Shipyard in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a major refit to prepare her for Great Lakes service. While in the yard, her exterior fittings were repaired, engines rebuilt and refurbished, and her interior and exterior were reconditioned. She was renamed Caroline McKee, after the wife of the late Bradshaw McKee, former president of Sand Products Corporation, parent company of Port City Marine Services. She departed the shipyard in New Orleans in early July 2020, passing through the St. Lawrence Seaway and Welland Canal before calling at South Chicago, Illinois, on July 23. After a quick stop at Chicago, she headed to Muskegon, Michigan, for a small ceremony to celebrate her arrival on July 26, 2020. Caroline McKee was paired with the barge Commander at the beginning of the 2021 season.
Written by Brendan Falkowski
| Tug Particulars | |
| Length | 122′ 02″ (37.2m) |
| Beam | 34’06″ (10.51m) |
| Depth | 12’07″ (3.9m) |
| Engine Power | 5,120 bhp diesel |
| Previous Names | |
| David P. Guidry | 1972-1981 |
| Thunder | 1981-1990 |
| Sharon DeHart | 1990-2013 |
| Coastal 303 | 2013-2018 |
| Southern Dawn | 2018-2019 |
| Caroline McKee | 2019-Today |
| Barges paired with tug | |
| Doris Guenther (Alabama Enterprise, 2013) | 1990-2013 |
| Commander | 2021-Present |