The tug Spartan was built in 1969 by Burton Shipyard in Port Arthur, Texas, as the Lead Horse for Caspary Wendell, Inc., in Houston, and was acquired by Santa Fe Pomeroy Marine Service two years later.

Gulf Mississippi Marine acquired the vessel in 1973, renaming it Gulf Challenger.

In 1979, the vessel moved to the Great Lakes when it was acquired by Hannah Marine in Lermont, Illinois, and renamed Challenger.

The vessel was fitted with a Bludworth coupler system in 1993 and renamed Mark Hannah, and became paired with the barge Hannah 6301.

Occidental Chemical Corp. of Dallas acquired the tug/barge combo in 2009 and renamed them Spartan and Spartan II, respectively, and contracted the operation of the vessels to Andrie Inc.

The pair operate primarily out of Occidental’s facilities in Ludington.

The Spartan II is a tank barge built in 1980 by Bay Shipbuilding originally for Hannah Marine Corp. and originally named Hannah 6301.

The barge was paired with the tugboat Mark Hannah in 1993, and the two vessels have been paired together ever since.

Both vessels were acquired by Occidental Chemical Corp. in Dallas to transport calcium chloride out of their facilities in Ludington. Operation of the vessels is contracted to Andrie, Inc.