ANCHORAGE, AK –  June 11, 1999 – Alyeska Pipeline Service Company christened the Tan’erliq on Friday, June 11, in Tatitlek, Alaska.  The Tan’erliq is the second of two enhanced tractor tugs designed and built specifically for tanker escort operations in Prince

William Sound.  The 153-foot, 10,000 horsepower state-of-the-art vessel immediately joined her sister ship, Nanuq, in service with Alyeska’s tanker escort fleet.  Each vessel cost $15 million and are owned and operated by Crowley Marine Services.

Gwen Vlasoff, the Tatitlek second-grader who named the vessel in Alyeska’s Name the Tug contest, christened the Tan’erliq at 12:15 p.m. on the ferry dock.  The entire village of Tatitlek joined with many visiting guests including State Representative John Harris and Cordova Mayor Ed Zeine, to celebrate the arrival and christening of “Gwen’s boat.”  The Tatitlek Dancers performed and a six foot stuffed toy black bear was presented to Miss Vlasoff in honor of the event.

In May of 1998, Miss Vlasoff learned that the name she submitted – Tan’erliq, (pronounced – Tun-are-lick) which means black bear in Alutiiq – was selected out of more than 800 entries submitted by students throughout Prince William Sound.  In July of 1998, Miss Vlasoff and her grandmother Roselene Vlasoff traveled to the Dakota Creek Shipyard in Anacortes, Washington to see the three story vessel as it was being built.  Upon seeing the tug for the first time in the water, Miss Vlasoff exclaimed, “My boat!  I can’t believe it’s so big!”

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