A heart for dergls

The smallest units in the service of the navy

As you know, the editorial team has a soft spot for dergls. We like to report on the WTD's boats, tugs and small harbour and auxiliary vessels.

There doesn't have to be a special occasion, it is simply enough to pay tribute to the "little ones" with their mostly civilian crews for their service and reliability. Without these helpers, there would be no uncomplicated launch trips, no "just in case" transports and no towing assistance. All for the "little things in marine life" that two crew members can manage.

Smallest unit of the navy, tugboat "Borby" Photo: Michael Nitz Naval Press Service

What do we have here? The tugboat "Borby" Y1687, 12 metres long and 4 metres wide with a draught of 1.90 metres, displaces 25 tonnes. She was built by Hans Boost Maschinen- und Stahlbau GmbH in Trier. This shipyard has been in existence since 1920 and built ferries, motorboats and dredging machines. Today, the small company on the Moselle specialises in the construction and repair of vessels for commercial shipping and the public sector. Another example that the German Navy is not only relevant on the coast.

And where does the name "Dergl" actually come from? Allegedly, this is an abbreviation taken from old fleet lists for vehicles at the end of the list that were not listed further by name or type, e.g. "barges and the like." The abbreviation of this phrase "u. dergl." then became the noun dergl. allegedly in the colloquial language of the navy.