One of the most difficult tasks a Pilot faces during an assignment is the actual berthing of a ship alongside a dock. The sheer size of the ships makes them extremely difficult to slow down or stop and this is made even more difficult by the currents running along the face of the dock. Any hard contact with the dock may cause millions of dollars in damage to either the vessel or the berth. To assist in safely berthing the ship, the Pilots utilize the services of ship berthing tugs. These are powerful tugs that can fasten a line to the ship to pull the ship away from the berth, or push with their bow against the side of the ship move the ship towards the berth. The tugs are rated by horsepower and can range from 1200 HP to 3200 HP.