BROWNSVILLE, Texas — August 9, 2024 — As a child, Gene R. Tuttle Jr. often visited his father Gene Tuttle Sr. on tugboats at the Port of Houston sparking his interest in the maritime industry. Today, Tuttle Jr. proudly follows in his father’s footsteps as a Branch Pilot for the Brazos Santiago Pilots Association (BSPA).
“It is exciting to be able to step into the same port my father was working in and to see the growth that’s happening at the Port of Brownsville,” said Gene Tuttle Jr. “I remember visiting the port and thinking man, this place has so much potential and I’m finally here and it’s really taking off.”
At a regular board meeting held June 3, the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners voted to appoint Captain Gene Tuttle Jr. a Branch Pilot for the BSPA, marking the continuation of a legacy within the Tuttle family after Tuttle Sr. retired this year.
Tuttle Jr. joins BSPA Presiding Officer Captain Chris Urbanovsky and Captain Jonathan P. Willett as the third port pilot in the organization. Tuttle Jr. began his deputyship in July 2023, shadowing every ship entering or leaving the Brownsville Ship Channel. After demonstrating his capabilities, he was entrusted with handling jobs independently just three months into his apprenticeship.
The BSPA is tasked with ensuring the safe transit of all vessels being piloted within the Port of Brownsville and Port Isabel while safeguarding the environment and overseeing the compliance with all rules and laws governing marine vessels.
After completing a four-year program at the Texas A&M Maritime Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and a third mate’s license from the United States Coast Guard, Tuttle Jr. began his career in 2010. While he first envisioned becoming a tugboat captain, he progressed through the Maritime Academy, eventually becoming a port pilot.
Growth at the Port of Brownsville, fueled by major projects, promises to expand the port’s operations requiring an increase in the number of port pilots, according to the BSPA. In 2023, 2,561 vessels called on the Port of Brownsville, a 46 percent increase from the 1,754 in 2022.
“The Port of Brownsville is the talk of Texas, we have several qualified candidates looking to join us,” said Urbanovsky. “In the next few years, we expect to triple our numbers to keep up with the traffic at the port.”
Reflecting on his son’s achievement and the future of the port, Gene Tuttle Sr. shared, “It felt good to retire knowing that the Brazos Santiago Pilots Association is in great hands, they can handle the new business that’s coming online.”
The elder Tuttle said he was proud to be the first Mexican American pilot at the port and advised aspiring maritime professionals to pursue their goals.
“Anybody that’s interested in it, you just got to focus on that. Don’t give up on it, you know. You just know that that’s what you want, and it’ll happen,” said Tuttle Sr.
Captain Gene R. Tuttle Jr. was sworn in to the Brazos Santiago Pilots Association June 3, at a regular board meeting for the Brownsville Navigation District.
