Have you SEEN a modern tugboat??
These things are QUICK and POWERFUL.
They’ve got a pair of huge diesel engines.
IF there had been any tug within a mile it could’ve been alongside shoving that ship around in as little as 90 seconds, and God only knows what could have come of it.
Those tug Captains — those guys are fekkin ARTISTS.
They know where to shove, when to shove, how hard to shove and get these mammoth ships nosed into and out of places like slipping a letter into a mail slot.
And they don’t need to lash up to the ship to do all of it; much of their pushing is accomplished without a hawser secured.
The Pilot likely knew it was a slim-to-none chance, but he made the call, anyway, in hope against hope.
All water — uh — over the bridge, now, but the Pilot made all the right moves with the situation he was handed. Nothing to condemn there.
Yes I have many times seen tugboats & they are not that fast. Keep dreaming. Those boats were too far away to do anything.