What's Wrong with this Picture?

Normally, commercial vessels approaching the Port of Seattle dwarf the tugs that assist them in docking.

So you can imagine our surprise when, earlier today, we saw the 120-foot Crowley tug Protector moving into position to assist MS Sea Bird, a relatively small, 309-foot cargo ship owned and operated by Denmark-based J. Poulsen Shipping A/S. The similarity in size of the two vessels was striking in comparison with what we normally see on Elliott Bay. 

With its two hydraulic cranes mounted port side, MS Sea Bird seems well-suited to shipment of cargoes that must be hoisted on board without dockside assistance. As an example, see this photo of Sea Bird transporting two medium-size patrol vessels on the River Weser in Germany in 2010.