The Millard Tawes, a former Maryland State buoy tender with deep maritime roots, has officially been put back into service—this time, in support of Maryland’s oyster restoration initiatives. The Tawes was commissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1942, originally under the name Barberry. It was acquired by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 1972 and renamed after Maryland’s 54th governor, J. Millard Tawes. The 100-foot-long, 167-ton vessel served as Maryland’s chief ice breaker and a buoy tender until it was retired in 2020. It was recently acquired by Robert Lee LLC and retrofitted as a planting vessel to deploy substrate and oysters back into the Bay.
Bringing the Millard Tawes back into service marks more than just a return of a legendary vessel—it’s a powerful symbol of Maryland’s enduring commitment to the Chesapeake Bay. The Millard Tawes was named after the Maryland governor established several conservation measures. Governor Tawes was a native of Crisfield, adjacent to the Manokin River where our first planting with the Tawes took place – the state’s fifth and final sanctuary under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Agreement.
In June, the Tawes delivered 4,000 bushels of spat-on-shell, equaling 23M spat, to the Manokin River. Adding this vessel to ORP’s fleet of contracted vessels has allowed us to nearly double the planting volume possible in a single trip.
State and federal investments in Maryland’s oyster restoration economy continue to pay off. Working with our small business partners, the State of Maryland, and federal partners, ORP and UMCES Horn Point Oyster Hatchery continue to expand the capacity to restore our native oyster – producing and planting 1 billion oysters each year is now possible! This is a historic chapter for ORP, our restoration partners, and for the Bay, and we look forward to continuing to accelerate our collective oyster restoration goals.
Want to help keep this momentum going? Your support powers the work—planting more oysters, restoring more reefs, and protecting the Bay for generations to come. Make a donation today. Here’s to bold steps, strong partnerships, and a healthier Bay.