Today

The Steam Tug Kerne continues to be owned by the North Western Steamship Company Ltd. but is now operated by The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society Ltd. The Society was set up as a Charity in 2008 in order to promote the preservation and maintenance of this historic vessel and in so doing, provide a means of education into the development, operation and historic use of steam, particularly in maritime applications and as a piece of social history to demonstrate the working conditions for early 20th Century seamen.

It is therefore the aim of the Society to maintain the vessel in a working condition and available for public viewing around the waters of the North West of England. In support of these objectives, in 2014, The Steam Tug Kerne Preservation Society in partnership with The North Western Steamship Co Ltd were delighted to receive funding from the The Heritage Lottery Fund to enable essential hull repairs to be carried out during 2015 in Cammell Laird’s yard in Birkenhead. The funding also enabled the Society to improve the quality of our displays and presentations.

In June 2018 in recognition of the efforts of the preservation group volunteers for over four decades, the Society was honoured to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award is the equivalent of an MBE, and the highest award given to voluntary groups. It is also the first time Her Majesty has honoured an historic vessel preservation group in this way. Also, in October 2018 we were honoured further by Her Majesty, with a grant from The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund. In the same month we were able to announce that the Society had been awarded a further grant from The Heritage Lottery Fund under the First World War Then and Now scheme which facilitated the replacement of boiler stay tubes, training of young people in heritage boiler repair skills, and research into the vessels role and those of tug crews during WW1.

Also as a result of the historical importance of Kerne, the vessel is now part of the Historic Fleet as designated by National Historic Ships.

During the Summer months, when not attending an event or out on a cruise, the vessel can often be found berthed at the Maritime Museum in Liverpool’s Canning Dock, and at other North West Ports.