Southern Towing News

A first-of-its-kind ammonia-powered, zero-emission tugboat will be put to the test by Brooklyn, N.Y-based startup Amogy in late 2023.Having already successfully demonstrated its technology on an aerial drone, tractor and semi-truck, the ammonia power solutions company revealed in early March that it is retrofitting a scaled up 1-megawatt (MW) version of its ammonia-to-power system onto a tug at Feeney Shipyard in Kingston, N.Y. as a test run for its emissions-slashing power and propulsion technology in the commercial maritime sector.Once installed…

Ammonia power solutions company Amogy announced it is partnering with Southern Devall to trial its ammonia-to-power technology for the first time in the maritime market as the industry strives to reduce its vessel emissions.Amogy’s proprietary ammonia-to-power system converts ammonia into hydrogen for use in fuel cells or as a more energy dense method of long-distance hydrogen transportation. The system, already demonstrated in a farming tractor and aerial drone, is now being scaled for use in larger applications…

The National Transportation Board said Thursday that a Mississippi River towing vessel’s pilot and its captain pushed its tow up against a riverbank too close to a railroad track, leading to a collision and train derailment near Galland, Iowa.Marine Investigation Report 22/22 details the NTSB’s investigation into the Nov. 13, 2021, collision between the towing vessel Baxter Southern and a BNSF coal train transiting the track along the shoreline of the Upper Mississippi River. The train struck a barge that was overhanging the railroad track.

Gulf Intracoastal and U.S. inland waterways towboat and barge operator The Southern Devall Group announced it has appointed Kenny Devall as president and chief executive officer.The Southern Devall Group (TSDG), an affiliate of Chicago-based CC Industries, is the combined businesses of Southern Towing and Devall Towing.Kenny Devall, who previously served as chief operating officer at Devall Towing, is being promoted to succeed Chris Sullivan, who served as interim CEO of TSDG…

Memphis, Tenn.-based Southern Towing Company (STC) said Tuesday it has acquired family-owned Devall Towing, in a deal that expands STC’s towing operations into specialty chemical products.Headquartered in Sulphur, La., Devall is a towboat and barge operator for specialty chemicals along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Lower Mississippi River, operating 36 towboats and 125 liquid tank barges.The combination of Devall’s operations with STC’s upriver capabilities allows Devall and STC to provide integrated marine transportation solutions across the Gulf Intracoastal and U.S.

“In God we trust. All others must have data.”When Ed Grimm took the helm of Southern Towing Company (STC)as President and CEO, he inherited an enviable team of leaders, engineers, mentors, communicators and analysts. Today STC is a clear leader on the inland waterways, pioneering and proving the business and safety value of Z-Drives on the river towboats.How did you come to the top spot at Southern Towing Company?I started in the energy industry at 16 working at an oil storage depot in New York Harbor, working there through high school and putting myself through college.

The U.S. towing and tug business is 5,500 boats, more than 31,000 barges with an estimated total impact on U.S. GDP of $33.8 billion.“At a macro level, the bigger ships are causing downward pressure on the ship assist business because there are fewer ship calls given the increased capacity of these vessels. However, certain ports have seen tremendous growth, based on strategic location and infrastructure investments that have attracted these larger ships and been a net plus for these areas.”Kate Fuhrman…

Chicago-based CC Industries acquired Southern Towing Company (STC) from Trive Capital and McCombs Partners. Founded in 1958, STC is one of the largest operators of towboats and barges along the inland waterways of the United States.This acquisition expands CCI’s portfolio of industry-leading businesses, and marks another CCI investment in the transportation equipment and logistics sector.“STC is a remarkable business with a long history of excellence,” said Bill Crown, President and Chief Executive Officer of CCI. “We are delighted to add Southern Towing to the CC Industries family of operating companies.”Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee…

American Commercial Barge Line’s leadership and early adoption of ZF Marine’s z-drive propulsion technology underscores a growing trend on the inland waterways. American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has been around a long time – since 1915, to be exact – and along the way has developed into one of the dominant players in the inland marine transportation industry. With a passion for safety and a green footprint, ACBL has always embraced technology and innovation. That point was obvious when it made the decision to outfit at least 15 of its towboats with ZF Marine’s Z-drive systems. The Z-Drive installations are but a small part of a $500 million fleet and equipment investment that ACBL has undertaken over the course of the last five years.

A coalition of maritime business and industry organizations sent a letter to key Members of Congress on Friday, March 24 urging funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to further support efforts undertaken by the State of Illinois to slow, stop and reverse the migration of Asian carp, an aquatic invasive species, through cost-effective measures. In the letter, the UnLock Our Jobs (UOJ) coalition members review the record of success that the GLRI has had in working with the State of Illinois to develop a range of strategies to control Asian carp…

The Shearer Group and Conrad Shipyard collaborate on an ABS approved LNG Towboat Design. What happens next could change inland shipping forever. The December announcement that Conrad Shipyard, L.L.C. and The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) had worked together to develop the design of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered 4,200 horsepower towboat utilizing a proven TSGI design was, perhaps, exciting enough on its own merits. That the team had also been awarded an “Approval in Principle” (AIP) by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design was especially significant for the nation’s inland waterfront. Packing clean LNG power into an inland towboat was no easy task. And yet, the potential for the concept to blossom in this largely fixed, point-to-point market is very real.

Conrad Shipyard and The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) said that its design of a 4,200 horsepower LNG-powered towboat received “Approval in Principle” (AIP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The boat is based on TSGI’s azimuth drive (Z-drive) towboat design that debuted in 2008 as the FRANK T. STEGBAUER. To date, eight of these towboats have been built for Southern Towing Company, which is a pioneer in the use of z-drives for brown water operations. The boats have shown significant fuel savings relative to conventional towboats.

ZF Marine penetrates domestic inland waterway markets – enjoying good success with two U.S. majors. The prospects for an even brighter future hinge on the performance of its early entries. So far, so good. It’s no secret that the domestic, inland marine business can be conservative in its approach to adopt new technologies, but then, this can probably be said of the global waterfront, as well. But the market is changing, driven by larger corporate entities moving into these tightly held markets, as well as a myriad of legislative and operational conditions – namely the rapidly rising cost of fuel. ZF Marine – or more specifically ZF Marine Krimpen b.v.…

When German industrial manufacturing giant ZF bought Holland Rudder Propeller nearly five years ago, it was a strategic addition to its ZF Marine portfolio that is now reaping big rewards as it is enjoying strong penetration of its azimuth thruster systems in the U.S. towboat market. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited with Frank van der Vegt, Sales Manager, Commercial Craft Thruster Systems, at the ZF Marine Krimpen B.V. factory in The Netherlands for an update. The marine business…

MTU, the specialist for propulsion and power systems for ships and commercial marine equipment, has been selected by Memphis-based Southern Towing Company to power six inland waterway towboats. Four new and two existing vessels will be outfitted with a total of twelve Series 4000 Ironmen engines in 8- and 12-cylinder configurations. Engines from the Rolls-Royce Power Systems subsidiary MTU were selected. “Southern Towing’s investment in the Series 4000 represents our belief that…

How updated electronic navigation practices improve safety and efficiency – and optimize cargo movement – on US inland waterways. It was a cold winter night. Heavy gusts and snow did not allow safe navigation and forced the ships on the upper Mississippi to secure alongside the few remaining jetties. Safety is the key issue for all river transport companies but at the same time efficiency and timely delivery of valuable goods is of utmost importance. It was 1999 and an American navigation pioneer – Greg Dunkle – had realized the potential of electronic chart systems.

Tognum America Inc., a Tognum Group subsidiary and manufacturer of marine and off-highway engines, will supply twelve MTU Series 4000 diesel engines to power six push boats operated by Southern Towing Company, an established inland waterways barge operator on the Mississippi River system and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The high-speed diesel marine propulsion engines from MTU will be used to power four new push boats and repower two older vessels in the company’s fleet. According to William Stegbauer…

The final, for now, delivery in a series of four 120 by 34-ft 3200-HP Z-drive towboats was completed at Steiner Shipyard in Alabama. The innovative vessels were built for Southern Towing of Memphis Tennessee. As with the other three vessels the Arne Christiansen is powered by a pair of Tier 2 compliant Cummins QSK50 mains, each rated for 1,600 HP at 1800 RPM provides the power. The two engines are mounted aft on the main deck level. They turn short four-foot shafts to HRP Z-drives carrying 74.8-inch (1900 m/m) propellers in steerable nozzles.

The USCG has honored AWO members Crowley Marine Services, Inc. and Southern Towing Company with the William M. Benkert Award for excellence in marine environmental protection. Benkert Awards for the year 2000 competition were presented in four categories: large and small vessel operating companies, and large and small marine facility operators. AWO member Crowley Marine Services, Inc., headquartered in Seattle, won the large vessel category. AWO member Southern Towing Company, based in Memphis, Tenn., shared the award for the small vessel category. Rear Admiral Robert C. North, assistant commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection, presented the awards at the American Petroleum Institute Tanker Conference in La Jolla, California. The USCG's William M.

Avondale Industries, Inc. has agreed to pay $357,750 in penalties for safety and health violations at its shipyard in Avondale, La., and implement a revised safety and health program as part of a settlement agreement announced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "We are pleased Avondale has agreed to resolve this matter," said Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman. "Avondale's new management has shown they are serious about eliminating safety hazards. OSHA originally inspected the shipyard in October 1998 following union complaints of possible imminent danger from falls, and other health issues. Based on that inspection, OSHA issued 60 citations against the shipbuilder last April and proposed fines of $537,000.

Delivered from Steiner Shipyard in Bayou LaBatre on September 29, the first of Southern Towing's Cummins-powered Z-drive tugs is now pushing barges on the inland waterways. Photographer Jeff L. Yates has provided Cummins Marine with the attached shot of the Frank T. Stegbauer on the Ohio River at on September 30, 2008. According to the company newsletter several wheelmen have already gone for Z-drive training. At 120 x 34 ft., this is a mid-size inland waterway towboat. The vessel…