Towboat
Conoco To Build New Towboats
Conoco is building four new towboats with innovative safety, environmental and design improvements that set new standards for the inland towing industry. "We are raising the bar for towboat design, machinery and marine systems by constructing American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) class boats," said Karen Stacey, director of Conoco domestic marine. "The four new boats will have double-hulled fuel tanks to reinforce safety and environmental protection." Contrary to the name, towboats actually "push" cargo barges along the Intracoastal Waterway and major rivers. Conoco's inland marine fleet of seven towboats and 14 barges made more than 600 voyages last year, hauling over 21 million barrels of crude oil and refined products "The four new generation boats will replace older assets to enhance our productivity and reinforce our commitment to respecting the environment," said Rick Oshlo, Conoco vice president and general manager, supply and trading, materials and services The new towboats, being built by Orange Shipbuilding of Orange, Texas, will have safety enhancements such as CO2 extinguishing systems, fuel shutdowns, fire detection systems and fire fighting systems. Environmental upgrades will include main propulsion engines that are compliant with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards.
Three Groundings Cause Closure of Mississippi River
Investigators are working to determine the cause of three separate accidents that occurred along the river on Thursday. The 140-ft. towboat Capt. Russell Simpson ran aground at about 40 miles south of Helena, Ark., at mile marker 626.1. The towboat was pushing 25 barges of dry cargo at the time of the accident. The river wa closed between mile marker 623.1 and 628. The 200-ft. towboat Robert A. Kyle ran aground on Thursday, about 15 miles north of Rosedale, Miss., at mile marker 595
ConocoPhillips to Christen Towboat
Later this month, ConocoPhillips will christen a new towboat and, in the process, set higher standards for safety, environmental and design improvements within the inland towing industry. Antonio Valdes, general manager of ConocoPhillips’ marine division says, the new towboat is more capable and efficient, as well as reinforce environmental awareness. The ceremony christening Spirit which received classification from the American Bureau Of Shipping (ABS) will be held at Brady’s Landing in
Conoco Cuts Steel on Innovative Towboats
Conoco is building four new towboats that purportedly offer innovations in safety, environmental interaction, as well as design improvements that Conoco claims will set new standards for the inland towing industry. "We are raising the bar for towboat design, machinery and marine systems by constructing American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) class boats," said Karen Stacey, director of Conoco domestic marine. "The four new boats will have double-hulled fuel tanks to reinforce safety and
USCG Towboat Licensing Rules Are Still Pending
The saga of the USCG modification of the towing licensing rules continues. On Oct. 27, 2000 the USCG delayed by six months the implementation of the new towboat licensing requirements published November 19, 1999. They were to go into effect on Nov. 20, 2000. As you may recall, these rules make far reaching changes to the licensing system for towing vessels. They completely split towboat license off from the rest of the maritime licensing system
Wärtsilä Dual-Fuel Technology for River Towboats
The Mississippi River and other inland rivers of the United States are home to several thousand towboats. They are vital carriers of goods and materials, and an important element within the country's overall transportation system. Current and future environmental restrictions on emissions are creating the need for a new “greener” design for these vessels. Wärtsilä and Ship Architects, Inc., USA, are cooperating to develop a new environmentally sound towboat concept
Bisso Towboat Receives New Z-Drive Tug
Cecilia B. Slatten is the newest addition to Bisso Towboat Co.'s fleet of Mississippi River ship-assist tugboats. The 4,300 hp, reverse Z-drive tractor tug measures 100 x 38 x 18 ft., with an operating draft of 13.5 ft. A pair of Aquamaster US 2001 Z-drives are powered by twin EMD 16-645-E6 diesel engines, each producing 2,150 hp @ 900 rpm. The two propellers are four-bladed stainless steel, 90-in. diameter by 82-in. pitch
Verret Shipyard Building Another for Blessy
Ted Verret reports that his family’s Plaquamine Louisiana shipyard will be sea trialing the new Blessey Marine push boat M/V Capt. Lance Dragon next week with a scheduled February 1 delivery. The 76 x 30 x 10-ft. towboat will be powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38 M0 engines rated for 850 hp each at 1800 RPM for a total of 170 rpm. Marine gears are a pair of Reintjes WAF562 with 6:1 ratios. The busy yard already has the keel laid and bulwarks formed for a 116x32-foot towboat for the same
Kirby Q2 2009 Results
Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX) announced net earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009 of $33.7 million, or $.63 per share, compared with net earnings of $40.3 million, or $.74 per share, for the 2008 second quarter. Kirby's published 2009 second quarter guidance range was $.52 to $.62 per share. Consolidated revenues for the 2009 second quarter were $272.7 million compared with $348.3 million reported for the 2008 second quarter.
Ingram Barge, MRCT Complete Emission Reduction Program
On September 24, officials of Ingram Barge Company and the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee (MRCT) announced the results of an air emissions reduction program for towboats operating on the Mississippi River. Funding for this effort was awarded to MRCT by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the Clean Diesel Emerging Technologies Program. Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee is a non-profit organization that works on economic development and land and
AWO, TVIB Reach Agreement on Training and Certification of Responsible Carrier Program Auditors
The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, has entered into an agreement with the Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau under which the TVIB will take over the responsibility for training and certifying AWO Responsible Carrier
A New Era in Fleeting
Ship docking tugs now take the Z-drive for granted, but it has found only limited acceptance for river towboats. That is about to change with a new boat being built for The Carline Companies at Raymond and Associates in Bayou LaBatre. One of the Carline companies is the Burnside Fleet located at
American Waterways Operators Lobby Congress
American Waterways Operators (AWO) representing the nation’s tugboat, towboat & barge industry calls on Congress, to urge greater attention to infrastructure needs. AWO will be calling on congress April 17, 2013, during their 'Barge-In'
Buckley McAllister Elected AWO Chairman
The members of the American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, elected a new slate of leaders during AWO’s Spring Convention recently held in Washington, D.C. Buckley McAllister, President, McAllister Towing
ACL to Begin Transporting Canadian Crude Oil
American Commercial Lines (ACL) is pleased to announce that it will begin transporting crude oil by barge on the U.S. inland waterways for MEG Energy (U.S.) Inc. (MEG Energy), a subsidiary of the Canadian oil company MEG Energy Corp.
USACE Revises Forecast for Mississippi Water Levels
Effective Shutdown of Nation’s Busiest Water Transportation Artery Expected Earlier Than Predicted: January 3-4. Late Christmas Eve, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers advised industry of the most current 28-day weather and water forecast for the Mississippi River area
Latest Water Forecast for Mississippi River
In an effort to keep apprised of the ever-changing hydrograph forecasts, yesterday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released water storage again (first release was on December 15) from Carlyle Lake located on the Kaskaskia River near St. Louis to support the continuation of navigation on the
Impact of Potential Mississippi River Closure Revised
Effective Shutdown of Nation’s Busiest Water Transportation Artery Looms Between Early- to Mid-January. The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) have released revised data on the economic impact of an effective shutdown of the Mississippi River
Ingram Promotes Robert Barker
Robert Barker is promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Ingram Barge Company. “Robert has been managing operations, budgets, and varied technological projects of the Information Services group since joining Ingram in 2010,” Craig E
Towboat Delivered by Horizon Shipbuilding
Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc., Bayou La Batre, AL, has delivered the second in a series of 74’ Towboats to Canal Barge Company, Inc. of New Orleans, LA. The Susan J Gundlach is 74’ long with a 32’6” beam and an 8’6” draft. Designed by Marine Design, Inc
Cat Covers it All
From Sharks to Tier III Exhibitions are traditional launching points for major equipment makers, and Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is no exception. Last month at the International Workboat Show in New Orleans the ubiquitous marine power company made announcements regarding it progression
ACL to Haul for SeaRiver Maritime
American Commercial Lines Will Transport Petroleum Products by Inland Barge for SeaRiver Maritime Inc. American Commercial Lines (ACL) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with SeaRiver Maritime Inc., a marine affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation
Mississippi River Reopens to Towboat Traffic
The Coast Guard has reopened the Mississippi River for both-way traffic following the oil spill near Vicksburg. The Captain of the Port has reduced the safety zone to one mile centered on either side of the two barges with no passing or overtaking within the zone.
The Mighty Teeny Mississippi
Just as the nation averted the fiscal cliff, it looks as if the inland waterways industries narrowly escaped its own fiscal waterfall. At press time, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicates that, despite record low water levels, the Mississippi River will be able to sustain navigation through
Popular Boat: Popular Engine
On the Mississippi and throughout the U.S. inland waterways, pushboats of about 70 feet and with around 2000 hp are ubiquitous. They can be seen in barge fleeting operations along the riverbanks for pushing one or two 30,000-barrel oil barges