Barrel Black Oil News

Bollinger Gulf Repair L.L.C., a Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., shipyard, has completed the retrofit of a Bouchard Coastwise Management Co., tug and barge to an articulated (ATB) unit utilizing the Intercon Coupler System. The 446-foot, 125,000 BBL (barrel) black oil Barge B. No.175 which was renamed Barge B. No.275, was transformed from a single hull to double hull vessel to meet the requirements of OPA ‘90. Her stern was modified with the matching Intercon ladder to accept the bow of the 127-foot tug CAPT. FRED BOUCHARD, which was retrofitted with ram assemblies of the Intercon system.

Bollinger Gulf Repair L.L.C., (BGR), a Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., facility, has completed the retrofit and modifications of a Penn Maritime Inc. oceans tank barge to an OPA ‘90 compliant articulated unit. The 360-foot, 66,500 barrel black oil Barge POTOMAC arrived at Bollinger's New Orleans east facility and began the transformation from a single sided hull to double hull vessel with a new outer skin to meet the requirements of OPA '90. Her stern was modified and outfitted with the Beacon JAK connection system. The barges heating system received additional heating coils and a new 12 million BTU Vapower unit. A ballast system and a twelve-foot bow plug, along with an updated electrical system, were part of the conversions.

In mid-December, Blessey Marine of Harahan, La., took delivery of another new push boat from, the Verret Shipyard at Plaquamine, La., a few miles up river from New Orleans. A sister ship to the Jane Ann Blessey, delivered in February 2001, and the Belth Wilson, delivered in February 2002, the 2,000 hp Randy Martin is 86 x 30 x 10.6-ft. with an eight-ft. operating draft. Mitch Jones, who oversees new construction for Blessey, reports that this is the final boat in the recent build program of the rapidly growing fleet. The Randy Martin brings the company fleet to 32 tow boats and 80 barges. "That boat should be covered by the Home and Garden televison program," says Jones in reference to the superlative finish in the new boat's crew areas.

Construction of Articulated Tug Barge units (ATB) continues to occupy a prominent place in the order books of several shipyards. However the pace of current building and back ordered units is not as high as the 2000-2002 period. "It looks like we are in for a little 'breather' for a while," said Allen Craft, senior vice president of Intercontinental Engineering-Manufacturing Corporation, Kansas City, Mo. The company manufactures Intercon, one of the most popular couplers between the tug and the barge, which makes the ATB concept workable. "Vessel Management Services, a division of Crowley Maritime was a major driving force in this market when they had two different yards each built two ATBs with 9,280 hp tugs and 155,000 barrel barges using our couplers," Craft said.

Blessey Marine Services newest vessel, 78 x 28 x 10.6-ft., M/V Doug Barker moored near the Hilton Hotel at the Foot of New Orleans's historic Poydras Street for a Christening ceremony. Built at the Verrete Shipyard in Plaquemine, La., the new vessel is the first of several to be delivered to the rapidly growing towboat operating company from various yards over the coming months. Doug Barker is powered by a pair of 12-cylinder Cummins KTA38 M2 main engines delivering 1,000 hp each at 1,800 rpm to Reintjes model WAF561 gears with a ratio of 5.947:1 turning seven-in. AS steel shafts and 74 x 58-in. propellers. Electrical needs are met by a pair of Cummins powered 75Kw gen sets.