Chris Roehrig News

Atlantic Dry Dock Corp. (Atlantic), in Jacksonville, Florida, on April 16, 2004 successfully completed a 6-week overhaul on the FRANCIS E. ROEHRIG, a 85 x 24 foot (25.9 x 7.3m) tugboat owned and operated by Roehrig Maritime, Port of New York. Comprehensive refit and repairs included changing out the two Caterpillar D-398 engines with new 3512 Caterpillar engines, a new steering system, overhauling or replacement of shafts, propellers and rudders, installation of Fernstrum keelcoolers, and other general life extension repairs.

What About Cuba? Political allegiance notwithstanding, continuing unrest and war in the energy critical Middle East continues to wreak havoc with world oil prices, with consumers around the world struggling to keep up with fast escalating gasoline prices. While (at press time) the benchmark prices for a barrel of crude have settled just under $40, the situation has spurred new exploration and production ventures, one such speculation in the Gulf of Mexico off of Cuba. According to a recent report in The Economist (June 5, 2004 edition, page 48), Spain's Repsol has moved into position a Deep Water drilling rig off of the country's northwest coast with the intention of drilling two wildcat wells in what could amount to a successful attempt to energize a failing economy.

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.

Haley Marine Gears realizes that quality of product must be complimented with equal service quality to survive in today's ultra-competitive market. The company was recently involved with a job which allowed it to exhibit its prowess on both ends, resulting in a highly satisfied workboat customer in New York. One of CR Harbour Towing & Transportation's (Glen Cove, N.Y.) towboats was recently pulled from service so that it could be re-powered with CAT 3512B marine diesel engines. Chris Roehrig, CR's president, wanted to get the right propulsion gears and have them installed correctly the first time, thus averting more time out of service and lost money.