SAAM Towage Taps Markey for Winch Retrofit Project
Markey Machine won a first-ever contract from SAAM Towage to retrofit the controls on a Timberland towing winch aboard the Point Valiant, a tug based in Vancouver, B.C.SAAM first outlined the project to Markey last May, then hired Sentinel Survey, Markey’s after-market service division, to undertake on-site inspection of the winch. Following inspection, Markey offered its Class I winch-control package, and SAAM responded with an order near the end of December. The winch controls package will be provided in mid-2024.“Markey’s achievements in workboat winches are widely known…
Campbell Towboat Repowered With Mitsubishi Engines
Campbell Transportation Company has repowered one of its towboats, the M/V Louise S, as part of an ongoing effort to modernize its fleet and enhance operational efficiency.The vessel, a 150-foot-long triple screw towboat built in 1968, was previously powered by three EMD 12-645 propulsion engines. Its new Tier 3 Mitsubishi S16R-Y3 engines, provided by Laborde Products and each outputting 1,675 horsepower, bring the total vessel power to 5,025 horsepower, significantly enhancing the boat's capability and efficiency.
Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman Secures Dredger Conversion Contract
Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman BV, a subsidiary of The Kooiman Group (www.thekooimangroup.com), has signed a contract to complete a conversion project for the sea going dredger Ostsee. The Ostsee is a trailing suction hopper dredger and member of the fleet of Maritime Construction Services SA of Luxembourg. It was built by the Peene-Werft in 1995. The conversion involves the replacement of the electrical drives of the dredging installation by direct diesel drives. Two jet water pumps with electric motors will be replaced by two new Nijhuis pumps with a higher working pressure.
Laborde Supplies Generators to UK Wind Farm
Laborde Products recently completed refurbishing and testing of three diesel generator sets for a wind farm in the United Kingdom. According to Joe Manning, manager of Laborde's Channelview operations, these units will provide backup to the wind turbines when the prevailing wind is low. Mitsubishi S16R large bore diesel engines power the generators. Seven total units are involved in the project, each rated from 1,400kW to 2 MW. Because of Laborde's extensive experience with Mitsubishi diesel engines, these units were shipped to their Channelview facility from a project in California where they were operating on biogas. The scope of Laborde's work includes converting the generators from biogas to #2 diesel fuel…
Laborde Powers Smith Maritime
Smith Maritime was contracted by a Nigerian company to deliver a 200' lift boat for oil field maintenance. Smith Maritime selected the 5,000 hp tug Rhea and 400' barge Atlanta Bridge for the voyage. The barge was equipped with pumps to allow for controlled sinking and recovery in order to float the lift boat on and off. But they ran into a hitch. Shortly before departing, Smith Maritime discovered the African port was unable to furnish power for the pumps. Within hours Smith Maritime received delivery of a 60 kW Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT, formerly Iveco) diesel generator from Laborde.
Mitsubishi Makes Smith Maritime Tug Move
For over 20 years, the Elsbeth II, a 110-ft. Smith Maritime tugboat, has done extensive deep sea towing and delivered military vessels around the world. When it came time for Smith Maritime owner Captain Latham Smith to replace one of Elsbeth II's three engines, he relied on a Gulf Coast distributor for help. Laborde provided the perfect fit for Elsbeth II - a Mitsubishi heavy-duty marine engine. "My new Mitsubishi engine performance far exceeds my expectations," said Capt. Smith. A 6,000 hp ocean tug with a shallow draft and triple screws, the Elsbeth II needed the Mitsubishi S16R-Y1MPTA engine from Laborde to complement its heavy-duty design and operations. At 1,600 rpm, the engine provides 1,568 hp. "I love Mitsubishi's simple design and power," said Smith.
Not Dead in the Water
While Z-Drive can still be considered a "revolutionary" design trait of today's tugboats, engineers aren't resting on their laurels. New technical standards being introduced are testimony to designers' creativity and imagination; and the functionality is improved, as well. The use of tugs with either Z-drive or VSP propulsion have led to much faster, safer and more efficient ship-assist operations, without fail, says Robert Allan, of the marine engineering firm, Robert Allan Ltd. In fact, he adds, some tug companies with Z-drive tugs have had insurance premiums lowered because of the reduced risk of them damaging an attended ship with better tugs. But in no way have tugs evolved to their highest achievable level. The birth of such innovative designs was not unexpected, says Allan.
ECTUG Adds To Halifax Fleet
Eastern Canada Towing Ltd. (ECTUG) has purchased a newly-built azimuthing stern drive (ASD) harbor tug at a cost of $3.7 million. Named Point Valiant and handed over to ECTUG in December 1998, she has a bollard pull of 45 tons and will be based in the Port of Halifax. Point Valiant replaces a much smaller tug, the 1962-built 24-ton bollard pull single screw Point Vigour. Point Valiant is the second of two identical tugs built by Ocean Industries Inc. of Quebec, the first of which is now operating in the Port of Montreal. The new tug is powered by twin 2,038-bhp Mitsubishi S16R-MPTA main engines driving Niigata ZP-21 (Z-drive) propellers.
