TOWBOAT TECH: Tougher, Kinder and more Hospitable
The design challenge for towboats in the new Millennium is they are being called upon to do tougher jobs on the water but at the same time have be more environmentally friendly to the water on which they sail. Also, many of today's towboats are light years ahead of their predecessors of just a few years ago in crew amenities and berthing spaces. "Much of the new technology we are seeing on towboats is because of new IMO, EPA, OSHA and ABS regulations," said Terry Boffone, president of Progressive Barge Line, Westwego, La. Progressive's business is mid-streaming fueling, so careful delivery of the products they carry such as diesel fuel and gasoline from the tank barge to the ship is critical.
Blessy Marine: Building Bigger On The River
While they continue to grow their fleet with the February delivery of a 1,600 hp retractable wheelhouse towboat, Blessy Marine also now have their most powerful tug under construction at Kody Marine. With the conventional shallow water draft of the river wheelhouse towboat, it will have an adjustable air draft. To meet requirements of the Upper Mississippi and other small and bridged rivers where she will work, she was designed by Design Associates of New Orleans, with a telescoping three stage hydraulic ram to lift the wheelhouse from a low position with a clearance over the wheelhouse once the antenna has been retracted, of just 18 ft. Fully extended the top of the wheelhouse has an eye level view of 32 ft.
Shallow Draft Push Boat from Sneed Shipbuilding
Blessey Marine Services, Inc. of Harahan, La. has taken delivery of a 65 x 24-ft. push boat. Built by Sneed Shipbuilding of Orange, Texas, the new boat is powered by a pair of Cummins KTA19M main engines delivering a combined 1,000 hp through Reintjes WAF363L main gears with 6:1 reduction. The props on the new boat, named David F. Stone, are four-blade 64 x 52-in. Michigan Workhorse. The six-in. shafts have Nickel-chrome liners increasing their dimension by .75 in. at the points where they pass through the hull and the stabilizer strut where Thordon bearings have been installed. Electrical power is provided by a 50kW, Stamford Newage generators driven by 6B5.9-D(M) Cummins engines. Cooling for both mains and gen sets is by Fernstrum.
