High-Spec Engines for OSG ATB Barge
The newest articulated barge Gunderson Marine is building for Overseas Shipholding Group will be the first in the world to be dual certified as meeting EPA Tier 3 and IMO III emission standards. The barge is reaching this monumental milestone because of the Volvo Penta engines Gunderson and Pacific Power Group recommended for auxiliary engines that power the cargo pumps and the ship’s service generator sets.The 575-foot-long barge will be flagged as a U.S. vessel and will operate in both U.S. and international waters, which requires the engines meet the stringent emission standards.
MN 100: Patterson Manufacturing
President & CEO: David B. The Patterson Manufacturing Company began operations in 1858 on the banks of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh. In the 1950s, they began designing and manufacturing towboat and barge winches, something which the firm is now best known for. In the beginning, Patterson made just a few sizes of winches, but now offers winches with capacities from 20 tons to 90 tons and in three operating formats: manual, electrical, and hydraulic. Over the years, Patterson has improved the winch by listening to the needs of the end user.
Winch Safety through Standardization
For decades, barge owners and operators had no reason to think twice about their rigging. There were only a few choices when it came to winches, and there were ratchets as well. Because of the simplicity of these machines, few people in the industry were compelled to think critically about how such a basic item might be improved. But winches and ratchets have their downsides: fouling and birdnesting can and do happen. Wire rope is heavy, and traditional rigging takes a lot of it. And old-fashioned winches require a good amount of time and effort to operate. But what else was there?
