FMT Options for another Towboat from Eastern

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. announce that Florida Marine Transporters, Inc. of Mandeville, La. exercised another additional 90’x32’x10’ “Canal Class” Inland Towboat to the six-vessel program currently under contract. In September 2014, Florida Marine Transporters, Inc. signed the seventh vessel and this additional towboat brings the total to 62 vessels contracted. Three of the now seven towboats have been delivered to Florida Marine since February 2014. This option vessel will be constructed from a design furnished by Gilbert Associates, Inc. of Boston, Mass.

This series of towboats originally began with a 25-vessel contract with on-time deliveries starting in 2006. According to ESG, it has expanded to become the largest single builder single owner new construction program with the same class towboat design in United States history.

Installed in each new vessel will be Tier 3 main propulsion engines and generators. The vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1,500 HP at 1,600 RPM provided by Louisiana Power Systems. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin-Disc Model MG-5600 with a 6.04:1 reduction supplied by Sewart Supply, Inc. of Harvey, La.

Electrical power is provided by two 99kW John Deere 4045AFM85 99KW Tier 3 generator sets rated for 60 Hz, at 208 VAC provided by Kennedy Engine Company of Biloxi, MS. These diesel engines comply with the current EPA/MARPOL control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.