Lafarge Dedicates New ATB
Lafarge dedicated a new articulated tug-barge (ATB) on June 5 as the latest addition to its Great Lakes fleet. The Samuel de Champlain tug and Innovation barge were built and are owned by American Transport Leasing Inc., a subsidiary of Lafarge. The new vessel will transport cement and cementitious materials among 17 Lafarge facilities throughout the Great Lakes, including its terminal on the Cleveland waterfront.The articulated design represents a significant advance over conventional tugs and barges. The tug fits into a notch at the stern of the barge, where hydraulic connections allow them to dip and rise independently. The design makes the vessel more maneuverable than conventional tug-barge combinations, especially in adverse weather conditions.
The new combination of the Samuel de Champlain and Innovation forms Lafarge’s second articulated tug-barge. The first, the G.L. Ostrander tug and Integrity barge, went into service in 1996. Other recent improvements in the region’s distribution network include a new state-of-the-art cement terminal in Detroit, an upgrade to its production facilities at its plant in Alpena, MI and added storage capacity at Columbus, OH.