Construction of a new articulated tug and barge has begun for Reinauer Transportation Companies, Staten Island, N.Y. The 124-ft. oceangoing tug and mating 135,000 barrel capacity notched barge are scheduled to enter service along the U.S. eastern seaboard in early December 1999. Atlantic Marine Inc., Jacksonville, is building the tug, which was designed by Robert Hill of Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering, Bellingham, Mass. The vessel's mating 460 ft. double-hull barge was designed by and is being built at Alabama Shipyard, Mobile, Ala., a subsidiary of Atlantic Marine. Tug Nicole Leigh Reinauer will be powered by two Cat 3612s, each rated 4,211 bhp at 1,000 rpm. Two Lufkin 5:1 gears will drive 140-in. dia. Bird-Johnson Workhorse propellers, providing the vessel with approximately 172,000 lbs.