New Debis Clearing Vessel Design

Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA) completed its contract from the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to design and supervise the construction of a 32-ft. barge that will remove debris from the Blanco and Guadalupe rivers and their tributaries as they flow through south and southeast Texas.

After establishing the capabilities that would be required to operate in this specialized environment, ACMA developed the conceptual design, recommended equipment and propulsion systems, developed bid specifications, distributed specifications to shipyards for bids, evaluated bid packages, oversaw construction and provided owner’s representation throughout the project. “Although this was basically a ‘soup to nuts’ assignment,” said ACMA President, Scott McClure, “I’m not aware of any other vessel quite like this one. Of course, the ACMA team always enjoys a new and challenging assignment and given our extensive analytical and shipyard experience, this is exactly the kind of assignment we specialize in.”

Dubbed MISS GUADALUPE II, the GBRA’s newest vessel meets the challenge of operating in very shallow water, while still maintaining its ability to fit under low-level bridges along the waterways. To accommodate a drive-on frontloader that’s positioned on the deck to remove different types of debris from the rivers, the craft’s beam has been specifically designed to create a very stable environment. And, with its Thrustmaster hydraulic thrusters, the vessel is highly maneuverable. This innovative vessel also has the advantage of being small enough to be truckable to any number of marine locations.

The MISS GUADALUPE II was fabricated and constructed at Bollinger Houston L.L.C., a subsidiary of Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. “This was a great project for our Houston yard,” said Robert Socha, executive vice president marketing and sales of Bollinger. “The facility is noted for its inland and offshore vessel services and this project provided the industry with another example of our Houston yard’s many marine talents.”