World's Third Largest Boast Hoist Delivered

Ohio Company expands woith world's third largest mobile boat hoist. The Great Lakes Towing Company and Great Lakes Shipyard purchase a Marine Travelift 700C.

 

The Great Lakes Towing Company and Great Lakes Shipyard expanded their marine transportation, construction-repair and marine logistics business with the acquisition of a Marine Travelift 700C mobile boat hoist. The new 770-ton mobile boat hoist is the largest on the Great Lakes and the third largest in the world (next to the Marine Travelift 1000-ton in Norfolk, Virginia and Marine Travelift 800-ton in Singapore).

 

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, The Great Lakes Towing Company is the largest U.S. flag tugboat company on the Great Lakes. Great Lakes Shipyard operates a full-service shipyard located on the Cuyahoga River. The company specializes in all types of marine repair services for vessels, tugs, supply boats, ferries, barges, excursion vessels, dinner boats, government vessels, large yachts, and off-site topside work of every kind.

 

The 770-ton Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist will allow simultaneous new construction and repair of multiple boats and barges to permit the expansion of Great Lakes Shipyard’s vessel repair and marina service capabilities. “We found ourselves limited in production capabilities while wanting to take the next step. We did not want to be restricted to working on one vessel at a time with our dry-dock, while potentially postponing or turning away work as a result,” said Joseph P. Starck, Jr., president and director of The Great Lakes Towing Company and Great Lakes Shipyard.

 

The new mobile boat hoist can accommodate the synchronized repair and construction of 10 or more boats at a time including US Coast Guard, US Geological Survey and other government vessels, tugs, barges, workboats and yachts. This will allow Great Lakes Shipyard to handle emergency response repairs and make it possible for long-term projects to stay dry-docked without causing scheduling conflicts.

 

“This strengthens our position as the go-to yard for high quality, timely and cost effective work,” said Starck. The new Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist doubles the lifting capacity of the on-site existing dry-dock and also accommodates wider and longer vessels for repair. Previously, the Shipyard was restricted to a maximum beam of 36 to 40-feet inside the wing walls of the dry-dock; the mobile boat hoist increased the beam limitation to 54-feet.

 

Marine Travelift fit the 700C mobile boat hoist with its patented all-wheel electronic steering enabling each wheel to steer independently. The increased maneuverability allows Great Lakes Shipyard to maximize the full potential of their facility and utilize every square inch of yard space possible. “The mobile boat hoist allows for transportation of vessels to the land for work.  In this regard, especially with our location on the Great Lakes and hindrance of winter weather, the Marine Travelift provides us with much more versatility,” added Starck.

 

The Marine Travelift 700C mobile boat hoist was shipped to Cleveland on 25 trucks and assembled on-site by shipyard personnel with Marine Travelift providing supervision and training. The delivery and assembly of the 770-ton mobile boat hoist completes Phase III of the Shipyard’s four phase expansion project. “We are currently in the last phase of our expansion project.  The new covered facility will be so large that the mobile boat hoist will be able to enter the building with the vessel in the sling and accommodate about 6-8 or more vessels of every sort at one time,” said Starck. “In order to set ourselves apart in the industry, we had to enable year round construction and increase concurrent projects.”