Delivery: Kosnac Takes June K. from A&B Shipyard

Kosnac Floating Derrick Corp. of Staten Island, NY took delivery of the 2,700 hp June K, the company's first twin-screw tug and its first new build after three generations of Kosnac family management. "We took everything we learned from 75 years of using other peoples' boats in New York waters," said Capt. Fred Kosnac, "and put it into a design specifically adapted to the wide-ranging conditions of New York harbor and the rivers that flow into it."

The 78 x 26 x 10.5-ft. tug, with twin CAT 3512B diesels and a 9-ft. draft, was built by A&B Shipyard, Amelia, La. It is the first of three in Kosnac's current building program. Intended principally for ship handling and assist work, barge towing and dredge assist, the June K's draft is shallow enough to navigate the many creeks and estuaries throughout the Port of New York region. To meet the environmental requirements of waterways further upstate, the tug is fitted with a gray water discharge holding tank. "She can be completely discharge-free wherever required," said Capt. Kosnac.

Characterizing the harbor itself as "the New York wave pool," Capt. Kosnac specified numerous features to help the tug withstand the rough water conditions and the extreme changes in climate characteristic of New York. "We can get a lot of ice here, with floes pouring all the way down from upstate. So we increased the plating from the half-inch of A&B's basic design, to three-quarters from the bow to the engine room. We also increased the depth of the keel, and extended it aft to shoes under the rudder. This protects the gear in shallow water, and still lets you feel what you're doing."

The June K's upper pilothouse, whose maximum eye-height is 28 ft., can be folded aft to clear lower bridges around the Port of New York and further upriver. In its collapsed position, the view is from a 19-foot eye-height.

New York harbor conditions extend to the landside too, as real-estate development drives-out maritime facilities and pressure mounts for drydocking. "We built four lifting pads into the bulwark, so we can be lifted out of the water with a 210-ton crane" said Capt. Kosnac. "This should reduce downtime, because we're less at the mercy of a drydock schedule."

Whereas a stock tug of similar design has a normal capacity of six crew, the June K's is increased to eight for tasks requiring it. "New York can go from the near-arctic to the sub-tropical," said Capt. Kosnac, "so with crew comfort in mind we've added extra insulation against heat and cold, as well as against noise." The June K. is fitted with a 5-ton central air conditioning system.

Kosnac Floating Derrick Corporation was formed in the 1950s. "As changes in the harbor opened new opportunities for tugboat operators, we adapted to the requirements," according to general manager Veronica Kosnac-Marshall. "Since our grandfather started in the late 1920s, the Kosnac family has handled just about everything New York had to offer, from passengers to freight to salvage and towing. Our equipment was always good and our safety record's one of the best in the harbor," Ms. Kosnac-Marshall continued, "and we've achieved it through the use of hand-me-down vessels. This is our first opportunity to take all that experience and channel it into a modern tugboat, and a real New York tug at that."

Intended principally for ship handling and assist work, barge towing and dredge assist, the June K's draft is shallow enough to navigate the many creeks and estuaries throughout the Port of New York region. To meet the environmental requirements of waterways further upstate, the tug is fitted with a gray water discharge holding tank.

To further control discharge, the propellor shaft glands are packed with W.L. GORE & Associates, Inc. GFO® Marine Pack packing material which will leave a nearly dry bilge. "She can be completely discharge-free wherever required," said Capt. Kosnac.