Robert Gibbs News

“The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today will consider a critical, bipartisan water infrastructure bill that will boost American competitiveness and create middle-class jobs. The legislation contains needed and long overdue reforms to harbor maintenance funding that will result in a substantial increase in investments in our nation’s ports and harbors. If approved by the Committee, it will then be up to the House leadership to bring this jobs creating bill to the floor for a vote and closer to final legislation that meet’s the nation’s needs. “Passage of this bill cannot come soon enough as our nation faces a $2.2 billion backlog in harbor maintenance projects that hampers international commerce and stifles job creation.

Horizon Shipbuilding of Bayou La Batre, Ala., delivered a Cummins-powered Z-drive tug to Dixie Towing of Jacksonville Florida on January 12, 2001. The 70 x 26-ft. boat is powered by a pair of Cummins KTA19 M3 engines rated for 500 hp each at 1,800 rpm. The engines turn Ustein-Aquamaster 370H Z-drives with 52-in.(1321 m/m) propeller diameters. Dixie Towing owner Robert Gibbs explains that the new boat, named M/V Belle Watling, was nearly two years in planning. Working with Jacksonville based naval architect Ed Glowacki, Gibbs settled on an azimuthing stern Z-drive design for its versatility. The original plans for a 24-ft. beam on the hard chine hull was broadened to 26 ft. in order to achieve the nine-foot draft limit of much of the Intercoastal Waterway.

Horizon Shipbuilding of Bayou La Batre, Ala., delivered a Cummins-powered Z-drive tug to Dixie Towing of Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 12, 2001, 30 days ahead of the contractual delivery date. Belle Watling is the first azimuthing tug to be built by Horizon. The 70- x 26-ft. boat is powered by a pair of Cummins KTA19 M3 engines rated for 500 hp each at 1,800 rpm. The engines turn Ulstein-Aquamaster 370H Z-drives with 52-in. propeller diameters. Dixie Towing owner Robert Gibbs explains that the new boat, named M/V Belle Watling, was nearly two years in planning. Glowacki Engineering of Jacksonville, Florida provided the contract design for Dixie Towing. Detail design was completed by Horizon's in-house design staff.