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Tier 3 engines installed on newbuild pushboats, towboats
Louisiana, US shipyards have constructed vessels for pushing and towing barges along US inland waterways with six-cylinder diesel Tier 4-rated engines
Mitsubishi engines have been installed in multiple towboats and pushboats completed by shipyards in the US to manoeuvre barges along inland waterways.
Four-stroke, high-speed diesel engines have been supplied by Laborde Products for these workboats, completed in Q1 2026. Each vessel has twin Mitsubishi six-cylinder S6R2 engines, compliant with US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 emissions standards and rated at 600 kW at 1,400 rpm.
FMT Shipyard & Repair in Harvey, Louisiana, completed two twin-screw pushboats, Deirdre Ann and Beth Williams, for Maritime Partners as part of multi-vessel newbuilding campaign.
Along with two S6R2 engines, Laborde also supplied two generator sets rated at 65 kW to support onboard electrical loads. It worked alongside the shipyard throughout construction, for engine and generator installation, integration and commissioning to ensure the propulsion and electrical systems function together as a complete package.
Maritime Partners director of newbuild programmes, Chris Miller, said Mitsubishi S6R2 packages were selected for the long-term operational needs of pushboats.
“When one of our vessels goes to work, operators need power they can trust,” he said.
“The S6R2 gives us the performance profile we want, and Laborde gives us the local support that keeps downtime to a minimum. That combination lets our customers take delivery of a boat that is ready to work from day one.”
Vessels have similar propulsion and electrical systems, supporting crew familiarisation as they work on different boats across the fleet.
“The goal is that boat crews can run confidently and keep moving,” said Mr Miller. “These builds focus on getting the machinery right so the vessels are set up to do their job without unnecessary complexity.”
Maritime Partners has a fleet of more than 1,900 vessels to support commercial operators across the inland and coastal waterways with pushboats, barges and seagoing vessels. FMT Shipyard launches its newbuilds into the Harvey Canal that links the Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Diversified Marine in Houma, Louisiana, constructed Larry Gravely with a pair of Mitsubishi Tier 3 S6R2 main engines ready to sell to Vulcan Materials, to support its future operations on inland waterways.
The propulsion package was fully co-ordinated with the vessel’s overall design because the engine selection was finalised early in the build process.
Laborde said it co-ordinated with the shipyard during construction, supporting engine installation to keep the propulsion system aligned with the vessel’s intended use.
“Focus on getting the machinery right … without unnecessary complexity”
Diversified Marine owner, Robert Boudreaux, said Larry Gravely was a twin-screw towboat equipped to support aggregate transportation on barges
“It is a working boat, and everything about the build reflects that,” he said. “The goal was a vessel that is reliable, straightforward and ready to stay busy.”
Birmingham, Alabama-headquartered Vulcan Materials transports and supplies aggregates across the US for construction projects and for asphalt production of and ready-mixed concrete.
Mitsubishi S6R2 engines were also installed on several towboats built for Hines Furlong Line by shipyards in Louisiana. Bourg-headquartered Intracoastal Iron Works delivered towboat Oxford as part of an 11-vessel construction programme.
Harvey-based Eymard Marine Construction & Repair built Sun Valley and Sawtooth to an Entech design and with two S6R2 Tier 3 engines and two 65-kW generators for auxiliary power, all supplied by Laborde.
Mitsubishi S6R2 engines have six cylinders in line, a displacement of almost 30 litres, a bore/stroke of 170 mm x 220 mm and a weight of 2,900 kg.
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