Towboat fleets modernised in newbuilding bonanza

So far in 2020, around 15 US-based shipyards delivered newbuilding tow and push boats to at least 16 US owners.

Inland waterway operations have also been hampered by hurricanes coming ashore from the US Gulf coast during Q3 2020.

Kirby Corp is a bellwether of the US inland towage market and its president and chief executive David Grzebinski summarises market conditions each quarter. In his last report, Mr Grzebinski said there had been slight recovery after a slump in operations in Q2 2020 that came from “unprecedented declines in demand as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“However, given the risk of future spikes in virus cases and governments issuing new restrictions, the timing and magnitude of a material recovery remains unclear,” he said.

In response, Kirby cut its capital spending by 40% to US$150M for 2020.

“Kirby expects a slow recovery going forward until economic activity rebounds more significantly,” Mr Grzebinski said. He expects Kirby to strengthen the balance sheet, repay debts and to have strong free cash flow in 2020.

Unfortunately, this was not the case for another of the large fleet operators with more than 100 years of history. Bouchard Transportation Co filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October to restructure its debt and operations.

While in Chapter 11, Bouchard said it would continue paying employees, suppliers and other trade vendors and complete operational restructuring initiatives to emerge as a stronger enterprise positioned for long-term operations.

Newbuilding campaigns

Maritime Partners has expanded its fleet with at least three deliveries so far this year. The latest of these arrived in August.

C&C Marine and Repair delivered Brooks M. Hamilton to Maritime Partners from its Belle Chasse, Louisiana, shipyard. This 25.5-m towboat was designed by Entech Design and has two Cummins QSK38-M1 main engines. C&C Marine is building 13 more towboats for Maritime Partners.

The first of this series was delivered to Maritime Partners by C&C Marine in May.

Paula M. Sperry was leased to Centerline Logistics, which was rebranded from Harley Marine Services in February 2020.

John Bludworth Shipyard completed a newbuilding programme for Maritime Partners in May when it delivered Signet Volunteer straight to Signet Maritime. Two other towboats in that multi-vessel order – Signet Freedom and Signet Puritan – are operated by Signet.

The others in this order – Ouizee, Raymond Butler and G. Brooks Sperry are operated by Maritime Partners for third parties. John Bludworth is building two more 33.5-m towboats for Maritime Partners at its Corpus Christi, Texas, shipyard with deliveries scheduled for Q2 2021.

In March, Steiner Construction completed the first of a series of seven towboats it is building for Maritime Partners. Tug Darrell Hiatt was built to a Farrell & Norton design with twin Mitsubishi S12R main engines compliant with EPA Tier 3 standards driving two Sound Propeller units via Twin Disc 5600 reduction gears. The other six towboats are scheduled for delivery later this year and into 2021.

Metal Shark’s shipyard in Bayou LaBatre, Alabama, completed its first steel inland towboat newbuilding in May. It delivered Stephanie Pasentine, a 36.5-m vessel, to owner Florida Marine Transporters.

This is the first of three towboats ordered and follows Metal Shark’s acquisition of financially strained Horizon Shipbuilding in 2018. Metal Shark is also building a 21-m steel Z-drive tugboat for North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Of the independent shipyards, Rodriguez Shipbuilding in Bayou La Batre, Alabama completed towboat Amelia Ray in July. This 20-m twin-screw towboat, built to an Entech design, is operated by L&L Marine. It has a pair of inline six-cylinder Mitsubishi S6R2 engines that turn propellers through Twin Disc MGX5321 reduction gears.

C&C Marine has been the most active shipyard group this year in towboat construction, having also completed Randy Mauer for Marquette in April, on top of the two for Maritime Partners.

Master Marine was also active in 2020, completing Frank Mellor for Osage Marine Services in March, then new towboat, Iron Lady, for Cooper Group subsidiary Plimsoll Marine in September. This 20.4-m vessel was built to Entech design with an 8.5-m beam and draught of just 2.7 m.

“Delivery of Iron Lady marks another milestone in our unrelenting effort to build and maintain our industry’s most modern and capable fleet of push boats,” said Cooper president Angus Cooper III.

Iron Lady is powered by two Mitsubishi 803 HP diesel marine engines, driving two Sound Propeller Services’ four-blade stainless steel propellers through Twin Disc 5321 gears.

Main Iron Works was also an active shipyard, having completed two towboats for NGL Energy Partners’ subsidiary NGL Marine this year. A.M. Raymond was delivered in May and was followed by Kevin Allen in August. Both are powered by a pair of Cummins QSK38M1 main engines, mated to Twin Disc MG5600 reduction gears, to drive five-blade Sound propellers.

Also in August, Serodino Inc delivered Terry D Bangert to Gateway Dredging & Contracting. This has two Cummins QSK-19-M engines turning four-blade Michigan Wheel propellers. Serodino then secured an order for a Super Tiger-class towboat from Tennessee Valley Authority for delivery in Q1 2021.

Also in 2020, Ergon Marine, Canal Barge, Blessey Marine and E-Squared Marine added vessels to their fleets. Vane Brothers and Crowley added articulated tug-barge units in 2020.

Entech was the most active naval architect in 2020 in terms of towboat designs. In propulsion supply, Cummins and Mitsubishi are a dominant pair for main engines, Sound is a key provider of propellers, John Deere supplied generator sets and Twin Disc provided the most reduction gears.