Florida Marine Transporters and Parker Towing Co have both added an inland towage vessel to meet rising demand for US waterway transportation
Florida Marine Transporters (FMT) has started operating towboat Gianna Hull after it was delivered by a Metal Shark shipyard.
The 36.5-m vessel was built in Alabama, at a shipyard previously operated by Horizon Shipbuilding, to a design by John W Gilbert Associates and US Coast Guard’s Subchapter M requirements.
Two Caterpillar marine diesel engines deliver more than 1,500 kW of power and turn stainless steel propellers through Twin Disc reverse reduction gears with a 6.56:1 ratio.
Gianna Hull is the third tug delivered to FMT by Metal Shark. It was handed over to the new owners on the three-year anniversary of Metal Shark Alabama.
“Over the past three years we have seen our Alabama yard flourish with a succession of impressive newbuilds and growing activity in the refit, repair and conversion business,” said Metal Shark chief executive Chris Allard. “We are also taking on increasingly complex hull lengthening and vessel conversion projects.”
Metal Shark Alabama vice president Doug Barrow said there were challenges in producing this third towboat for FMT. “The Covid pandemic posed some challenges, but we were able to keep our projects moving forward by working together,” said Mr Barrow.
“With the deep mutual respect and understanding we forged between our team and FMT’s representatives through our close co-operation and continual process improvement, we were able to show an increase in efficiency with each consecutive build.”
Parker Towing Co also took delivery of a new towboat in June. Olive Parker is the first vessel Louisiana-headquartered C&C Marine and Repair has built for the Alabama-based owner.
This was constructed to naval architecture produced in a collaboration between CT Marine and Parker Towing. Olive Parker has 3,290 kW of power coming from two Caterpillar 3516B main engines driving stainless-steel, fixed-pitch Sound Propeller Systems’ propellers through two Reintjes WAF 873 HL-HR reduction gears supplied by Karl Senner.
This 45-m towboat has two Nabrico 60-tonne winches and Schoellhorn-Albrecht capstan on its deck and two John Deere 6068 AFM 85 generators, producing up to 150 kW of electrical power.
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