American Commercial Lines christened the 2,000-hp 70'×28' towboat American Way on the New Orleans waterfront in May. The American Way, which was delivered in February, was the first of a series of eight 2,000-hp Z-drive towboats being built for ACL at Steiner Shipyard, Bayou La Batre, Ala. The vessels were designed by Travis Carver at Sterling Marine, Gulf Breeze, Fla. Four of the towboats will be 70'×28' fleet boats and the other four are 75'×34' canal boats. The first canal boat, the American Spirit, was delivered in late May. All eight 2,000-hp towboats will be powered by Caterpillar C32 engines driving ZF 5000 Z-drives. The vessels are the first series of new towboats for Jeffersonville, Ind.-based ACL in 25 years. The next fleet boat, the American Dream, is due for delivery on Oct. 31. The canal boat American Hero will follow it on Dec. 31. The fleet boats will be based out of ACL’s Tiger Fleet in Port Allen, La., and the canal boats will operate out of New Orleans and Houston. Steiner also built a series of four 3,800-hp Z-drives for Southern Towing in 2008-2009.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Fla., has delivered the Bravante VII to the Bravante Group in Brazil. The 284'×60'×24'6" diesel-electric PSV was designed by STX Canada Marine and ESG. It is the third of five vessels. Power is provided by four Cummins QSK-60DM Tier 2 engines and Marathon generators. The 4,500-dwt PSVs can carry 442,000 gals. of cargo fuel and 5,030 bbls. of liquid mud, among other cargos. ESG also recently launched the HOS Black Watch, a 302', diesel-electric, Z-drive OSV for Hornbeck Offshore Services, Covington, La.
In late May, VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss., delivered the Denise A. Bouchard to Bouchard Transportation, Melville, N.Y. The 112'×35'×17', 4,000-hp ATB tug is a sister vessel to the Evening Star, which was delivered in October 2012. The new tug is equipped with an Intercon coupler and will be mated with an existing 80,000-bbl. tank barge
Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, Houma, La., recently launched a new OSV — the 272', 3,650-dwt Regulus for GulfMark Offshore. At about the same time, Thoma-Sea also launched the 193' Fugro Americas, an offshore survey vessel, for Fugro Americas. Both vessels were designed by Technology Associates, New Orleans, and are derivatives of TAI’s EnviroMax design, which has been licensed by TAI to Thoma-Sea. Just prior to the two launches, Thoma-Sea delivered the 300'×62', 5,150-dwt Harvey Condor to Harvey Gulf International Marine.
Metairie, La.-based A. K. Suda has designed a 450' truss-legged liftboat for EMAS Offshore in Singapore. Built by Triyards Marine, Saigon Shipyard in Vietnam, Suda officials said the new liftboat is the world’s largest. The molded steel hull dimensions are 197'×177'×20'. The quarters arrangement can accommodate 250 including crew. The liftboat can work in water depths up to 367'.
