On Feb. 4, Eastern Shipbuilding Group delivered the 3,000-hp towboat Capt. Troy J. Hotard to Mandeville, La.-based Florida Marine Transporters. The 90'x32'x10' vessel is the 56th inland towboat constructed by Panama City, Fla.-based Eastern for Florida Marine.
The Hotard is one of a series of towboats for Florida Marine that began with a 25-vessel contract with deliveries beginning in 2006. On Jan. 23, 2013, Florida Marine exercised options for up to five additional 90' towboats. The towboats are being constructed from the design furnished by Boston-based Gilbert Associates. In December 2012, the Blake Boyd, the 55th towboat built by Eastern for Florida Marine, was delivered.
These five vessels will be the first in the series with EPA Tier 3 main propulsion engines and generators delivered to Florida Marine. The vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1,500 hp at 1,600 rpm provided by Louisiana Power Systems. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin-Disc MG-5600 with a 6.04:1 reduction supplied by Stewart Supply, Harvey, La. Electrical power is provided by two 99kW John Deere 4045AFM85 99KW Tier 3 generator sets rated at 60 Hz, at 208 VAC provided by Kennedy Engine Company, Biloxi, Miss. The diesel engines comply with the current EPA Tier 3/MARPOL control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.
