Jensen Maritime, Seattle, was recently selected to provide the American Bureau of Shipping Class and functional designs for a pair of 120’x35’ twin-screw, 4,494 hp tugboats that Ice Floe LLC (doing business as Nichols Brothers Boat Builders), Freeland, Wash., will build for Kirby Offshore Marine LLC towing operations.
Jensen, the naval architecture and marine engineering company owned by Crowley Maritime Corp., “will imbed a full-time Jensen designer in the shipyard for the duration of this project to help with system design and to ensure that the tugboats are built to exacting specifications.” said Johan Sperling, Jensen’s vice president.
Propulsion will come from two Caterpillar 3516C egines each rated for 2,447 hp at 1600 rpm. Reintjes reduction gears will turn two NautiCAN fixed-pitch propellers in fixed nozzles. For ship’s power each vessel will have two C7.1 Caterpillar generators. On deck will be one TESD-34 Markey tow winch, a CEW-60 Markey electric capstan, and one Smith Berger tow pin.
Keels will be laid for both vessels this fall, with deliveries scheduled for May and November 2017.
