Earlier this month, Master Marine Inc., Bayou La Batre, Ala., delivered a new 2,000 hp Z-drive towboat to Marquette Transportation Co., for service in Marquette’s Gulf-Inland Division, based in Harahan, La.
The steel-hulled 78’x34’x11’ St. Peter, designed by Frank Basile of Entech & Associates, Houma, La., is the fourth Z-drive vessel to come out of the Master Marine yard. Company president Randy Orr says more are to come, as the company increases its workforce and production capacity to meet growing demand.
The first towboat in this series, the sister ship Kieffer E. Bailey, was delivered to Marquette in June 2014, after Master Marine made major facility improvements to re-enter the towboat market.
The St. Peter is powered by a pair of Thompson Tractor-supplied Caterpillar C32 Tier 3 engines putting out 1,000 hp each at 1,800 rpm, turning ZF Marine AT 511WM-FP Z-drives with 65” propellers in nozzles. The propulsion package yields a running speed of 10 knots with a loaded draft of 8’.
Ship’s service power comes from a pair of Kennedy Engine-supplied John Deere 4045 AFM85 Tier 3 generator engines, driving two 80-kW Marathon Mariner generators. Eastpark Radiator Duraweld radiators provide cooling for all the engines and drives.
On deck, to secure barge tows there are two Patterson 40-ton deck winches supplied by Donovan Marine. Rubber bumper systems are provided by the Schuyler Companies.
New World Electronics provided the electronics suite, with alarms and monitoring systems supplied by Rio Marine. Doors and windows are by Dale’s Welding and Fabrication Service LLC.
Tankage includes 24,000 gals. fuel, 6,550 gals. potable water, and 17,560 gals. ballast water.
