Chem Carriers, Sunshine, La., has completed the repower of the towboat Capt. Robert J. Banta, marking the final vessel in its current fleet to be powered by Laborde Products-supplied Mitsubishi engines. The twin-screw towboat is now running on twin Mitsubishi Tier 3 S12R-Y3MPTAW engines, each delivering 1,260 hp. at 1,600 rpm.
Originally built in 2015 by Main Iron Works, Houma, La., the 78' Capt. Robert J. Banta previously operated with Cummins QSK38 engines. With this repower, Chem Carriers’ entire 15-vessel towboat fleet now runs exclusively on Mitsubishi power.
“Seeing Chem Carriers complete their entire fleet with Mitsubishi engines is a milestone we’re proud to have supported,” Brian Laborde, president and CEO of Laborde Products, said in a statement announcing the completion of the repowering. “For operators like Chem Carriers, moving to a common engine platform is about simplifying operations, crew training, and parts management across every vessel.”
“We’ve seen the reliability from these engines over the years, and bringing the last vessel over to Mitsubishi just makes sense for us,” said Frank Banta Jr., managing-owner at Chem Carriers. “Now our crews, maintenance team, and parts inventory are all on the same page, which makes day-to-day operations that much smoother.”
Chem Carriers has a fleet of 15 towboats, 54 inland tank barges, and a 100-barge capacity fleeting service at mile 207 on the Mississippi River.
