Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., Panama City, Fla., has delivered the 90'x32'x10' towboats Capt. Ricky Torres and Cullen Pasentine to Florida Marine Transporters, Mandeville, La. Designed by Gilbert Associates Inc., Boston, the boats, which are the 64th and 65th the shipyard has constructed for FMT over the past decade, were built at Eastern’s Allanton facility.

The ongoing order for 90’ towboats originally began with a 25 vessel contract, starting in 2006 and was successfully completed with on-time deliveries. It has expanded to become the largest single owner, single shipbuilder, new construction program with the same class towboat design in U.S. history, Eastern officials said.

Main propulsion for the Capt. Ricky Torres and the Cullen Pasentine comes from twin Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1,500 hp at 1,600 rpm. Louisiana CAT Marine Power Systems, Reserve, La., provided the Cats. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin-Disc MG-5600 with a 6.04:1 reduction supplied by Stewart Supply, Inc., Harvey, La.

Ship’s service power is provided by two 99 kW John Deere 4045AFM85 Tier 3 generator sets rated for 60 Hz, at 208 VAC. Kennedy Engine Co. Biloxi, Ms., provided the Deers, which comply with the current EPA Tier 3/MARPOL control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.

Ken Hocke has been the senior editor of WorkBoat since 1999. He was the associate editor of WorkBoat from 1997 to 1999. Prior to that, he was the editor of the Daily Shipping Guide, a transportation daily in New Orleans. He has written for other publications including The Times-Picayune. He graduated from Louisiana State University with an arts and sciences degree, with a concentration in English, in 1978.