Great Lakes Shipyard has been contracted by New York Power Authority (NYPA) to build and deliver two new tugboats for the authority’s Niagara River Ice Boom Operations in Buffalo, N.Y. The tugs will augment and replace existing vessels in their fleet currently used for the installation, removal and maintenance of the Lake Erie Ice Boom and various associated marine construction projects.
The tugs will be specially reinforced for operations in seasonal ice and employ heavy stems for light ice breaking and shell reinforcement along the ice belt. The design of the conventional drive tugs includes elevated pilothouses for improved visibility when maneuvering as well as a spacious work deck aft to facilitate ice boom connections. The tugs are designed to comply with proposed Subchapter M of Title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations for inspected towing vessels.
Delivery of the first tug is scheduled for September 2015.
The tug construction contract, valued at nearly $5 Million, is the company’s second major order from the authority. In 2010, Great Lakes Shipyard built the agency’s new 80’x34’ Ice Boom Operations Barge, including the supply and installation of a new Terex 80-ton pedestal mounted lattice boom crane.
Like the barge, the naval architecture and marine engineering firm of Bristol Harbor Group, Bristol, R.I., (BHGI) was contracted by NYPA to develop the contract design documents for the vessels and provide consultation during both the bid and construction phases. BHGI assisted NYPA during the bid process, and will be acting as NYPA’s on-site representative during the fabrication process, performing quality assurance and certification functions.
