Harley Marine Services has unveiled the names of two articulated tug-barge (ATB) units that are currently under construction at Portland, Ore.-based Gunderson Marine and Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, La., respectively. The steel ATBs include two 116'x36'x16'9" tugs being built at Conrad and two 83,000-bbl., 430'x76'x27' barges underway at Gunderson. The tugs will be mated to the barges by Articouple FRC55 pin connections. Elliott Bay Design Group handled the design of the barges and Entech Designs LLC designed the tugs.

A Harley Marine Services rendering of the barge One Dream.

A Harley Marine Services rendering of the barge One Dream.

The first ATB unit will be named the One Cure tug and One Dream barge. With the names, Harley Franco, HMS’s chairman and CEO, is honoring his lifelong friends, Larry and Sherry Benaroya, of the Benaroya Research Foundation, for the work they have done fighting diabetes in the Pacific Northwest. Harley Marine has been a longtime supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in their effort to fight Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

The tugs will be equipped with two GE 6L250, Tier 4 propulsion engines, producing a total of approximately 4,560 hp at 900 rpm. The engines will reduce NOx and particulate matter and reinforce Harley Marine's commitment to being an environmentally responsible leader within the maritime industry. The mains will connect to 93"x116", 4-bladed, stainless steel wheels through Reintjes WAF 1963 marine gears with 4.467:1 reduction ratios.

One Cure, and the second tug, Todd E. Prophet, will have 17' drafts, 51' 6" heights of eye, 72' air drafts and capacities that include 100,000 gals. of fuel; 7,390 gals. water; 666 gals. lube oil; 309 gals. hydraulic oil; and 357 gals. gear oil.

Ship’s service power will come from twin John Deere 6068TFM gensets, sparking 99 kW of electricity each. The vessels will each be equipped with a Markey tow winch and bow and stern fendering, and a Markey CEW-60 electric capstan.

The second ATB unit will be named with a nod to HMS’ corporate culture. The tugboat Todd E. Prophet will be paired with barge All Aboard For A Cure.

Todd Prophet, senior vice president and chief financial officer of HMS, has been with the company for 19 years. He has spearheaded financing and capital structures to allow for Harley Marine's steady growth, expansion and construction projects. While Prophet has battled lung cancer and has fought hard to overcome it, he has continued to work diligently for HMS and steps up for a variety of the company's many philanthropic pursuits.

The companion barge, All Aboard For A Cure, speaks to HMS's mission to give back to the community. Whether fighting to end cancer, cystic fibrosis or diabetes, the company is compelled to make a difference by supporting charities in their efforts to fund research, an HMS release said. Harley Marine's company slogan "Cruisin' For a Cure," dating back to the company's infancy, will remain until a vessel can proudly be named Cure Found.

The ATB barges’ state-of-the-art nitrogen gas generators will inject nitrogen into all cargo compartments maintaining an inert or "oxygen deficient" environment which exponentially increases the safety of the barge. The system adds another vital level of protection to the transportation and handling of the customers petroleum products. The tank barges feature twin IMD-413IC-800JD pumps that will be powered by Detroit Diesel pump engines and twin John Deere 99kW, 3-phase, Tier III auxiliary engines.

Deck machinery will include an Alaska Marine MCF 15-75 hose crane, four Nabrico double-drum mooring winches with cat heads; 10,000-gal. slop tank; twin 12,000-btu vapor hot oil heaters; and Maritime Protection nitrogen gas generator.

The Articouple pin connections create one unit which functions like a tanker ensuring more stability under tow. The vessels will exceed all regulatory, internal, and customers' expectations, according to HMS.

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.