LeBeouf Bros.Towing, Bourg, La., christened the 120'x34'x11' pushboat Capt. Mark Delesdernier Jr. in a ceremony that took place on the New Orleans riverfront on Saturday, June 14. LeBeouf accepted delivery of the vessel from Steiner Construction, Bayou La Batre, Ala., on May 30, 2025.
Designed by Farrell & Norton Naval Architects, Newcastle, Maine, and Fairhaven, Mass., with a 9' draft, the new pushboat’s main propulsion comes from two Cummins QSK-50M diesels, each producing 1,800 hp at 1,800 rpm and connected to 88"x91", 4-bladed Hung Shen wheels in Harrington Marine-designed Kort nozzles through Reintjes WAF773 marine gears with 7:1 reduction ratios. Cummins Midsouth, Kenner, La., supplied the engines, and Karl Senner, also of Kenner, provided the marine gears and Aventics controls. The steering system was supplied by Gulf Coast Air & Hydraulics Inc., Mobile, Ala.
Ship’s service power is the responsibility of twin Cummins QSB7-DM gensets, each sparking 125 kW of electrical power.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Capt. Mark Delesdernier Jr. summed up how he felt about his namesake in one sentence. “This boat beats anything I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Tankage includes 60,000 gals. of fuel; 27,000 gals. fresh water; and 2,600 gals. lube oil.
Though the company was founded in the 1940s, the Gonsoulin family bought it in 1968. Today, Lebeouf Bros. is owned and operated by Richard “Dickie” Gonsoulin and his son, Jon Gonsoulin.
“Being in the boat business is not the easiest choice in the world to make,” said Dickie Gonsoulin. “You got to love it. And we’ve been fortunate.”
Wheelhouse Electronics, Paradis, La., supplied the electronics suite for the new pushboat, which has accommodations for up to eight.
Jon Gonsoulin said marine companies have to be aware of industry changes in order to keep up. He said several years ago he bought six of the Cummins QSK-50-M engines in anticipation of building new in the future, including the Capt. Mark Delesdernier Jr. “I paid $250,000 apiece for them then. Today those engines are valued at about $800,000.”
Dickie Gonsoulin remined everyone that Artificial Intelligence is not a new concept. “It was invented by politicians,” he said.
