Page 33: of Marine News Magazine (July 2017)

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the stage for more coastwise shipments of product from Philadelphia-area re- ? neries (presently moving inland).

Changes are also coming to the ma- rine fuels markets in 2020, when re? n- ers will likely be producing increased quantities of low sulfur fuel, and trans- porting them to bunkering ports.

But, what about the ATB itself? A talk with the universally recognized authority on ATB design, Bob Hill of

Ocean Tug & Barge, reveals a few im- portant points. First, any fears that the traditional (reduced) manning proto- cols on these vessels might change has been put to rest, especially since the

Coast Guard largely ignored that as- pect of the regulatory picture within their recently released subchapter M towboat rules. That ? nancial advan- tage isn’t going to go away.

Secondly, Hill reports that custom- ers are consistently asking for a faster boat, something that would close any remaining gap between blue water coastwise performance and that which the ATB is capable of providing. When and if that improvement can become reality – and Hill himself says the effort involves more than just adding some zip to the engines – the ATB business model that has, for the last twenty years become a big part of the coastwise land- scape, will only improve with it. And if, as Crowley’s Ara says, the 750’s are the only ATB’s that can today logically compete in the blue water sandbox, then that’s likely about to change as the overall ATB ? eet becomes progressively larger and eventually, faster.

Barry Parker, bdp1

Consulting Ltd provides strategic and tactical support, in- cluding analytics and communications, to businesses across the maritime spec- trum. The company can be found online at www.conconnect.com www.marinelink.com MN 33