Page 45: of Marine News Magazine (April 2019)

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ATB REVIEW “By using the same Intercon system on the various size ATBs in our f eet; we have the f exibility to change tugs in the event of unplanned shipyard maintenance or other issues that may arise. However, we dry dock the ATBs together (both the tugs and barges) for planned/routine maintenance.” – Bouchard Transportation Co.

President and CEO, Morton S. Bouchard III

ATB Coupler Systems in Use (Feb. 2017)

OEM / Type Number

Intercon 100

JAK 37

Bludworth 23

Articouple 9

Artubar 4

Unknown 2

Major ATB Operators (source MARAD)

U.S. Flag Operator Number of ATB’s

Bouchard 21

Crowley 12

K-Sea 11

Kirby 22

Moran 10

OSG 10

Penn Maritime 12

Reinauer 20

All Others 57 industry-wide acceptance of a concept, then Bouchard B. No. 230 & B. No. 240. I returned to New York and

Transportation was also one of the ? rst ? rms to fully em- met with my father, Morton S. Bouchard Jr., who was up- brace the concept. That sort of early adoption is anything set we did not pursue this system for the B. No. 230 & but common on the domestic waterfront. At the same B. No. 240. We then agreed that moving forward all new time, it has long been a hallmark of the Bouchard brand. Bouchard barges would be ATBs equipped with Intercon.”

In the early 1990’s, Bouchard was the ? rst company to In 1997, ATB unit Danielle M. Bouchard & B. No. 245 build double hulls. But, Morton Bouchard III did not yet was built, and Bouchard was yet again, the ? rst in the 1990’s know of the Intercon Coupler System. While attending to introduce the Intercon system. In fact, the Danielle M. the American Petroleum Institute Conference in Chicago, Bouchard was Bouchard’s ? rst 10,000hp ATB tug and the a series of meetings piqued his interest. Referencing that B. No. 245 was Bouchard’s ? rst 250,000 barrel barge. This

API conference, Bouchard told MarineNews, “I learned unit was the ? rst of its kind ever built in the industry. It about the Intercon system and was interested in under- also began a love affair with the ATB that continues to this standing why Bouchard did not install this system on the day. In a fragmented and wide ranging market, Bouchard 45 www.marinelink.com MN