Page 26: of Marine News Magazine (May 2020)

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WHAT’S IN YOUR WORKBOAT?

Canal Barge Adds High-HP

Towboat Built by Conrad

By Eric Haun onrad Shipyard in April delivered the 6,000-horse- erences and culture, these new assets will integrate well into power towboat, H. Merritt “Heavy” Lane, Jr., to Ca- the system,” Lane said.

C nal Barge Company (CBC). Built at Conrad’s Amelia, “We are excited to bring online this new state-of-the-art tow-

La. shipyard, the Subchapter M-compliant vessel measures ing vessel, which is the ?rst 6,000-horsepower EMD of its kind 166 feet by 49 by 12 and is powered by EPA Tier IV-compli- on the inland waterways,” H. Merritt Lane, III, President and ant Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) engines. CEO of Canal Barge Company, said in a statement. “The Heavy “We believe that the Heavy is the ?rst high-horsepower Lane will clearly be the ?agship of our growing towboat ?eet.” boat on the U.S. Inland Waterways to utilize an EPA Tier The inland towboat H. Merritt “Heavy” Lane, Jr. will work

IV engine package,” said David M. Lane, CBC’s Senior Vice the Lower Mississippi River system primarily, and has the

President of Marketing, adding that the need to add high- ?exibility and versatility to move liquid and dry cargos ac- horsepower tonnage was a driver behind ordering the new- cording to business need, David Lane said.

build. “There are a limited number of higher-horsepower According to the shipbuilder, the vessel design is based on a inland towboats of a young enough age that are available for proven concept that has been enhanced to modern standards acquisition, so in this case we believe that there was a strong through advanced engineering analysis targeting improved ef- business case to build new for the future.” ?ciency, crew accommodations and noise reduction.

“We are always on the lookout to add well-conditioned boats Designed by naval architects MiNO Marine, the Heavy to our ?eet and, where those are unavailable, build new equip- Lane has a unique hull form to ensure adequate water ?ow to ment according to our anticipated future needs,” Lane said. the propellers in all operating conditions. The design allows

In fact, in addition to Heavy Lane, Canal Barge also has the transfer of full power through the propellers, minimizing two Farrell & Norton design 4,400-horsepower towboats on propeller vibrations transferred to the hull due to unsteady wa- order/under construction at present at Steiner Construction ter ?ow. The design also reduces the potential for ?ow-induced in Bayou La Batre, Ala. vibration, ensuring greater crew comfort and reduced noise.

“These new construction projects represent the ?rst upriver For even greater crew comfort, the superstructure is divided line haul service towboats to be constructed by CBC in several into two sections, one ?oating and one ?xed, and all living years. With measured planning and adaptation of CBC’s pref- accommodations are located in the ?oating section which sits atop air bellow vibration isolators designed to minimize noise and vibration transmission from the operating machinery.

Floating ?oors in the joiner work reduce vibration as well.

Robert A. Sampey II, Conrad’s Vice President Business De- velopment, said Conrad has previously built several barges for

CBC, but the new towboat is the ?rst powered vessel it has delivered for the operator.

Sampey said the inland vessel market remains a point of focus for Conrad as evolving customer needs, Subchapter M and EPA Tier IV requirements drive design changes. “With our in-house engineering staff, and our strategic partnerships with engineering ?rms we believe we are well positioned to support our customer’s needs,” he said.

Conrad is currently building another 6,000-horsepower towboat for another customer to be delivered toward the end of the year.

Conrad Shipyard

May 2020 26 MN