Page 58: of Marine News Magazine (November 2021)

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TOP BOATS 2021

C&C Marine and Repair

BOWLING

GREEN

A HIGH-POWER, TRIPLE-SCREW TOWBOAT vice power is provided by three Cummins QSM11-DM, 275 kW generators, and the conventional steering system

HPU was provided by EMI Marine. The towboat is out- ? tted with three 100” diameter stainless-steel ? xed pitch

Belle Chasse, La. shipbuilder C&C Marine and Repair propellers, provided by Sound Propeller Systems, Inc, and this summer delivered the new towboat Bowling Green to features double steering rudder system. The accommoda-

Kirby Inland Marine, L.P. The newbuild—the second in a tions include a total of 12 beds (11 crew, plus one guest), three-boat series for Kirby, delivered six months after the and the vessel’s design includes a ? oating, spring mounted ? rst vessel Scarlett Rose Furlong —will operate it under a superstructure for additional crew comfort. long-term lease from Hines Furlong Line. “We wanted the durability of a conventional vessel with

The 6,600-horsepower triple-screw towboat measures both stellar northbound and southbound performance,” 170 feet by 50 feet with the pilot house eyeline measuring Hines Furlong Line president Kent Furlong told Marine at 39 feet, three inches. Designed by CT Marine based in News. “At the same time, we fully acknowledge the supe-

Portland, Maine, the vessel is powered by three Cummins rior maneuverability that Z-drives offer. With all of this in

QSK60-M main engines, provided by Cummins Mid- mind, we are convinced that this conventional, kort noz-

South, that are paired with three Reintjes WAF 1173 H/V zled setup with the double steering rudder arrangement reduction gears, provided by Karl Senner, LLC. The ser- gets us the best of both worlds.”

Cooper/T. Smith

GRETCHEN V.

COOPER

NEW TOWBOAT IS CLEAN AND GREEN

The U.S.’ ? rst linehaul towing vessel powered by Tier 4

Caterpillar high-speed engines with selective catalytic reduc- tion (SCR) was built by Blakeley BoatWorks (BBW) and is now operated by Cooper Marine and Timberlands (CMT). der bearings, and Kemel shaft seals. Gulf Coast Air and

In March 2021, Blakeley BoatWorks completed construc- Hydraulics supplied the steering system for the two 9-inch tion of Gretchen V. Cooper, a state-of-the-art, Tier-4 inland main and four 8-inch ? anking rudders.

linehaul tow boat. This 3,400-horsepower vessel is 110-feet “Our customers expect Blakeley BoatWorks and Cooper long, 33-feet wide and expands CMT’s ? eet to 20 vessels. Marine & Timberlands to drive industry innovation, and

The vessel is powered by two Caterpillar C3512E 3,400 our building and operating one of the industry’s most envi-

HP Tier IV diesel marine engines operating at 1,800 RPM ronmentally friendly towboats marks our unwavering com- and coupled to Twin Disc MGX5600 gears. The engines mitment to always exceed their expectations,” said Angus signi? cantly reduce emissions of particulate matter, or black R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith, parent com- soot and nitrogen oxide, while also saving fuel. Thompson pany to both BBW and CMT, headquartered in the port of

Caterpillar also supplied electrical power with two Cater- Mobile, Ala. “Naming a boat after my wife Gretchen meant pillar C4.4 Tier III generators with RW Fernstrum, Inc. that we couldn’t just settle for building a standard towboat, keel coolers throughout. A pair of Southeastern Propeller and therefore the Gretchen V. Cooper will be one of the four-blade stainless steel propellers provide thrust through most powerful towing vessels operating on the Tennessee- two J & S Machine Works, Inc. 9-inch ABS Grade two Tombigbee Waterway and will lead the way for a new in- propeller shafts with Cutlass shaft bearings, Thordon rud- dustry standard for reduced emissions on towboats.” 58 | MN November 2021