Page 68: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 15, 1969)

Dravo Launches 5,000-HP J. N. Philips-Most Powerful Towboat In Midland Fleet The most powerful river tow-boat in the growing fleet of Mid-land Enterprises, Inc., splashed in-to the Ohio River recently from the marine ways of Dravo Corpo-ration's Neville Island. Pa., ship-yard near Pittsburgh. It is the first of two twin-screw, 5,000-hp vessels being built by Dravo for the Cincinnati-based in-land waterways carrier. The sec-ond boat is scheduled for launch-ing this month. The 166-by-42-by-ll^-foot ves-sel was christened the J.N. Philips. It is powered by two, 16-cylinder, turbocharged, aftercooled diesel en-gines with reverse-reduction gears and clutches. It has Dravo-modified Kort noz-Barge Construction American Bridge Division (U.S. Steel Corp.), Ambridge, Pa., is to build two 1,500-dwt covered hopper barges for Ohio Barge Line, Inc. Designated Hull No. 3610 and 3658, each barge will measure 195 feet by 35 feet by 12 feet. Big River Shipbuilding, Inc., Vicksburg, Miss., is to build five deck cargo barges for the Little Rock, Ark. branch of the Corps of Engineers. Caruthersville Shipyard, Caru-thersville, Mo., was contracted by Federal Barge Lines, Inc., St. Lou-is, Mo., for the construction of five 1,500-dwt covered hopper barges. Designated Hull Nos. 2569 through 2573, each barge will have the fol-lowing dimensions: 200 feet by 35 feet by 12 feet. Equitable Equipment Co., Inc. is to build a 2,000-dwt oil barge for Moore Terminal & Barge Co., Monroe, La. The barge will meas-ure 200 feet long, have a 50-foot beam, and will be 11 feet deep. Houston Contracting Co., Belle Chasse, La., is building a deck car-go barge for its own use. Desig-nated Hull No. 5, it will measure 120 feet long, have a 38-foot beam, will be 7 feet deep and be of 800 dwt. Jeffboat, Inc., Jeffersonville, Ind., was contracted by American Com-zles, propellers, hull form, and steering and flanking rudders, all specially shaped and arranged in accordance with extensive model tank studies to assure high efficien-cy propulsion and maneuverability. Both welded steel boats will be used by Orgulf Transport Com-pany, a subsidiary of Midland En-terprises, for push towing of coal, phosphate and grain on the Missis-sippi River System. Three other towboats?the Elaine G., the Hel-en S. and the Harlee Branch Jr.? were built for Orgulf by Dravo during the past four years. Including its other subsidiary, The Ohio River Company, Midland Enterprises operates a fleet of some 25 towboats and 1,000 barges. mercial Lines, Inc., Jeffersonville, to build six 1,500-dwt tank barges. Designated Hull Nos. 2237 through 2242, each barge will have the fol-lowing dimensions: 195 feet by 35 feet by 12 feet 6 inches. Kelso Marine of Galveston, Tex-as, is to build a bulk cargo barge for Ultramar Chemical Co. Desig-nated Hull No. 35, it will have di-mensions of 430 feet by 80 feet by 29 feet 6 inches, and will be of 8,500 gt and 16,000 dwt. Lone Star Marine Salvage Co., Houston, Texas was awarded a contract by Dow Chemical Co.. Dowell Division, Tulsa, Okla.. for the construction of an 800-dwt deck cargo barge. Designated Hull No. 113, it will have the following di-mensions: 123 feet by 40 feet bv 10 feet. Dravo Names Beer Chief Research And Development Engineer Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., has announced the appoint-ment of William B. Beer as chief research and development engineer in its Eastern Construction Divi-sion. The division engages in a variety of heavy construction projects in-cluding navigation locks and dams, LARGEST VESSEL EVER BUILT IN BALTIMORE?Congratulations are in order as the keel is laid for the largest vessel ever to be built in the Baltimore area. The keel for the 61,000-dwt tanker for Keystone Shipping Co. was laid recently at Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Sparrows Point shipyard. Attending the ceremonies were, from left to right: Lt. Clifford Reeves, USCG, Capt. William A. Thurston, Keystone owner's repre-sentative, Daniel M. Mack-Forlist, general manager of the yard, Tom Brewton, of the American Bureau of Shipping, and S.F. Spencer, assistant to Keystone vice-president. ' 5* L/K'c /A/ - o /v O&CAX, - £L/KZ M? hydroelectric power stations, bridge substructures, docks, tunnels, shafts and mine development. Mr. Beer joined Dravo in 1948 and most recently served as plant and research engineer in Eastern Construction Division. He was graduated from Iowa State College with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. Mr. Beer, a registered profession-al engineer, is a member of the So-ciety of American Institute of Min-ing, Metallurgical & Petroleum En-gineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the So-ciety of American Military Engi-neers. He is also a life member of the Iowa State University Alumni Association, Ames. Iowa. Fraser's Retirement Sparks Personnel Shifts At American Oil George W. Fraser, manager of lake tanker and baige operations for American Oil Co., has retired a'ter 33 years service, the company announced recently. He was suc-ceeded by Joseph W. Windhauser, previously superintendent of ma-rine operations at the company's Whiting, Ind., refinery. Mr. Wind-hauser was replaced by Henry L. Price, previously lake tanker and barge operations coordinator. The company also announced that the headquarters for lake tank-er and barge traffic was moved to Whiting from Chicago. The J.N. Philips, the most powerful towboat in the fleet of Midland Enterprises, Inc. is launched from the Neville Island shipyard of Dravo Corporation near Pittsburgh 72 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News