March 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

Tidewater Christens M / V Reeves Tide— Halter-Built Oil Field Service Vessel

The traditional bottle of champagne was recently crashed against the bow of the M/V Reeves Tide, the newest addition to Tidewater Marine Service's fleet of oil field service vessels, in christening ceremonies held at the Poydras Street Wharf, New Orleans, La.

P e r f o r m i n g the honors and serving as sponsor for the new 194-foot towing-supply vessel was Miss Margery M. Wetzel, a native New Orleanian who for the last 14 years has been the executive secretary to John P. Laborde, chairman and president of Tidewater.

Gifts were presented to Miss Wetzel by Mr. Laborde, representing the owners, and by Harold P. Halter, representing Halter Marine Services, Inc., the builders of the $3-million vessel.

Approximately 250 persons assembled near the river's edge to witness the event. J.H. Gibbens, vice president of Texaco Inc., addressed the gathering as guest speaker on the program which also included an address by Mr.

Laborde. At the conclusion of ceremonies, guests were invited to inspect the vessel and were entertained at a reception which followed at the Plimsoll Club.

The Reeves Tide was named in honor of David (Pancho) Reeves, who joined Tidewater in 1960 as an engineer aboard the company's vessels working out of Morgan City, La. He has been employed by the company since that time and is presently port engineer for the company in Vitoria, Brazil.

The Reeves Tide is the eighth of nine vessels in a new 194-foot towing-supply class first introduced by Tidewater Marine a year ago last December. It is powered by two General Motors EMD 16-645-E7 diesel engines. It is part of an extensive vessel construction program in which 13 U.S.-flag vessels are being added to the fleet over a 12-month period ending this month, at a cost of approximately $41.7 million.

Tidewater Marine's fleet of approximately 385 vessels operates in all major offshore oil and gas areas of the world. Based on book value, this fleet is approximately 62 percent under U.S. flag and 38 percent under foreign flag.

Tidewater Marine Service, Inc.

also is engaged in providing air and natural gas compression services and equipment, owns oil and gas production in Indonesia, modest production in Louisiana, has prospects for entering into the domestic oil and gas business on a larger scale with the announced intention to acquire Hilliard Oil & Gas of Menlo Park, Calif, and owns a Bermuda-based insurance company writing aviation, marine, property and casualty insurance in addition to being the primary insurer of the Tidewater fleet.

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