HUDSHIP Reenters Towboat Market With Delivery Of 'Belgian'

Wendle Huddleston of Morgan City, La., announced that his Pascagoula, Miss., company, Hudson Shipbuilders, Inc. (HUDSHIP), has marked its reentry into the towboat market with the recent delivery of the 70-foot towboat Belgian to Spanier Marine of New Orleans. Belgian was christened at the George Engine Company in Harvey, La., by Mrs. Nancy Gisclair, wife of Capt. Larry Gisclair.

The new vessel is HUDSHIP's standard 70-foot towboat design and represents the yard's continued diversification in the everchanging marine industry. Belgian is powered by twin GM Detroit Diesel 16V92NA engines each rated 600 bhp at 1,800 rpm, with Twin Disc 540, 7:1 gears.

Auxiliary power is provided by two 50-kw Delco generators powered by GM Detroit Diesel 4-71 engines. The towboat is also equipped with two 40-ton Nabrico barge winches, Johnson Cutless bearings, Columbian Bronze propellers, Barnes pumps, Kobelt engine controls, Skipper steering system, Ingersoll-Rand air compressors, Carisle & Finch searchlights, and Kahlenberg air horn.

The pilothouse has full allaround visibility and a 27y2-foot eye level. She houses an assortment of electronics equipment, including one Si-Tex Radar Model 22, two Modar 55-75 VHF radios, and one Lowrance Public Address System. Electronics was installed by Joe Guillory Electronics of Harvey.

The Belgian will work out of New Orleans and will service the Mississippi River and the intercoastal waterways. She is the second vessel HUDSHIP has delivered to Spanier Marine; the first vessel, the Clydesdale was delivered in January 1979.

Mr. Huddleston, president of HUDSHIP, is also chief executive officer for several companies in the Morgan City and Lafayette areas, including Port Hardware, Inc., Oilfield Warehouse & Specialities, Inc., Hudson Marine, Inc., and Vic's Shipyard, Inc.

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