Marine Industries Northwest Installs Bowthruster In Freighter

Marine Industries Northwest Incorporated (MINI) recently drydocked the freighter Redfin to install a new bow thruster unit. The 2,800-ton drydock MINI 1, had previously lifted the Redfin's twin sister Yellowfin for a routine drydocking.

Installation of the Michigan bow thruster unit in the Redfin superseded a unit which was removed several months earlier. The new thruster unit shell tunnel was inserted into the hull by MINI and installed to ABS requirements. The thruster unit is powered by an 8-71 Detroit Diesel engine driving through a clutch and universal joint assembly. The MINI machine shop produced custom adapter mounting plates to mate the gear and thruster drive ends which were manufactured to U.S. and metric sizes.

The MINI drydock is 389 feet long by 84 feet and has a clear width of 57 feet between wingwalls. It features a pair of traveling wing wall cranes.

"Our 2,800-ton capacity drydock allows MINI to accommodate larger projects, such as oil rig vessels, spill response vessels, catcher processors, large tugs, mud boat conversions and coastwise freighters," says company president and general manager Don Slater.

Marine Industries Northwest Inc., based in Tacoma, Wash., is a full service shipyard serving the Pacific Northwest for more than 15 years, specializing in the conversion/ repair work of barges, tugs and coastal freighters to ABS and USCG standards. Plant facilities include five acres of harbor waterfront property of which approximately one acre compromises covered fabrication and shop areas, a 2,800-ton drydock, 600-ton marine railway and over 800 feet of pier berthing space.

For more information about the services of Marine Industries Northwest, Circle 21 on Reader Service Card

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