Page 64: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2014)

GERMANYSouthern Towing: Z-Drive Pioneer M/V Frank T. Stegbauer Built: 2008Length: 120 ft.Z-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200M/V David Stegbauer Built: 2008Length: 120ftZ-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200M/V Scott Stegbauer Built: 2009Length: 120 ft.Z-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200M/V Arne Christiansen Built: 2009Length: 120 ft.Z-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200M/V Capt. H R Kirtley Built: 2013Length: 120ft. Z-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200M/V Capt. Tommy Parish Built: 2013Length: 120 ft. Z-Drive: 6111 Model ZF Horsepower: 3200Southern Towing Company, head- quartered in Memphis, Tenn., is one of the nation?s largest trans- porters of fertilizer and other products along the nation?s inland waterways. For more than 50 years, it has operated the largest ß eet of anhydrous ammonia barges in the U.S. As ZF Marine will at- test, the company prides itself on build-ing and running a cutting edge ß eet, including its fuel efÞ cient and environ- mentally friendly Z-Drive tug boats.While it certainly was not the Þ rst to ever install Z-Drives on towing vessels, it was an early and fervent supporter of the technology. ?What you need is someone who is a believer and is will-ing to take the risk,? said Frank van der Vegt, Sales Manager, Commercial Craft Thruster Systems, ZF Marine Krimpen B.V. ?Our believer was Southern Tow- ing Company.? ?It?s very much an industry where everyone waits for the Þ rst guy to do it, and everyone watches. And I think you?re seeing that on the inland wa-terway market with some of the big companies that can absorb a Þ rst vessel project like this to test the technology. These big companies build one or two boats and get them in revenue service and compare them apples to apples. The smaller companies really watch for the results.?Beginning in 2008, Southern Towing unveiled four new Z-Drive boats that were to deliver unrivaled maneuverabil-ity on challenging inland waterways, as well as fuel efÞ ciency in the face of rap- idly rising fuel costs. Southern Towing vessels with ZF Marine Z-Drives in-clude the vessels listed to the right:64 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News ? AUGUST 2014 MR #8 (64-73).indd 64MR #8 (64-73).indd 648/7/2014 3:54:47 PM8/7/2014 3:54:47 PM