Page 138: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2015)

VESSELS ‘Trash Boats’ Help Keep Waterways Clean

Elastec, a U.S. based manufacturer of pollution control equipment, is produc- ing trash and debris collection boats to assist local governments in meeting

Clean Water Act standards, aid in the reduction of ? oating pollutants in wa- terways and help protect aquatic eco- systems. The trash and debris collection vessel, designed to skim ? oating litter from harbors and waterways, can also be used for various marine maintenance du- ties from its 8- by 11-foot work platform.

Designed to be maneuverable in hard to reach areas, the aluminum boat has an inverted bow to usher ? oating refuse into its 98 cubic feet trash basket.

Marine litter and debris control is an emerging environmental issue as a result ties. The MWRD owns and operates one water runoff can cause the sewer system Elastec and MWRD worked together of the regulation of water pollution under of the world’s largest water reclamation to reach maximum capacity and over- to develop two custom trash and debris the Clean Water Act. Of primary concern plants and treats an average of 1.4 bil- ? ow into the waterways. collection boats. MWRD requested a are municipalities with Combined Sewer lion gallons of wastewater each day. The This is called a Combined Sewer Over- simple design, with few moving parts,

Systems (CSS). The Metropolitan Water MWRD controls 76.1 miles of the Chi- ? ow (CSO). Some of the excess water and easy to operate. The 23-foot MWRD

Reclamation District of Greater Chi- cago Areas Waterways (CAWS), which is stored into the MWRD’s Tunnel and boats, named Skimmy Dipper and Skim cago (MWRD) recently purchased two are part of the inland waterway system Reservoir Plan (TARP) system, but too Pickens, are designed to perform daily

ELASTEC Trash Boats to skim debris connecting the Great Lakes with the much runoff ? nds its way to the CAWS trash skimming near Navy Pier and from the Chicago River. The MWRD is Gulf of Mexico. The MWRD receives – and so does the trash. Floating debris along seven miles of the river.

located primarily within the boundaries ? ow from combined sewer collection such as Styrofoam, plastic bottles and Elastec said similar vessels have been of Cook County, Illinois serving an 883 systems, which means that wastewater cigarette butts create health risks, kill delivered to the cities of Waco and Aus- square mile area which includes the City and stormwater ? ow together in a single marine life and cause ? ooding. tin, Texas’ Watershed Protection Depart- of Chicago and 125 suburban communi- pipe. During heavy rain events, storm- To help keep the Chicago River clean, ments.

www.elastec.com

Eastern Launches Tug for

Suderman & Young

Eastern Shipbuilding Group launched es- cort tug Triton for Suderman & Young Tow- ing Company. Triton (ESG Hull #235) is scheduled to for delivery in Q4 2015, and is the ? rst of a series four Z-Tech 2400 Class

Terminal & Escort Tugs designed by Robert

Allan, LTD. (RAL) and currently under con- struction at Eastern’s Nelson Street facility for Suderman & Young Towing Company.

Eastern is also constructing an identical se- ries of four tugs for Bay Houston Towing

Company. G&H Towing Company is the

Owners’ onsite Representative and Agent during the engineering, construction and de- livery for both Suderman & Young and Bay

Houston. G&H Towing Company will oper- ate the vessels after delivery.

RAL will provide the Z-Tech 2400 Class

Terminal & Escort Tugs design and engineer- ing. G&H Towing’s ? eet currently consists of eight “Z-Tech” tugs in operation. This “Z-

Tech” incorporates the latest technology for escort service and ship assist.

(Photo: Eastern Shipbuilding Group) 138 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • NOVEMBER 2015

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