ACBL To Build 11,000 Hp. Towboat At C&C Marine & Repair
American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL), Jeffersonville, Ind., on March 14 announced a contract with C&C Marine & Repair of Belle Chasse, La., to construct an 11,000 hp. towboat.
“We are investing in our future by building on the strength of our industry-leading mainline operations,” said Mike Ellis, ACBL CEO. “The addition of this new towboat is an example of our continuous efforts to modernize ACBL’s fleet and offer more innovative marine transportation solutions to our customers.
“Not only is this boat high-powered and highly capable, but it will also feature all the latest innovations in technology, crew comfort, safety and efficiency.”
Upon delivery, the vessel will operate on ACBL’s mainline network pushing up to 56 barges, averaging approximately 75,000 tons of cargo.
Designed by Portland, Maine-based CT Marine, the twin-screw towboat will measure 198 by 50 by 12 feet, with a 47-foot pilothouse eye level.
“When comparing this 11,000 hp. class towboat to smaller 6,000 hp. class towboats frequently used for mainline operations, this larger horsepower vessel will increase efficiency by 20 percent or more on both a cost per ton mile and CO2 emission per ton mile basis due to the increase in tow size and tonnage capacity,” said Patrick Sutton, ACBL chief operating officer. “Our investment in this new towboat not only benefits our customers but also reflects our commitment to promoting a more sustainable and low-carbon future for our marine supply chain.”
“This vessel is the first of several that we hope to construct, as there is a need for vessels with this kind of horsepower in the market,” said Tony Cibilich, president of C&C Marine & Repair. “We are proud to lead this project and know that it will contribute greatly to both ACBL’s customers and the capacity of the inland shipping industry once in operation. We are wrapping up detailed design and are expected to commence construction later this year with an estimated delivery date of third quarter 2024.”
The design includes two Caterpillar C280-12 main engines producing approximately 11,000 hp., provided by Louisiana CAT, paired with two Reintjes WAF 6755 reduction gears provided by Karl Senner LLC. Generator power will be supplied by three Caterpillar 275 kW generators. The towboat will be outfitted with CT Marine CT28-SL nozzles housing 124-inch diameter stainless-steel, five-blade fixed-pitch propellers and will feature Twin-DIFF flanking & steering rudder systems.
The vessel can accommodate a crew of up to 12, and the design incorporates a floating, spring-mounted superstructure for additional crew comfort.
Caption for photo: Twin-screw towboat was designed by CT Marine and will be powered by Caterpillar C280-12 diesels.
