Maritime Partners Christens Mv. Jack Nash

Metairie, La.-based Maritime Partners, the nation’s largest provider of maritime assets, vessel leasing solutions and construction financing, closed out its $75 million, 15-vessel series from C&C Marine and Repair in style with the January 26 christening of the mv. Jack Nash.

Maritime Partners brought the Entech-designed mv. Jack Nash from C&C’s shipyard on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in nearby Belle Chasse to the French Quarter riverfront, where the vessel was moored alongside the steamer Natchez. After the christening, Maritime Partners hosted an afterparty aboard the Natchez.

The vessel is named for Maritime Partners’ first employee besides founders Austin Sperry, president of the company, and Bick Brooks, who serves as CEO. Nash, who is Brooks’ cousin, heard about the new venture in 2015 and reached out to offer his services.

“I had always heard horror stories about mixing business and family, so I tried to discourage him,” Brooks said. “I told him he wouldn’t be paid, he wouldn’t have a clear job description and he would have to be available at all hours of the day.”

As it turned out, the then-20-year-old Nash was up for the challenge.

“Rather than immediately walking away, he said, ‘Absolutely, no problem,’ so Jack offered us a deal we couldn’t refuse, and Maritime Partners had its first employee,” Brooks said. “Jack has indeed been the dream employee. He didn’t complain that his first paycheck was three years late. After a few years of working together, I’ve gotten to know my little cousin quite well, and it’s been the surprise of a lifetime to discover what an incredible man Jack has become.”

The same day as the christening, Nash was promoted to the level of associate for Maritime Partners. That’s a slightly different title than he started out with in 2015, when he was responsible for setting up computers and managing the company’s website, Nash said.

“Despite the part-time, freelance nature of my work, and the fact that I was 20, I gave myself the title of chief technology officer,” Nash said to a roar of laughter. “My time in the C-suite didn’t last, but my commitment to Maritime Partners did. After years of working as an independent contractor, I moved to New Orleans in 2019 to start a full-time position focused on investment and industry analysis, which is where I continue to focus.”

Brooks praised Nash for his role in a recent acquisition that grew the company in a big way.“This past year, he almost single-handedly led the acquisition of American Tanker Holding Company, which effectively increased the size of our company by about 30 percent—an impressive feat, no doubt,” Brooks said.

Sperry praised Nash for his hard work and commitment to the company.

“Jack, I’m so proud of the year you’ve had, both professionally and personally,” he said. “It’s been an honor to watch you grow, and it’s a true honor to watch the greatness you’re becoming. You’re a big part of this team going forward.”

Nash said his success is tied to that of the company as a whole, which thrives on adaptability, quality, pace and an entrepreneurial spirit.

“Those traits have helped us grow to where we are today, and it’s really inspiring to see,” Nash said. “Working at Maritime Partners constantly pushes me to be my best and continue to grow.”

Nash then thanked Sperry and Brooks for mentoring him from his earliest days with the company to now.

“Your support, guidance, patience and trust have helped me grow immensely, both personally and professionally,” Nash said. “Being a part of Maritime Partners has been an incredible journey to this point. We have now grown to be the largest marine lessor in the country and have a phenomenal team of more than 30 team members. I’m so excited to see what’s to come, and I’m very proud that the mv. Jack Nash will be a part of it.”

Capt. Joy Manthey led the crowd gathered for the christening in a prayer for the mv. Jack Nash and crew members who will work aboard the towboat.

“May we and the crews always be in the channel, the safe waters you desire for each one of us and set before us,” Manthey said in part. “May your love strengthen us to have the courage to always navigate into the murky, muddy, unchartered waters of greater love and service to you.”

Following the prayer, Nash, surrounded by his family, broke a bottle of champagne over the vessel’s port-side gunwale, officially christening the mv. Jack Nash into the Maritime Partners fleet.

Additional Specs

The mv. Jack Nash measures 80.5 by 34 by 11 feet, with an eye level of 33 feet. The vessel’s two Cummins QSK38-M1 main engines from Cummins Mid-South produce 2,600 hp. Those main engines drive Reintjes WAF 665 reduction gears from Karl Senner LLC, and that drive package turns a pair of four-blade, 82- by 67-inch fixed-pitch propellers from HS Marine Propulsion. Steering, alarm and monitoring systems aboard the vessel were supplied by Rio Marine & Hydraulic, while Cummins Mid-South also supplied the Jack Nash’s two Cummins QSB7-DM 99 kW generators. Keel coolers are by Fernstrum.

Wheelhouse Electronics supplied the Jack Nash’s navigation and communication equipment, including the vessel’s Koden radar equipment, Standard VHF radio, Alphatron swing meter, Young weather sensor and Intellian satellite TV antenna. The Jack Nash is also equipped with two Carlisle & Finch 1,000-watt searchlights, and on deck the vessel sports a pair of Patterson 40-ton winches from Donovan Marine.

“The delivery of the Jack Nash marks the end of a long and productive project between C&C Marine and Maritime Partners,” said Tony Cibilich, owner of C&C. “It is not very often a shipyard has an opportunity to build a 15-boat series for a single customer.”

Caption for top photo: Jack Nash christens his namesake vessel. (Photo by Frank McCormack)