Ingram Christens Mv. David North

Friends, family and colleagues of David North, general manager of logistics and customer service in Louisiana for Ingram Marine Group, gathered at the company’s Triangle Fleet in Reserve, La., April 3 to celebrate the christening of North’s namesake vessel.

The mv. David North is the 10th and final new build towboat that Houma, La.-based Main Iron Works has delivered to Ingram. Main Iron Works delivered the first vessel in the series, the mv. Adrienne M. Moore, on March 30, 2021. The mv. David North was delivered January 29.

North joined Ingram during the acquisition of Midland Enterprises in 2002. He began his career at Midland in 1980.

“David North has built a strong reputation and fostered lasting partnerships with many of our valued customers and vendors,” said Orrin Ingram, chairman of Ingram Marine Group and CEO of Ingram Industries, in announcing the christening. “He has been a steady and invaluable presence on the customer service team and has been instrumental in our Lower Mississippi line haul planning. Through his dedication, he truly represents ‘the Ingram way.’”

John Roberts, CEO of Ingram Marine Group, said the christening was a well-deserved honor for North.

“I’m truly honored to celebrate David at this christening,” Roberts said. “Through his hard work, leadership and passion, he has earned not just this great honor, but the respect and admiration of colleagues and industry partners alike.”

Benny Cenac, owner of Main Iron Works, said he was thankful for the chance to build the vessels for Ingram Marine Group, and he’s confident the 10 vessels will serve Ingram well.

“Ingram has served as a quality marine transporter on the U.S. inland waterways since its beginning and has become one of the largest dry cargo and chemical carriers on the river,” Cenac said. “The company currently offers the transportation of liquids, energy, agriculture supplies, metals and construction materials in the U.S. inland waterway system. These new, more energy efficient towboats will assist in meeting its business values and providing improved services for years to come.”

Speaking to the crowd gathered for the christening, North said he was both honored and humbled.

“This means a lot to my family and me,” he said. “We will all cherish this moment forever. Thank you for the opportunity to make the maiden voyage from Main Iron Works in Houma to Harvey. What a wonderful experience it was just to walk around the boat, see my name everywhere on diagrams, life preservers, paperwork, and to top it all, being in the wheelhouse and hearing my name over the radio. ‘David North, see you on the two,’ and other boats asking, ‘Hey, David North, where are you heading to? That’s a good looking boat.’”

North went on to congratulate the shipyard. He also recognized representatives present from the Coast Guard and the Seamen’s Church Institute and members of the Ingram Marine family.

“I’d like to thank my wife, Karen, my daughter, Kacie, my son, Jason, who put up with me for the last 45 years, relocating to Cincinnati for 15 years,” North said. “Boy, did we have some winters. Our first winter in 1989 we had about 18 inches of snow. Talk about a climate change for us four Cajuns.”

North then took a moment to honor his late father, Gene North.

The Revs. Geoffrey Davis and Winston Rice, chaplains with the Seamen’s Church Institute, prayed over the mv. David North and offered crew members a Bible and a framed flag of the U.S. Merchant Marine. The North family then went aboard the mv. David North, with North’s grandson, Travis Adams, officially christened the vessel into the Ingram fleet.

The mv. David North measures 69 feet by 30 feet and is a design collaboration between Ingram Marine Group, Main Iron Works and Ashraf Degedy. The 1,600 hp. vessel is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 Tier 3 diesel engines, each rated at 800 hp., from Louisiana Cat. The main engines are paired to two Reintjes WAF 474/7.09:1 reverse reduction gearboxes and are controlled by a two station Emerson Marex OSIII Control System, supplied by Karl Senner LLC. Houma Machine & Propeller supplied the Michigan 76-inch by 62-inch propellers and cutlass bearings. Seals are by Kemel USA with Dale’s Welding EAS-101 pressure regulators, and shafts are by Houma Machine & Propeller.

Southern Power & Equipment supplied a pair of John Deere generators. The vessel’s Duraweld keel coolers are by East Park Radiator, while Eagle Control Systems supplied the 48-point alarm system and steering system. DiSalvo Marine supplied the MSD unit, while Power Specialties supplied the bilge pumps.

Donovan Marine supplied an eight-person Fast unit. The vessel has two bunk rooms on each deck with a set of double bunks in each room separated by a Jack-and-Jill-style bathroom.

The deckhouse has Tuflex rubber flooring. Wall paneling is ¼-inch beige colored FRP attached to ¾-inch plywood. Marine and Industrial Insulation supplied and installed 2-inch acoustic wool in all interior and exterior walls.

Deck equipment includes two 40-ton Wintech winches and 12 steel roller buttons per side. M&M Bumper supplied the laminated rubber fenders. Electronic and communication equipment in the pilothouse includes a Furuno river radar with a 19-inch display and a Furuno black box radar with a 15-inch display, a Furuno sat compass, AIS system, loud hailer and depth sounder, a 16-channel DVR TV system, three VHF radios, wind monitor, a Ritchie compass, an Alphatron swingmeter, two 15-inch Xenon search lights and a Kahlenberg D2 airhorn.

The David North has tankage for 12,000 gallons of fuel and 4,600 gallons of potable water.

Featured Photo Caption: The mv. David North docked at Ingram’s Triangle Fleet in Reserve, La. (Photo courtesy of Ingram)