Chem Carriers Repowers Fleet With Mitsubishi Engines
Sunshine, La.-based Chem Carriers has repowered the twin-screw mv. Capt. Robert J. Banta with a pair of Mitsubishi S12R-Y3MPTAW Tier 3 main engines from Laborde Products. Each engine delivers 1,260 hp. at 1,600 rpm.
With the repower of the Robert J. Banta, Chem Carriers has now moved its entire 15-vessel fleet to run on Mitsubishi engines.
“Seeing Chem Carriers complete their entire fleet with Mitsubishi engines is a milestone we’re proud to have supported,” said Brian Laborde, president and CEO of Laborde Products. “For operators like Chem Carriers, moving to a common engine platform is about simplifying operations, crew training and parts management across every vessel.”
Frank Banta Jr., founder and managing owner of Chem Carriers, said the swap was all about uptime and reliability.
“We’ve seen the reliability from these engines over the years, and bringing the last vessel over to Mitsubishi just makes sense for us,” Banta said. “Now our crews, maintenance team and parts inventory are all on the same page, which makes day-to-day operations that much smoother.”
Founded in 1994, Chem Carriers specializes in inland liquid marine transportation, with a fleet of 15 towboats, 54 inland tank barges and a 100-barge capacity fleeting service at Mile 207 on the Lower Mississippi River.
