Blessey Christens Mv. Capt. Chuck Myers
Blessey Marine Services Inc. christened the mv. Capt. Chuck Myers July 10 along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, honoring Capt. Charles W. “Chuck” Myers, a mariner with 34 years in the industry and 26 years with Blessey.
The ceremony brought together Myers’ family, fellow mariners, Blessey employees and representatives of Bollinger Shipyards, which completed an extensive refurbishment and renaming of the vessel.
Clark Todd, president and CEO of Blessey Marine, opened the ceremony by recognizing Myers and reflecting on the importance of the Mississippi River to New Orleans and the nation.
“For those of us in the towing and barge industry, the Mississippi River is more than a channel of commerce,” Todd said. “It’s where our mariners work, where our families have built careers for generations and where companies like Blessey Marine and Bollinger Shipyards have had the privilege of serving our customers while keeping America’s economy moving.”
Todd said the christening honored Myers while also recognizing the American maritime workforce. He also emphasized the Jones Act’s role in sustaining domestic shipyards, vessel operators and mariners and preserving career opportunities on the inland waterways.
“The Jones Act is about more than moving cargo,” Todd said. “It’s about preserving the American workforce, maintaining a world-class maritime industry and ensuring that future generations have an opportunity to build a meaningful career on the inland waterways.”
Myers was born in Pensacola, Fla., and raised in Warner Robins, Ga. He now lives in Jay, Fla., with his wife, Lori. The two married in November 2013 and have a blended family that includes Myers’ son, Brad, and Lori’s son, Bobby.
Myers joined Blessey on January 14, 2000, as a relief captain after working eight years for Hollywood Marine. He was promoted to captain in 2002. He began aboard the mv. Rosston B, later worked as a pilot aboard the mv. Jo Anne Blessey and served as captain of the mv. Catherine, mv. Doug Barker and mv. Jane Ann Blessey. Since 2013, he has served as captain of the mv. Roger F. Wicker. During that vessel’s christening, Myers proposed to Lori.
Todd described Myers as a steady and positive captain who generally avoids attention.
“Chuck is one of those guys who always flies under the radar,” Todd said. “You reach out to him or talk to the crew and ask how things are going, and it’s always, ‘Man, things are great.’ The cup is always half full. That’s what I love about Chuck.”
Todd recognized Kevin Bankston for spending hundreds of hours overseeing preparations while the vessel was in the shipyard. He also thanked Bollinger’s workforce for its craftsmanship and noted that the relationship between the Blessey and Bollinger families extends nearly 50 years.
Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, said naming a vessel for a living mariner allows the honoree’s family and coworkers to participate in a recognition that is uncommon in other maritime industries.
“Having a vessel bear your name is a special recognition in this industry,” Bordelon said. “It’s really special to have the family here and to celebrate someone who is being honored as a hero of the industry and certainly a hero at Blessey.”
Bordelon said Blessey’s investment reflected confidence in the company’s future and its commitment to maintaining its fleet. He added that the work required close cooperation between Blessey personnel and Bollinger’s shipyard employees.
“It was a collaboration among the teams,” Bordelon said. “A lot of hard work went into achieving what we accomplished here today.”
Myers credited Blessey’s shoreside departments and vessel crews for supporting him throughout his career, specifically recognizing the company’s engineering, personnel and purchasing departments.
“It has been wonderful working at Blessey, and I have enjoyed every minute,” Myers said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Blessey. I plan on retiring with Blessey.”
Away from the river, Myers enjoys racing cars, shooting sporting clays, gardening and spending time with his family.
Cate Todd presented Myers with a commemorative gift on behalf of the Todd and Blessey families. Father Harry Bugler then presented a Bible and offered a blessing for the vessel, its crew and the families supporting them at home. Myers then broke the ceremonial bottle over the vessel bearing his name.
The crew of the mv. Capt. Chuck Myers includes Capt. Lance Dragon, Relief Capt. David Stansbury, pilot John Greer, tankermen Alonzo “Don” Morse and Mark McKenzie and deckhands Elijah Neupauer and Dreyden Martin.
Vessel Specs
Originally delivered in 2008 by Verrett Shipyard, the mv. Capt. Chuck Myers is owned by Blessey Marine. Bollinger completed the refurbishment and renaming July 10. The boat measures 109 feet by 34 feet by 9 feet, 6 inches and is fitted with Kort nozzles. It carries 49,532 gallons of fuel and 364 gallons of lube oil.
Main propulsion is provided by two Cummins KTA50 engines rated at 1,600 hp. each, for 3,200 total hp. The engines turn five-blade, 86- by 87-inch stainless steel propellers through Reintjes WAF 773 reduction gears with a 7:1 ratio, supplied by Karl Senner LLC. The vessel has Verrett shafts refurbished by Bollinger, Thordon TG100 seals and Thordon RiverTough bearings. Cummins 6BTA generator sets provide auxiliary power. The main engines are grid-cooled, while the generators use channel coolers.
The electrohydraulic steering system, supplied by Custom Hydraulics, was refurbished by Johnson Hydraulics. Engine monitoring is through a SIM VUE alarm system from Baton Rouge Marine Electric. Deck equipment includes two 65-ton Patterson winches and one capstan.
The vessel has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, tile flooring, a lounge and a cedar sauna. Three 3-ton ICR units provide heating and air conditioning. Electronics furnished by Wood River Electronics include Raymarine Pathfinder radars, a swing meter, satellite compass, AIS, VHF radios and a weather station. Other equipment includes a Seahorse RTF-200 wastewater treatment system installed by Bollinger, a Hiller Companies fire-detection and carbon-dioxide suppression system, M&M bumpers and Hempel coatings supplied by Coating Systems and Supply.
Featured photo caption: The 3,200 hp. mv. Capt. Chuck Myers measures 109 feet by 34 feet and is powered by twin Cummins KTA50 engines. Originally delivered in 2008, the towboat underwent an extensive refurbishment by Bollinger Shipyards for delivery on July 10. (Photo by Zac Metcalf)
