On supply, the 11,000 hp towboat will function on ACBL’s mainline community pushing as much as 56 barges, averaging roughly 75,000 tons of cargo.
Jeffersonville, Ind.-based American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL), has awarded C&C Marine and Repair of Belle Chasse, La., a contract to construct an 11,000 horsepower class towboat.
“We are investing in our future by building on the strength of our industry leading mainline operations. 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,” stated ACBL’s CEO Mike Ellis. “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.”
On supply, the 11,000 hp towboat will function on ACBL’s mainline community pushing as much as 56 barges, averaging roughly 75,000 tons of cargo. Designed by Portland, Maine-based CT Marine, the twin-screw towboat will measure 198 by 50 by 12 ft, with a pilothouse eyeline 47 ft above the water.
“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% 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,” stated ACBL COO Patrick Sutton. “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,” stated C&C Marine and Repair’s president, Tony Cibilich. “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.”
Main engines
The design of the brand new towboat contains two Caterpillar C280-12 important engines producing roughly 11,000 hp, offered by Louisiana CAT, and will likely be paired with two Reintjes WAF 6755 discount gears, offered by Karl Senner LLC. Generator energy will likely be provided by three Caterpillar 275 kW mills. The towboat will likely be outfitted with CT Marine CT28-SL nozzles housing 124-inch diameter stainless-steel, five-blade fastened pitch propellers and options Twin-DIFF flanking & steering rudder programs.
The 11,000 hp towboat can accommodate a crew of as much as 12 and the design incorporates a floating, spring-mounted superstructure for extra crew consolation.
