ACBL Orders 11,000 HP Towboat from C&C Marine and Repair
Jeffersonville, Ind. based American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) on Tuesday announced it has signed a contract with Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair to build a 11,000 horsepower (HP) class towboat.
Designed by Portland, Maine-based CT Marine, the twin-screw towboat will measure 198 feet long, with 50-foot beam and 12-foot depth. With accommodations for a crew of up to 12, the vessel incorporates a floating, spring-mounted superstructure for additional onboard comfort. Its pilothouse eyeline will be 47 feet above the water.
The mighty vessel will be powered by two Louisiana CAT-supplied Caterpillar C280-12 main engines producing approximately 11,000 HP, paired with two Reintjes WAF 6755 reduction gears from Karl Senner, LLC. Generator power will come from three Caterpillar 275 kW generators. The towboat will be outfitted with CT Marine CT28-SL nozzles housing 124-inch diameter stainless-steel, five-blade fixed pitch propellers and features Twin-DIFF flanking and steering rudder systems.
Scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2024, the newbuild will operate on ACBL’s mainline network pushing up to 56 barges, averaging approximately 75,000 tons of cargo.
“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,” said 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.”
“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,” said Patrick Sutton, ACBL chief operating officer. “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,” said 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.”