Eastern Delivers 63rd Towboat for Florida Marine
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. delivered the M/V Lawrence Campbell (Hull 193) on April 12, 2016, the 63rd 90-foot inland towboat to Florida Marine Transporters, LLC of Mandeville, La., continuing its ongoing newbuild program.
It was in early 2015, when Florida Marine Transporters, LLC signed an additional towboat, bringing the total to 65 vessels contracted over the last 10 years. Five of the most recent 90-foot inland towboat deliveries to Florida Marine occurred over the past 12 months. The M/V Lawrence Campbell was constructed at Eastern’s Allanton Facility from a design furnished by Gilbert Associates, Inc. of Boston.
This ongoing order for 90-foot towboats originally began with a 25 vessel contract, with deliveries starting in 2006. It has expanded to become the largest single owner, single shipbuilder, new construction program with the same class towboat design in U.S. history.
The vessels recently delivered and under contract with Florida Marine are powered by two Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1,500 HP at 1,600 RPM, provided by Louisiana CAT Marine Power Systems of Reserve, La. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin-Disc Model MG-5600 with a 6.04:1 reduction supplied by Stewart Supply, Inc. of Harvey, La. Electrical power is provided by two 99kW John Deere 4045AFM85 99KW Tier 3 generator sets rated for 60 Hz, at 208 VAC provided by Kennedy Engine Company of Biloxi, Miss. These diesel engines comply with the current EPA Tier 3/MARPOL control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.