Rapp Marine Deck Equipment Rounds out New Harley Barges

Long known for delivering innovative and custom deck machinery solutions to a wide range of marine stakeholders, Rapp Marine recently was tasked with providing not one, but two complete equipment package for West coast-based Harley Marine Services (HMS). The Rapp portfolio spans the full gamut of machinery, from heavy duty tow winches for high horsepower tugboats, all the way to multipurpose cranes for barges or other workboats. Work started last year on the equipment for the Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) designed oil tank barges being built at Gunderson Marine in Portland, Ore. The OneDream and the All Aboard For A Cure are both articulated barges intended to be paired with articulated tugs, eventually to provide service in West Coast trade routes, transporting petroleum to and for Harley Marine’s customers.

In this case, the barge names have a personal meaning to Harley Franco, Chairman and CEO; honoring lifelong friends Larry and Sherry Benaroya of the Benaroya Research Foundation for the work they have done fighting diabetes. The name OneDream is derived from Seattle’s successful T1D fundraising Dream Gala. OneDream will be propelled by OneCure, which aspires for a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. The other barge, named \All Aboard for a Cure, speaks to Harley Marine’s mission to give back to the community. 

Gunderson Marine worked with the barge designers Elliot Bay Design Group and the owners to determine the best integrated solution for the barge’s deck machinery needs. Ultimately, HMS specified the equipment using a specific make and model along with performance criteria based upon existing equipment in their fleet, and included an “or equal” clause in the specification. Gunderson proposed an “or equal” set of equipment, based upon their experience, that was acceptable to HMS. The Rapp integrated solution was deemed to be the best fit for the job.

“Gunderson choose to propose the Rapp Equipment to our customer based on a combination of past history with Rapp, their extensive experience, and basically to provide support for the Pacific Northwest marine industry,” said Rick Hunt, Director of Marine Project Development at Gunderson Marine. And, the equipment, at first glance, is impressive. The Rapp Marine equipment on each barge includes a 75 foot crane, seven winches for anchoring and mooring, and a central hydraulic system to supply the hydraulic users. The on board cranes and winches will assist with moving deck machinery including hoses and connection pieces during loading and offloading procedures. The crane is specified to lift up to 1,700 pounds. Additionally, four double drum mooring winches and two single drum mooring winches were provided. These are designed to pull about 5 tons at first layer, and provide over 25 tons brake holding force.

Separately, the Rapp anchor winch is designed to accommodate 1,200 feet of 1-3/4” steel wire rope and 60 feet of 2-1/8” chain, and is rated to hold over 90 tons at first layer brake holding force, and pull more than 11 tons at first layer. Rapp also supplied a central hydraulic power unit (HPU) that supplies hydraulics to all of the users. 

The contract furthers Rapp’s efforts to grow its presence within the U.S. tug and barge market, ever evolving to meet or exceed new safety regulations, which translates to requiring rugged, durable equipment that will stand the test of time. “Rapp Marine has extensive experience delivering quality cranes and winches. This project for Harley Marine Services is a great example that displays our capabilities of providing a completely integrated deck machinery solution for the customer,” Fin Moore, Sales & Marketing Manager at Rapp Marine U.S. told Marine News in April. For his part, Steve Carlson, VP of engineering at Harley Marine Services, added, “Rapp Marine has a long history in the maritime industry and we anticipate that their equipment will contribute to the success of these new barges for many years.” 

To complement the new barges, HMS is also building and named two tugs. The 116 foot tugs, each being built at Conrad Shipyard of Morgan City, LA, are equipped with two GE Tier 4 propulsion engines, for a total of approximately 4,560 horsepower, and two John Deere Tier 3 generators. These cutting edge engines reduce NOx and particulate matter. As a combined articulated package, the four vessels embody environmentally correct and robust, safe equipment. Rapp Marine’s Fin Moore summed up the project nicely, adding, “We feel privileged to have the opportunity to work with great organizations such as Harley Marines Services, Gunderson Marine, and Elliott Bay Design Group on this project.”

Capacity: 81,900 barrels

LOA: 430 feet – 3 inches

Beam: 76 feet – 8 inches

Draft: 21 feet – 8 inches

Depth: 27 feet

Built: 2017

GRT: < 7,000 LT

NRT: < 5,000 LT

IGS: nitrogen gas

Rating: Grade “B: or lower

Pumps: (2) Detroit Diesel

Slop Tank: 10,000 gallons

Hose Crane: (1) Rapp Marine HP75-18F

Mooring Winches: 4 Rapp Double Drum

Mooring Winches: (2) Rapp Single Drum

Pumping Capacity: 10,000 bph

Anchor Winch: Rapp Marine

Class: ABS Certified, Grade "B" A-1 Oceans

(As published in the May 2017 edition of Marine News)