Shipbuilding: Ingram Marine Christens Four Towboats in One Day

On June 24, Ingram Marine Group held a special christening ceremony for four vessels: M/V Capt. Roy Daniels, M/V Randy Hooper, M/V Debbie L. Owen and M/V Harold B. Warren. 

The M/V Debbie L. Owen and M/V Capt. Roy Daniels are new builds. The M/V Randy Hooper and M/V Harold B. Warren are refurbished vessels.

“The people we are honoring today are a testament to the kind of company we’ve worked hard to build. They really represent the ‘Ingram Way’ which is why it is so fitting to christen some of our vessels in their honor,” said Orrin Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Marine Group and CEO of Ingram Industries. “As we’ve said before, this is the highest honor we can bestow on an associate, and today is no different.”

“We take immense pride in creating a company culture where people feel at home. It’s not uncommon for our associates to spend most, if not all, of their professional careers at Ingram. We want this to be a place where people want to do just that,” said John Roberts, President & CEO of Ingram Marine Group. “Today is about honoring and celebrating four associates who truly exemplify the ‘Ingram Way,’ and I’m incredibly proud of them.”

The two new vessels are four-decked, welded-steel, USCG Subchapter M-compliant towboats and were designed by Ingram Marine Group, Main Iron Works, and Ashraf Degedy, PE. The 78 x 32-ft. boats are outfitted with twin Caterpillar Marine tier 3 diesel engines and Reintjes gearboxes, John Deere generators, and 76-in. Michigan special propellers. The live aboard vessels feature a 34-ft. eye level and have capacities of 18,000 gallons of fuel and 8,000 gallons of potable water.

The third boat in the series, the M/V Debbie L. Owen, was delivered in March 2022, and the M/V Captain Roy Daniels is scheduled to deliver in August.

The M/V Randy Hooper was built by St. Louis Ship in 1980. The boat is 138 x 44-ft., and is powered by two EMD 16-645-E7B engines, 6,140 HP total, and Falk reduction gears. The boat underwent a partial refurbishment in 2022.

The M/V Harold B. Warren was built by Rayco in 1980. The boat is 70 x 26-ft., and was repowered in 1997 with two Cat 3508 engines, 1800 HP total, and Twin Disc reduction gears. The boat is part of Ingram’s fleet in Houston, Texas, and underwent a partial refurbishment in 2022.
 

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Image courtesy  Ingram Marine Group

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Following is a brief overview of each vessel's namesake:

• Captain Roy Daniels is one of Ingram’s most trusted Marine associates. Roy joined Ingram in 1991. He currently navigates the Lower Mississippi River, assigned to the M/V Craig E. Phillip when he’s not tripping on another vessel. During his time at Ingram, Roy has stepped up and stepped in whenever and wherever needed.
   
• Randy Hooper is Ingram’s Director of Flight Operations. Randy began his career flying airplanes in his teens. By age 17, he was already a certified pilot and began working various pilot jobs while attending college. As an experienced pilot, he was recruited by Ingram in 1980. 1987 brought his promotion to Chief Pilot, when he became only the third person to hold that title since aircraft operations began at Ingram in 1948. Over the past 42 years with Ingram, he has been involved in many operations, domestic and internationally, hangar construction and aircraft acquisition.
   
• Debbie Owen is Ingram’s AVP, Logistics and Customer Service, Liquids. After 31 years with Ingram, Debbie is known for her deep knowledge of the business. Debbie provides logistics oversight to ensure maximum performance of the tank barge fleet. She is tireless in her efforts to continuously improve our processes, drive profitable sales and maintain long-term partnerships with our customers.
   
• Harold Warren is Ingram’s GM, Fleet Dispatch for Triangle Fleet. Harold began his career at Triangle almost 40 years ago as a member of the Bull Gang. Harold has taken every opportunity to learn and to teach others, taking on additional roles with Customer Service, the ship anchorage and even some accounting duties. Harold’s knowledge of the important role that the fleet plays under changing river levels, conditions, volumes, markets, and strategies is key to leading his team.