Luling, La.-based Bisso Towboat has taken delivery of a new 4,480-hp ASD ship-assist tug from Main Iron Works, Houma, La.
The new tug, the 100'x38'x13'6" Becky S., has the same design as the previous four azimuthing stern-drive tugs Main Iron has constructed for Bisso in the last 17 years. The Becky S. has a little more horsepower than its sister tugs, 4,000 hp versus 4,480 hp. The tug has a pair of Caterpillar 3515T3MPL Tier 3 main engines (compared with the other tugs' Cat Tier 2 engines) that each produce 2,240 hp at 1,600 rpm. The engines drive two Rolls-Royce US 205 FP Z-drives with 90.6"x82.4", 4-bladed stainless-steel propellers set in nozzles. The package gives the tug a speed of 12 knots. The bollard pull is estimated to be around 60 tons. In addition to the increased horsepower, other changes on the Becky S. include the addition of a mud room aft of the galley, engine room stairs that were redesigned to run stern to bow, the addition of a half bath aft of the galley, and a change in the bow winch from Markey to JonRie Intertech.
Ship's service power is provided by two 99-kW Marathon generators powered by John Deere 4045AFM85 Tier 3 engines.
The tug is equipped with one JonRie Intertech Series 230 hydraulic bow winch equipped with 500' of 8"-circumference Saturn-12 line from Samson. The tug also features USCG-approved engine room monitoring and fire/smoke alarm systems, Simrad navigation/electronics, soundproof insulation throughout the engine room and crew quarters, stainless steel bitts and bow staple, and four bunkrooms with seven berths.
Tankage includes capacities for 30,163 gals. of diesel fuel, 1,826 gals. each of lube and hydraulic oil, and 10,938 gals. of potable water.
The Becky S. is the fifth ASD tractor tug and ninth new tug built for Bisso by Main Iron in the last 23 years. The new tug gives Bisso a fleet of 12 tugs that handle ship-assist duties involving mostly tankers, bulk carriers and tug-and-barge units on the Lower Mississippi River. The vessel was christened on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on March 26.
With the delivery of the Cecilia B. Slatten in 1999, Bisso became the first company to introduce ASD tractor tugs to the Mississippi River. The first four Main Iron-built sister tugs are nearly identical. The second 100'×38'×13', 4,000-hp ASD tug, the Alma S., was delivered in 2006, the third, the Michael S., was delivered in 2009, and the William S. was built in 2012. The only difference between the Alma and the Cecilia were a few minor equipment changes and adjustments related to crew comfort, and the only major difference between the Michael S. and its sister tugs were the engines.
