Vigor recently launched the 508'x96'x51' Harvest, the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. for the Jones Act trade since 1982. The vessel was built for The Mosaic Co., an integrated producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash. The Harvest will be operated by a subsidiary of Savage Companies as part of an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit.
“This is a significant project for both the maritime industry and our community,” Frank Foti, Vigor’s CEO, said in a prepared statement. “We’ve worked hard to bring together a family of companies designed to take our complex fabrication capabilities to the next level and bring new work to the Pacific Northwest.”
Over the last 23 months, the project supported approximately 1,500 jobs and involved close to a million labor hours at Vigor facilities in Oregon and Washington and subcontractors throughout the region, Vigor said. Teams used 9,000 tons of U.S. rolled steel to complete the tank barge.
“The NH3 barge project brings our vision to life,” said Foti. “It combines Vigor’s capabilities in large vessel construction with decades of experience building complex structures like nuclear containment devices, dam lift gates and bridges.”
Successful completion of the first U.S.-flagged liquefied gas carrier built in decades hinged on extensive project planning and management between Vigor, multiple contractors, designers and its customer, Savage. Careful integration of various complex systems was required to support the Harvest’s state-of-the-art, onboard re-liquefaction plant that keeps cargo cooled to -27 degrees Fahrenheit. Vigor subcontractor JH Kelly, Longview, Wash., was a key partner in this effort, providing the onboard electrical work as well as fabrication and installation of the cargo piping systems for the plant.
Built to the highest ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) and U.S. Coast Guard safety standards, the first-in-class Harvest was completed on an aggressive timeline.
Completing the ATB will be a 139'x44' tug — S-182 Vision — being built at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. Designed by Ocean Tug and Barge Engineering, Milford, Mass., the tug will be ABS-classed Maltese Cross A1-Towing Service/AMS/ACCU/UWILD SOLAS compliant and USCG certified, Subchapter I. The tug will be connected to the barge using an Articouple hydraulic connecting pin system.
Main propulsion will come from a pair of EMD 16-710T13 diesel engines, producing 4,000 hp at 900 rpm. The mains will connect to 133.82 dia. props in Rolls-Royce high-efficiency nozzles through Lufkin RHS 3200 marine gears with 5.3:1 reduction ratios. Ship's service power will come from two Caterpillar C7.1 200-kW, Tier 3 auxiliary gensets, one Cat C9.3 200-kW, Tier 3 generator with mounted fire pump, and one Cat C7.1 138-kW emergency generator system.
“It was an honor to partner with Savage and Mosaic on this project,” said Joe Corvelli, Vigor SVP and program manager. “It was their close collaboration throughout the vessel construction that helped maintain an efficient and well-executed build.”
Savage, a supply chain solutions company, has been steadily increasing its footprint in the marine industry. “We chose Vigor for this project following an extensive search. Their unique capabilities combined with our shared commitment to safety and environmental integrity were key drivers in our decision,” Kirk Aubry, Savage president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to operating the ATB and providing transportation services to support this critical link in Mosaic’s supply chain.”
