Belle Chasse, La-based C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the 84'x34' Brooks M. Hamilton, the second in a 15-boat series that the shipyard is building for Maritime Partners LLC, Metairie, La.
The new towboat was designed by Entech Design LLC, Kenner, La., with the 3-D modeling and production drawings done by C&C Marine’s engineering department.
Main propulsion will come from a pair of Cummins QSK38-M1 main engines, generating a total of 2,600 hp. The engines were supplied by Cummins Mid-South. The mains are connected to two Reintjes WAF 665 reduction gears, provided by Karl Senner LLC. The vessel’s steering system HPU was provided by Rio Marine and Hydraulic.
The towboat has a total of six beds. A soft-core joiner system, provided by Marine Interior Systems, was installed in the accommodation spaces for added comfort and fire safety.
“We have been really impressed by the quality and speed at which C&C Marine has been able to build these vessels,” Austin Sperry, chief operating officer of Maritime Partners, said in a statement announcing the delivery.
The vessel’s accelerated delivery was a result of C&C Marine’s focus on innovative production methods. The use of a Lincoln Electric/Ogden welding panel line assembly seam welder and automatic dart welder allow for the fabrication of panels up to 40'x100'. The Vernon Tool Co. computerized pipe cutting machine allows various size pipe diameters and length to be pre-cut prior to assembly to avoid adjustments and cutting in the field. The use of 50-ton overhead gantry cranes improve efficiency and increases production throughout the building process.
Since C&C Marine performs all new construction within the controlled environment of one of its five enclosed production bays, there are no delays because of weather. In addition, the company's in-house engineering department works closely with the customer throughout the design and construction of the vessel. “The in-house engineering department was in constant communication with my project manager to make sure that the vessel met our specifications,” Sperry said.
C&C Marine and Repair was established in 1997 and is located on 80 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway. The company designs and builds towboats, dredges, barges, offshore supply vessels, along with a variety of other marine vessels. The company’s facilities are designed to perform all new construction under roof, with multiple projects under construction at the same time.
