Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., Panama City, Fla., delivered the 90'x32'x10' Brian Boudreaux on May 20. It is the first new construction Subchapter M towboat for Florida Marine Transporters (FMT), Mandeville, La., and the 68th the shipyard has built for FMT.
In 2018, the towboat operator signed four more towboats, bringing the total to 70 vessels contracted over the last 14 years. The Brian Boudreaux was built at Eastern’s Allanton, Fla., facility from a design furnished by Gilbert Associates, Boston. The new towboat is the first new construction vessel in the series to be issued a USCG Subchapter M Certificate of Inspection (COI).
The order for 90' towboats originally began with a 25-vessel contract, with deliveries starting in 2006. That contract was successfully completed with on-time deliveries. It has expanded to become the largest single owner, single shipbuilder, new construction program with the same class towboat design in U.S. history, shipyard officials said.
The Brian Boudreaux is powered by two Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines each rated at 1,500 hp at 1,600 rpm, supplied by Louisiana CAT Power Systems, Reserve, La. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin Disc MG-5600 with 6.04:1 reduction ratios supplied by Stewart Supply, Harvey, La.
Electrical power is provided by twin 99-kW John Deere 4045AFM85 Tier 3 generator sets rated for 60 Hz, at 208 VAC provided by Kennedy Engine Co., Biloxi, Miss. The diesel engines comply with current EPA Tier 3 control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.
Jeff Brumfield, director of vessel engineering and construction at FMT, said he was very pleased with how the delivery went and that Eastern did a great job working through all the new USCG Subchapter M challenges.
Eastern has three new construction and repair facilities engaged in new construction and repair of all types of steel and aluminum vessels including harbor/escort tugs, offshore tugs, dredges, offshore/platform supply vessels, ATBs, multipurpose construction vessels, research vessels, firefighting vessels, barges, dredges, ferries, passenger vessels, fishing vessels and inland towboats.
