(NEW ORLEANS) — American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) christened its latest vessel, ACBL Mariner, during an evening ceremony Wednesday in New Orleans. Delivering 11,000 horsepower, it the most powerful towboat ever built for Mississippi River operations.
The 200-by-50-foot towboat has the capability to push up to 64 barges, equivalent to over 75,000 tons of cargo. A tow of this size has a surface area of 9 acres, surpassing the 4.5-acre surface area of the U.S. Navy’s Ford- and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
ACBL said that this barge capacity increases efficiency by 20 percent compared to smaller towboats, ensuring barge transportation remains one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly modes of transportation.
Built by C&C Marine & Repair in Belle Chasse, La., the towboat is powered by only two Caterpillar C280 engines, unlike other vessels of similar horsepower that require three engines. ACBL Mariner’s propellers have a 124-inch diameter, the largest in the industry.
More information on the new towboat is available here.
