Ergon Marine & Industrial Supply Inc. recently welcomed the M/V Miss Audrey into its Vicksburg, Ms.-based fleet of harbor boats.
Ergon held the christening ceremony January 23 in the presence of the namesake’s family and friends.
The boat is named for the company’s fuel and harbor service secretary, Audrey Thornton, who worked for Ergon Marine for 32 years.
Miss Audrey was formerly the M/V Apache, which was built in 1980 with twin Mitsubishi diesel engines.
The boat was repowered to 1,700 hp in 2014 and was operated by several owners before it was acquired from NGL Marine.
Ergon Marine bought the vessel in April 2023, then had Big River Shipyard in Vicksburg refurbish and outfit it into a fleet boat.
Big River sandblasted and repainted the towboat in Ergon colors and added new shafts, rudders and an all-new steering system, Maxwell said.
In addition to Miss Audrey, the company operates five other boats providing groceries, fuel, equipment, supplies, and crew changes to commercial vessels navigating the Mississippi River from its Vicksburg headquarters.
At its Memphis base, the company provides fuel and bulk or package lubricants midstream 24/7.
In addition to its mid-river fleet operations, the company serves as a river first responder, often assisting the Port of Vicksburg’s U.S. Coast Guard Maintenance Operations Team with its rescue, recovery, and property salvage missions.