The following is text of a news release from C&C Marine and Repair:
(BELLE CHASSE, La.) — C&C Marine and Repair has delivered M/V Chris Reeves to Marquette Transportation Co., the second of three new 6,600-horsepower, 160-by-50-foot triple-screw z-drive towboats. Chris Reeves was delivered just three months after the first towboat in the series, Cindy L. Erickson.
Chris Reeves was designed by CT Marine based in Portland, Maine. The unique design includes three Cummins QSK60-M main engines that are paired to three Steerprop SP25D azimuthing thrusters. The triple z-drive configuration allows for optimal speed, power and maneuverability. In addition, the z-drives operate at lower engine loads to boost fuel efficiency.
The towboat has 13 beds and a superstructure that is supported on a bed of springs for added crew comfort. A soft-core joiner system was installed in the accommodation spaces for added comfort and fire safety.
C&C Marine and Repair is no stranger to building towboats that are outfitted with triple z-drives. In 2017, it built three such towboats for SCF Marine, all of which were built and delivered within eight months of each other.
The third towboat for Marquette Transportation is scheduled for delivery this August, with the fourth optional tugboat scheduled for delivery in December.
C&C Marine and Repair was established in 1997 and is located in Belle Chasse, La., on 47 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway. The company designs and builds towboats, offshore supply vessels, dredges, barges, along with a variety of other marine vessels. The company’s facilities are designed to perform all new construction under roof and perform barge repairs on land.
C&C Marine and Repair anticipates its new 83,350-square-foot climate-controlled robotic blast and paint facility will be fully operational by July of this year. Once the facility is completed, C&C Marine and Repair will be able to complete a blast and paint job on a 30,000-barrel tank barge in five to six days, regardless of the weather.
