(MOBILE, Ala.) — Crescent Towing is continuing to strengthen its fleet with the upcoming addition of four 6,000-hp z-drive tugboats. The vessels, built at Blakeley BoatWorks, will further expand the company’s capabilities on the Mississippi River.
Crescent Towing will take delivery of the first vessel in 2027, a second in 2028, and two more in 2029. Once delivered, Crescent Towing’s fleet will include 15 azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tugs across the ports of New Orleans, Mobile and Savannah.
These newbuilds will be sister vessels to the recently delivered M/V Kentucky and M/V Angus R. Cooper II, measuring 92 feet long and 38 feet wide with a draft of 19 feet. They tugs are powered by twin Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4 engines, each producing 3,004 hp to power Kongsberg 255 fixed-pitch z-drives.
“Our ongoing newbuild initiative, in partnership with Blakeley BoatWorks, reflects our investment in reliability, performance, and strength of our fleet,” said Scott H. Cooper, president of Crescent Towing. “We are excited to continue this initiative long-term to further strengthen our fleet and reinforce our commitment to delivering the industry’s highest quality of service.”
“This vessel class has proven to be efficient and reliable through the exceptional performance of the Kentucky and Angus R. Cooper II,” said Keith Kettenring, executive vice president of Crescent Towing. “We are excited to further modernize and strengthen our fleet with four additional 92-foot, 6,000-hp z-drive tugs from Blakeley BoatWorks to provide our customers with the most reliable service possible.”
The upcoming vessels will be built to ABS classification Maltese cross, A-1 towing, AMS, full ocean service, international load line, and escort class towing. The tugs, designed by Crowley Engineering Services, will have a fuel capacity of 43,846 gallons and a potable water capacity of 16,811 gallons.
“Blakeley BoatWorks is proud to continue our partnership with Crescent Towing on this exceptional class of 6,000-hp tugboats,” said Swathin Kannalath, managing director of Blakeley BoatWorks. “These vessels represent the highest standards of design and performance, and we are honored to play a role in delivering quality assets that will efficiently serve their fleet for years to come.”
– Crescent Towing
