(MOBILE, Ala.) — Crescent Towing has taken delivery of Kentucky, a new 6,000-hp Tier 4 z-drive tugboat constructed at Blakeley BoatWorks in Mobile, Ala. Kentucky began service in early 2026 and will soon be added to Crescent Towing’s ship assist operations on the Lower Mississippi River.
This vessel is the second 6,000-hp tugboat built by Blakeley BoatWorks for Crescent Towing. Kentucky is 92 feet long and 38 feet wide, with a draft of 19 feet. It is powered by twin Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4 engines, each producing 3,004 hp, driving Kongsberg 255 fixed-pitch azimuthing drives.
“Crescent Towing is proud to introduce the M/V Kentucky to the maritime community on the Mississippi River,” said Scott H. Cooper, president of Crescent Towing. “This new 6,000-hp vessel will be a great addition to our fleet on the Mississippi River and will further strengthen our abilities to provide the best service to our customers.”
“It’s been a pleasure to watch the Crescent Towing port engineering team work together with the fine professionals at Blakeley BoatWorks to produce these extraordinary vessels,” said Keith Kettenring, executive vice president of Crescent Towing. “Their success shows in the craftsmanship and attention to detail seen on the recent deliveries of tugs M/V Kentucky and M/V Angus R. Cooper II.”
Kentucky is built to ABS classification Maltese Cross, A-1 towing, AMS, full ocean service, international load line, and escort class towing. The tug, designed by Crowley Engineering Services, has a fuel capacity of 43,846 gallons and a potable water capacity of 16,811 gallons.
“Blakeley BoatWorks is proud to carry forward our collaboration with Crescent Towing in building this class of 6,000-hp tugboats. The opportunity to deliver highly advanced vessels for service on the Mississippi River represents a significant achievement and a source of great pride for our entire organization,” said Swathin Kannalath, managing director of Blakeley BoatWorks.
– The Cooper Group
