In less than a week, Crowley is scheduled to receive the Nachik, a newly-designed Alaska shallow draft tug, equipped to safely propel petroleum/freight barges in river systems throughout Alaska. In May, Crowley with also take delivery of the Nachik’s sister tug, the Sesok.
“New vessel design, construction and deployment is essential to serving the needs of our customers,” said Tom Crowley, company chairman, president and CEO. “We are committed to designing, building and operating the most technologically advanced and environmentally sound vessels in the industry.”
The Commitment/650-6 was jointly designed by Crowley’s marine technical services group and VT Halter Marine. The tank barge was built at Halter’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., and the tug Commitment at its shipyard, in Moss Point, Miss.
The Crowley ATB fleet is scheduled to grow to 17 by mid-2013. Included in the total are four 155,000 barrel units already deployed; ten 185,000-barrel units, six of which are in operation; and three yet-to-be-built 330,000-barrel units – the largest in the company’s history and the fastest in their class.
Crowley ATBs are the newest and most environmentally friendly vessels in the company’s fleet. With an impressive record of zero spills during their 1,000-plus voyages, the tank vessels are also designed to reduce immediate environmental effects such as emissions and wastewater.
The 650-6, like its sister vessels the 650-3, 650-4 and 650-5, has been certified by Lloyds Classification Society as complying with the requirements of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Green Passport program.
An ATB has an articulated, or hinged, connection system between the tug and barge, which allows movement in one axis, or plane in the critical area of fore and aft pitch.
All of Crowley’s ATBs are built under the ABS SafeHull program for environmental protection. This program puts the vessel design through an exhaustive review to identify structural loads and strengthen the vessel structure. The 650-Class barges are 27,000 deadweight tons, 587 feet in length, 74 feet in breadth and 40 feet in depth. The fully loaded draft is about 30 feet.
On Saturday, Crowley christened and launched its fourth 400-foot by 105-foot heavy lift series deck barges at Gunderson Marine in Portland. The company has plans to build up to 13 of these barges by 2013. The largest, already in operation, measures 400 feet by 130 feet.
Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company that provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.
