Master Marine delivers z-drive towboat to Marquette Transportation

St.john

The following is the text of a news release from Master Marine Inc.:

(BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala.) — In December, Marquette Transportation Co. took delivery of a new 2,000-hp z-drive towboat from Master Marine. The 78-by-34-by-11-foot St. John was designed by Entech & Associates for Marquette’s Gulf-Inland division, based in Harahan, La.

The steel-hulled St. John is powered by a pair of Thompson Power Systems Caterpillar C32 Tier 3 1,000-hp engines at 1,800 rpm connected to ZF Marine ZF AT 5111WM-FP z-drives with 65-inch four-bladed propellers in nozzles. The package gives the boat a running speed of 10 knots with a loaded draft of 8 feet. For ship’s service power, the towboat is outfitted with a pair of Kennedy Engine John Deere 4045AFM85 Tier 3 generator drive engines each driving an 80-kW Marathon Mariner generator.

Cooling for all engines and z-drives was provided by Eastpark Radiator Duraweld coolers. Doors and windows were provided by Dales Welding & Fabrication LLC. Rubber bumper systems were provided by Schuyler Companies. The electronics were supplied by New World Electronics and Rio Marine supplied the alarms and monitoring systems. To secure barge tows, there’s a pair of Patterson 40-ton deck winches supplied by Donavan Marine.

St. John has tankage for 24,000 gallons of fuel, 6,550 gallons of potable water and 17,560 gallons of ballast water.

For more information, visit www.MasterMarineInc.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff