A Houma-based shipyard said it’s joining forces with a New Orleans company to build the most powerful ship-assisting tugboat on the Mississippi River.
Main Iron Works announced last week it’s partnering with the New Orleans-based Bisso Towboat Inc. to build its 12th tugboat.
Bisso Towboat Inc. awarded the contract earlier this summer to Main Iron Works with plans to build a new 100-foot, 6,008-horsepower, Tier 4-compliant ASD tractor tug.
Tier 4 is a set of emissions requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce emissions.
Construction of the vessel will begin later in the season with a projected completion date of fall 2019, the company said.
Scott Slatten, Bisso’s president, said the new tugboat will have a similar structure to the recently built vessel, the Liz Healy.
“It will be very similar structurally and from a profile to our last new build, Liz Healy, as the vast majority of the changes will be in the engine room for the SCR system and larger Z-drives and a larger bow winch and bow staple to accommodate the increased horsepower/bollard pull,” Slatten said. “Beyond that, we were able to pretty much use our existing design with some minor changes in tankage and hull and the above.”
Main Iron Works owner Arlen “Benny” Cenac Jr. said the new tugboat will be first of its kind for the company.
“We are proud to partner with Bisso as they build the most powerful ship-assist tug on the Mississippi River,” Cenac said. “This is an opportunity we are privileged to be a part of. It’s our 12th build for them and we look forward to many more. This is our first Tier 4 boat, and it’s always such a pleasure to work with Bisso, a longtime customer of Main Iron Works.”
Founded in 1947, Main Iron Works specializes in the building, repair and repowering of marine vessels and barges.
--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 857-2202 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@DanVCopp.