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Sept. 18, 2000

Blessey Adding Twenty-Sixth Boat to Fleet

Blessey Marine of Harahan Louisiana currently has four new pushboats under construction ranging from 1200 to 2400 HP. Scheduled for an early December delivery, the 1200 HP boat is building at Sneed Shipyard in Orange Texas. The 65x24-foot push boat will have a molded depth of 9 feet six inches and is very similar to the "David F. Stone" launched from the same yard last winter. The most significant difference is in the engines. While the "David" has a pair of inline six-cylinder Cummins KTA19 M main engines rated at 500 HP each, the new boat will have the Cummins KTA19 M3 rated at 600 HP each. The 20 percent increase in HP from the same 19-litre displacement, results from improved cylinder head design, improved air handling in the turbo charger and the use of Cummins Step Timing Control (STC). These improvement, originally introduced in 1995, assure that this engine meets the requirements for IMO Marpole Emission certification.

With the added horsepower the new boat has continued with a six-inch shaft but will now use the Reintjes WAF364 main gears with 6.048:1 reduction. The higher horsepower swings a pair of Michigan 68x50-inch propellers while in "David F. Stone" has 62x52-inch wheels. The boat will have tankage for 13,000 gallons of fuel and 5,000 gallons of potable water. Sewage treatment with Ownes Kleen-Tanks, "We tried several manufacturers," says Blessey’s Executive Vice-President Steve Proehl, "and we have settled on these because they work the best."

In moving petrochemicals, Blessey Marine maintains an insistence on reliability, explains Proehl, "We find that to over horsepower a tow is profitable as it minimizes the possibility of delays to the customer, which in turn effects our reputation. Our choice of Cummins engines is a part of this philosophy in that we can count on their prompt service throughout our operating territory."

While the new boat will be fully capable of handling two 20,000 barrel barges, it will be more typically assigned two 10,000 barrel barges or one 20,000 barrel barge for its work on the Gulf Inter-coastal Waterway.

Other boats under construction for Blessey are two 2400 HP vessels at Kody Marine and a 2000 HP craft at Verret Shipyard at Plaquemine.

For further information contact:

Steve Proehl
Executive Vice President
Blessey Marine, Harahan, LA
Phone: (504) 734_1156
E-mail: sproehl@blessey.com

or:

Clyde Sneed
Sneed Shipbuilding, Inc.
2011 Dupont Drive Orange, Tx 77630
Phone: 409 882 0284

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