49 September 18, 1998

Sweet Tug, For Gulf of Mexico Service

Russell Plaisance, owner of L.A. Carriers, has been working around boats for over 30 years, but his newest tug, the "Kaitlin Olivia", is the sweetest that he has ever owned. "It is so quiet and fuel efficient," he explains, "I am extremely well satisfied."

With a pair of Cummins KTA19s rated at 500 HP each, this 75X26-foot tug is L.A. Carriers' first Cummins powered boat and Russell is already considering repowering the other three boats in his fleet. But it isn't only the new tug that is sweetening Russell's life, the boat was purpose built to meet the demands of a contract to tow barge filled with corn syrup sweetener for Cargill Incorporated. The sweetener will eventually meet requirements for products such as soft drinks. Originating in Memphis the 200X35-foot custom built stainless steel lined tank barges are brought down to New Orleans by American Commercial Barge Lines. From there L.A. Carriers' new boat takes them the final 622 miles to Tampa Florida. Equipped with a Markey Machinery double drum winch carrying 1600 feet of 1.25-inch cable, the model-bow tug tows the barges for the 190 miles of open water, then pushes them through the balance of the four to five day voyage along the inter-coastal waterway. When towing, the two barges are linked by 2.75-inch poly lines with a bridle on each end.

"This is the first time that this type of product has been moved by barge," says Russell, "And with a ten day delivery from Memphis to Tampa we are moving it at less cost than trucks and in a more timely fashion than rail."

Helping L.A. Carriers compete on cost are the KTA19 diesels. "These are my first Cummins engines," explains Russell, "With my other engines, rated at 340 HP, between leaks and burning they would go through as much oil in 24 hours as the 500 HP Cummins use in a week. On the last trip from New Orleans to Tampa the Cummins consumed only three gallons of oil."

Built at R&S Fabrication in Lockport Louisiana, the "Kaitlin Olivia" also has a pair of Cummins 4B 35 Kw gensets. The wheel house features state of the art Furuno electronics as well as an electronic log system for head office e-mail communication and a Boat Tracs transponder that updates the vessel's position on an electronic chart in the head office every hour to hour and a half.

For more information and photos of the vessel contact:

Russell Plaisance
L.A. Carriers, Cut Off, Louisiana U.S.A.
Phone: 504 632-5858 Fax: 504 632-4386
E-mail: lacarriers@aol.com

For more information on the KTA19 marine engines contact:

Joe Gregory or Calvin Klotz
Industrial and Mariner Sales Manager
Cummins Mid-South
110 E. Airline Highway
Kenner, Louisiana, 70062
Phone: 504 465-3403 Fax 504 465-3408

For more information on the vessel's construction contact:

Richard Adams
R&S Fabrication
Lockport, LA
Phone: (504) 532-5868 Fax: (504) 532-6508

500-476, 475-451, 450-426, 425-401, 400-376
375-351, 375-351, 350-326, 325-301, 300-276, 275-251, 250-226, 225-201
200-176, 175-151, 150-126, 125-101, 100-76, 75-51, 50-26, 25-0