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

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

Master Marine is continuing to build z-drive towboats, with more underway for Marquette, said the yard’s president, Randy Orr. The company has continued to expand its work force and production capabilities to handle the increasing demands of its customers.

The steel-hulled St. Peter 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 1,650 mm (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 Cos. 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. Peter 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.

http://www.professionalmariner.com/Web-Bulletin-2015/Master-Marine-delivers-z-drive-tug-for-Marquette/