Crescent Towing takes delivery of 6,000-hp Z-drive tug

The M/V Kentucky. (Credit: Crescent Towing)

Crescent Towing, Mobile, Ala., has taken delivery of the M/V Kentucky, a new 6,000-hp Tier 4 Z-drive tugboat built at Blakeley BoatWorks, also in Mobile. The vessel entered service earlier this year and will soon join Crescent Towing’s ship assist operations on the Lower Mississippi River.

The M/V Kentucky is the second 6,000-hp tug built by Blakeley BoatWorks for Crescent Towing. The vessel measures 92 feet long by 38 feet wide and has a 19-foot draft. It is powered by twin Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4 engines, each rated at 3,004 hp, driving Kongsberg 255 fixed-pitch azimuthing drives.

“Crescent Towing is proud to introduce the M/V Kentucky to the maritime community on the Mississippi River,” said Scott H. Cooper, president of Crescent Towing. “This new 6,000 hp vessel will be a great addition to our fleet on the Mississippi River and will further strengthen our abilities to provide the best service to our customers.”

“It’s been a pleasure to watch the Crescent Towing Port Engineering Team work together with the fine professionals at Blakeley BoatWorks to produce these extraordinary vessels,” said Keith Kettenring, executive vice president of Crescent Towing. “Their success shows in the craftsmanship and attention to detail seen on the recent deliveries of tugs M/V Kentucky and M/V Angus R. Cooper II.”

The M/V Kentucky was built to ABS classification Maltese Cross, A-1 towing, AMS, full ocean service, international load line and escort-class towing standards. Designed by Crowley Engineering Services, the tug has a fuel capacity of 43,846 gallons and potable water capacity of 16,811 gallons.

“Blakeley BoatWorks is proud to carry forward our collaboration with Crescent Towing in building this class of 6,000 HP tugboats. The opportunity to deliver highly advanced vessels for service on the Mississippi River represents a significant achievement and a source of great pride for our entire organization,” said Swathin Kannalath, managing director of Blakeley BoatWorks.

Crescent Towing, a subsidiary of The Cooper Group, has provided ship assist towing services since 1942 and operates on the Mississippi River and in the ports of Mobile and Savannah, Ga. The company operates a fleet of 24 tugboats with horsepower ratings up to 6,700 hp.

Blakeley BoatWorks, also a subsidiary of The Cooper Group, operates a 26-acre shipyard in the Port of Mobile specializing in vessel repair, barge repair and new vessel construction. The facility includes a 1,900-ton floating dry dock, a 660-ton travel lift and four covered fabrication shops.