Gulf Island Shipyards delivers Marquette towboat

Written by Marine Log Staff
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MARCH 1, 2016—Gulf Island Shipyards, LLC, a subsidiary of Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., recently delivered the Loree Eckstein, the second of three 10,000 hp towboats, to Marquette Transportation Co., Paducah, KY, at the shipbuilder’s Houma (South) shipyard in Louisiana. The towboat is named in honor of Marquette President & CEO John Eckstein’s wife.

“We are excited to take delivery of the M/V Loree Eckstein, which will be the 130th boat in the Marquette fleet,” says Eckstein. He said that his wife  “is very proud to have such an extraordinary vessel bear her name.”

The Loree Eckstein is 180 ft x 48 ft x 11.5 ft and is equipped with a pair of EMD 20-710 G7C main engines that produce a total of 10,000 hp via Lufkin gears. The 20-cylinder engines are EPA Tier 3 compliant. The towboat is fitted with two ducted, stainless steel, five-bladed, 10 ft diameter propellers. Two sets of flanking rudders and two sets of Becker High-Lift steering rudders provide excellent steering control and maneuverability.

In order to reduce vibration and increase crew comfort, the towboat’s upper deckhouse is spring-mounted.

The Loree Eckstein is capable of pushing 40 barges up and down the Mississippi River system.

The new towboat is the sister vessel of the Rick Calhoun, delivered by Gulf Island Shipyards last August. The shipyard will deliver the third vessel n the series, the Chad Pregracke, this September.

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