New Generation delivers pushboat to Blessey

JULY 16, 2014—New Generation Shipbuilding, Houma, LA, recently delivered one of its signature 72 ft x 30 ft pushboats, the Lisa Gail Strafuss, to Blessey Marine Services, Harahan, LA.

A sister-ship is also on schedule for a September delivery while a third vessel, with a new four cabin design by New Generation, is under contract for December delivery from the shipyard.

The Lisa Gail Strafuss carries the well know Blessey Marine stack insignia and is well sized and fitted out for pushing fuel barges in both the canals along the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River system.

A pair of grid-cooled Cummins K38-M main engines provides main power. A standard for towboats of this size, the engines each deliver 1,000 HP at 1,800 RPM to Kahlenberg 72 in x 58-in propellers on 7-in shafts through Twin Disc MG540 gears with ratios of 5.96:1.

The sister-ship, to be named Ben Strafuss and also for Blessey, has the same Cummins main engine package.

Both vessels will also be fitted with a pair of 85 kW Cummins-powered generator sets.