Conrad Shipyard starts production on second MiNO design towboat
Written by Nick Blenkey
MiNO Marine developed the design based on regulatory requirements and current market needs
Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, La., has started production on a second 6,000 HP inland towboat designed by MiNO Marine of New Orleans.
The Subchapter M compliant vessel measures 166’ x 49’ x 12’ and is powered by Tier IV compliant engines.
Conrad has orders from two customers for the vessels. Conrad worked closely with MiNO Marine, who developed the design based on regulatory requirements and current market needs.
Conrad’s production line is geared for serial production for multiple customers, and component manufacturing coupled with a modular build strategy results in efficiencies in production, on-time delivery and lower costs to the customer.
The vessel has an optimized hull form for improved performance, and the design is intended to be flexible to accommodate different propulsion drive-trains. The vessels currently under construction each utilize different engines; one vessel will be equipped with GE engines, and the other will have EMD engines.
Johnny Conrad, Chairman and CEO, commented, “This horsepower range is right in our wheelhouse, and we will continue to expand our capabilities to be able to service our customers’ needs. We are delighted about the opportunity to provide our customers with a quality vessel constructed by our proven and experienced shipbuilding team.”
