Maritime Partners takes delivery of first newbuild towboat

Written by Marine Log Staff
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Larry Whipple

Recently delivered by Intracoastal Iron Works, Bourg, La.,the Larry B. Whipple is the first in a series of seven newbuild towboats that the shipyard is building for Metairie, La., based Maritime Partners LLC.

Founded in 2015, Maritime Partners specializes in providing financing solutions in the Jones Act market that include owning and chartering out vessels. Although the company already has a fleet of several hundred vessels, Larry B. Whipple is its first newbuild. It is named for a long time friend of Maritime Partners co-founder and COO Austin Sperry, who is also the godfather of his daugher Genevieve.

“Larry is not in the business, however he lives his life much the same way we run our business. Honesty, integrity and with unwavering loyalty,” says Sperry.

The towboat is yet another example of the ways in which the long term relationships built up over the years by Gulf Coast, and in particular Louisiana, shipyards, designers and suppliers add up to produce outstanding vessels capable of delivering years of reliable service.

Designed by Entech Designs, Kenner, La., the Larry B. Whipple has the following main dimensions:

LOA:                                        78 ft 0 in

Beam:                                      34 ft 0 in

Depth (molded):                     10 ft 0 in

Draft:                                         7 ft 9 in

Wheelhouse Eye Level:           32 ft 5 in

Capacities:

Fuel:                                28,000 gallons

Potable water:              12,200 gallons

Lube oil:                              250 gallons,

Gear  oil:                            250 gallons

Slop oil:                              300 gallons

Slop water:                         300 gallons

Hydraulic oil:                      250 gallons

Main propulsion power is provided by twin Tier III Cummins QSK 38 engines supplied by Cummins Mid-South, which also delivered the vessel’s Cummins 65 kW gensets.

The 76 in x 66 in four bladed S/S Denominator style propellers, supplied by Houma Machine & Marine, LLC are driven through Twin Disc 540 7:1 reduction gears from Morgan City, La., headquartered Sewart, which earlier this year celebrated its 50th anniversary and also supplied the vessel’s Twin Disc EC-300 controls.

The steering system was supplied by Rose, La, headquartered EMI, a division of W&O.

The vessel’s electronics are by Houma, La,, based Rhodes Electronic Services, Inc.

The Larry B. Whipple has a full width fleet deck forward of the main deck house for enhanced visibility and is equipped with two 40-ton Nabrico deck winches. Fendering was provided by Bourg, La., based M&M Bumper Services.

The vessel’s accommodations consist of five staterooms with a total of seven berths and include a dedicated captain’s stateroom with bathroom.

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