VESSEL OF THE MONTH

The 3,400 hp. towboat is 110 feet long and 33 feet wide.

Recently delivered to Cooper Marine and Timberlands (CMT) by Blakeley BoatWorks, the M/V Gretchen V. Cooper is the first linehaul-towing vessel in the U.S. to be powered by Tier 4 Caterpillar high-speed engines with selective catalytic reduction to reduce NOx emissions. Blakely and CMT are both headquartered in the port of Mobile,

Ala., and are wholly owned subsidiaries of

Cooper/T. Smith.

The 3,400 horsepower M/V Gretchen V.

Cooper is 110 feet long and 33 feet wide and is fully compliant with the latest United States

Coast Guard regulatory requirements.

Tier 4 diesel engine emission standards are the strictest set by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency emissions requirements for new engines, significantly reducing emissions of particulate matter, or black soot, and nitrogen oxides to near zero levels.

“Our customers expect Blakeley BoatWorks and CMT to drive industry innovation, and our building and operating one of the industry’s most environmentally friendly towboats marks our unwavering commitment to always exceed their expectations,” said Angus R. Cooper III, president, Cooper/T. Smith. “Naming a boat after my wife Gretchen meant that we couldn’t just settle for building a standard towboat and therefore, the M/V Gretchen V. Cooper will be one of the most powerful towing vessels operating on the TennesseeTombigbee Waterway and will lead the way for a new industry standard for reduced emissions on towboats.”

CMT operates 20 towing vessels, more than 400 hopper barges, and one of America’s largest fleets of dry bulk gantry and floating derrick cranes. The company’s marine footprint includes the TennesseeTombigbee River system, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and the Ohio, Illinois, Arkansas, Cumberland, Black Warrior, Tennessee, Tombigbee, Mobile, and Mississippi rivers.

Suppliers

The towboat is powered by twin Caterpillar C3512E 3,400 HP Tier 4 marine diesel engines operating at 1,800 RPM and coupled to Twin Disc MGX5600 gears. Thompson Caterpillar also supplied two Caterpillar C4.4 Tier III generators with RW Fernstrum Inc. keel coolers throughout.

A pair of Southeastern Propeller 88- by 74- by 9-inch four-bladed stainless steel propellers provides thrust through two J & S Machine Works Inc. 9-inch ABS Grade two propeller shafts with Cutlass shaft bearings, Thordon rudder bearings, and Kemel shaft seals. Gulf Coast Air and Hydraulics supplied the steering system for the two 9-inch main and four 8-inch flanking rudders.

Hydra Force LLC provided a pair of Quincy reciprocating air compressors, with ventilation fans provided by Donovan Marine. Schuyler Maritime LLC supplied varying sizes of rubber fendering around the perimeter of the vessel and push knees.

Stone Construction provided a Mitsubishi mini-split HVAC system in all interior spaces with Blakeley BoatWorks providing all custom woodwork and interior finishes. Bozant supplied aluminum and rubber-framed windows and Donovan Marine supplied a pair of Patterson 40-ton deck winches. Blakeley BoatWorks installed all electronics, communications, and an alarm system.