Metal Shark, a vessel designer and builder with shipyards in Jeanerette and Franklin, La., and Bayou La Batre, Ala., recently delivered its first-ever steel new build inland towboat to Mandeville, La.-based Florida Marine Transporters Inc. (FMT).

As the first new build from its new shipbuilding facility in Alabama, the 120’x35’x9’ Stephanie Pasentine, designed by John W. Gilbert Associates, Hingham, Mass., is the first of three welded-steel sisterships that will be built for FMT this year. With tankage for 56,000 gallons of fuel, 12,000 gallons of potable water, 1,000 gallons of lube oil and 2,000 gallons of slop oil, the vessel draws nine feet. It has a pilothouse eye level of 33 feet.

The mv. Stephanie Pasentine is named for the wife of Dennis J. Pasentine, President of Florida Marine Transporters, and the daughter-in-law of FMT CEO Dennis A. Pasentine, who founded the company in 1993. The Stephanie Pasentine is one of about 14 vessels in the queue for FMT from multiple shipyards. The forthcoming vessels will grow the total number of towboats in FMT’s fleet to 105.

It operates on the Mississippi River powered by twin 2,011-hp Cat^® 3512C marine propulsion diesels running at 1,600 rpm and turning 100"×69" stainless steel props through 9.5” in shafts with Twin Disc MGX-5600DR gears with 6.56:1 ratios.

Four Patterson electric winches are mounted forward of the house: a 65-ton winch and 40-ton winch are on both the port and starboard sides. Back aft is a two-ton deck crane from Harrington Hoists. Schuyler Marine Fenders supplied the fendering. The fully redundant, electro-over-hydraulic steering system is by EMI. Herbert Hiller supplied the vessel’s fixed fire protection equipment

“Nine crewmen are accommodated in six comfortable, wood-lined staterooms spread over three decks aboard the Stephanie Pasentine,” says Josh Stickles, vice president of marketing for Metal Shark. The four-deck towboat is Subchapter M compliant.

The chief engineer’s stateroom and office are on the main deck. Three two-man staterooms and the captain’s stateroom are on the 01 deck, while the pilot’s stateroom is on the 02 deck. To improve crew comfort by reducing noise and vibration levels in the cabins and wheelhouse, acoustic dampening coating was applied to strategic areas.

There is a split air conditioning and heating system, and heavy mineral wool insulation throughout for the crew’s comfort. The galley, adjacent to a fully furnished lounge, features all stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops.

“Florida Marine Transporters choosing to come back and build at the yard was pivotal for us,” says Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. “Dennis Pasentine’s willingness to give the yard a fresh shot gave us the baseline to reconstitute a workforce with repetitive builds. We will forever be in his debt for that opportunity.”

The vessel was named one of WorkBoat’s “10 Significant Boats of 2020.”

For more information about reliable Cat Marine Engines, contact the experts at your local Cat^® Marine dealer.

 Photo Credit: Metal Shark

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