IWW Customers Benefit from Lower Fuel Costs and Simple Maintenance with Cat^® Marine Tier 4 Final Engines

Houston, Texas – Caterpillar Marine is changing the landscape of the inland water industry with Cat^® Tier 4 engines which provide superior and reliable performance, adhere to the latest emission standards, are easy-to-maintain, and can help lower total cost of ownership. In March 2021, Cooper Marine & Timberlands accepted delivery of M/V Gretchen V. Cooper, the nation’s first linehaul towing vessel to utilize high speed EPA Tier4 certified engines.  The vessel is fully compliant with the latest United States Coast Guard regulatory requirements and powered by Tier 4 Cat 3512E high-speed engines with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). SCR enables the reduction of nitrogen oxides to meet the EPA Tier 4 requirements.  Particulate matter limits are met through in-cylinder combustion optimization.

“Naming a boat after my wife Gretchen meant that we couldn’t just settle for building a standard tow boat and therefore, the M/V Gretchen V. Cooper will be one of the most powerful towing vessels operating on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and will lead the way for a new industry standard for reduced emissions on tow boats,” comments Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith.

“It is very rewarding when Caterpillar’s focus on investment in new technologies helps our customers overcome difficult industry challenges. The successful installation and operation of the first EPA Tier 4 Cat engines on the inland waterways in the M/V Gretchen V. Cooper represents a trailblazing standard in environmentally conscious product development that we could not be more proud of and we certainly thank Cooper Marine for putting their faith in Caterpillar,” says Gary Sarrat, Caterpillar Inland Waterways Segment manager.

Swathin Kannalath, Manager Director of Blakeley Boatworks commented on the construction of the Gretchen V. Cooper, “Our goal as a shipyard is to provide a full service to our customers. We want to be a one-stop shop for everyone that comes into our facility. We’re the first yard in the nation to successfully construct an inland push boat with high-speed tier 4 engines.”

Cat Tier 4 engines come with a factory certified SCR solution, with catalyst service intervals that align with engine overhaul intervals, making the system a long-life component that is easy to maintain, reliable, and consistent with engine maintenance.

Additional benefits include:

• No loss of power or engine derate in the unlikely event of an aftertreatment system malfunction
• No need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and associated EGR valves and coolers that create additional maintenance requirements and failure point risks
• Maintain use of highly reliable, durable, and proven engine technologies
• Total Cost of Ownership Improvement (Fuel savings surpasses cost of Diesel Exhaust Fluid)
• Based on an optimized SCR and DEF dosing solution, the Caterpillar Tier 4 platform enables pathways for future emissions reductions to benefit Customers’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials

“When this project first started, as a yard, we were very excited about this challenge. Our team worked very closely with our local dealer, Thompson Cat, and our naval architects to come up with a plan of how to best implement and install the system in our vessel. A lot of this comes down to planning and preparation. We sat down with our Cat dealer, Thompson Cat, and had multiple meetings to review drawings, whether through a phone call, or they would come to our facility to actually go through the installation process with us. We had great support, and I think that played a big part into our successful implementation of Tier 4. Now, we want to share our experience, take it, and build upon it for future projects,” says Kannalath.

M/V Gretchen V. Cooper is leading the way for towboats to adopt a new industry standard promoting reduced emissions, while Caterpillar is continuing its efforts to develop leading products and services that drive customer success. Visit cat.com/inland waterways or talk to your local Cat dealer to learn more about the industry-changing Cat Tier 4 engines and watch the 2021 IMX panel on the successful implementation of Tier 4 EPA engines here.