Kirby Christens Mv. Bob Livingston

Kirby Corporation held a christening ceremony June 25 at the company’s Old River Dock in Channelview, Texas, for the mv. Bob Livingston, an Entech-designed towboat from Harvey, La.-based Eymard Marine Construction and Repair. 

Livingston’s tenure at Kirby started following the acquisition of Sabine Towing in the mid-1990s, and he was a cornerstone within the maintenance group until his retirement in 2016. Livingston was well known to have a special talent for pushing multi-department coordination, according to a statement from Kirby, and was incredibly honored to have Kirby name a boat after him, in recognition of his service.

The Bob Livingston measures 78 feet by 34 feet, with a depth of 10 feet. The 1,600 hp. towboat features a pair of Mitsubishi S6R2 Tier 3 main engines from Laborde Products in Covington, La., and Twin Disc MGX 5321 reduction gears (5.96:1). The engines and gears turn 76-inch by 66-inch four-blade stainless Sound wheels from Jefferson Propeller.

Shafts are by S&S Machine, and the Bob Livingston features Wärtsilä seals from Dale’s Welding and Thordon bearings. Marine Systems Inc. supplied the vessel’s two John Deere 99 kW generators.

 Trace Laborde, vice president of business development for Laborde Products, said the Laborde team is pleased with the pairing of the engine package and the size and weight of the mv. Bob Livingston.

“The workmanship of Eymard is outstanding, and I believe Kirby is pleased with the performance of the mv. Bob Livingston,” Laborde said. “Pairing these engines with the larger, weightier hull of the Bob Livingston really demonstrates what the Mitsubishi engines are capable of. They may combine for 1,600 hp., but the performance and capability is more like what you’d expect from a 2,000 hp. boat.”

Kirby President and Chief Operating Officer Christian O’Neil said the mv. Bob Livingston’s main engines reflect a longstanding relationship with the Laborde Products family.

“We deeply value our partnership with Laborde Products,” O’Neil said. “We have many of their engines powering our fleet, and we’re happy to work with them. I’ve personally known the Laborde family for 20-plus years now. They have a great work ethic. The quality of their work and the way they treat their customers are first class, and we’re proud to work with them. We’re proud of the mv. Bob Livingston.”

The mv. Bob Livingston has tankage for 24,760 gallons of fuel, 13,827 gallons of water and 1,360 gallons of lube oil. The pilothouse eye level is 33 feet, 7 inches. Electronics and communications equipment aboard the Bob Livingston are from Wheelhouse Electronics. Fendering is by Schuyler Marine. Hydraforce supplied the Bob Livingston’s electric-over-hydraulic steering system.

Eymard completed the Bob Livingston April 30, and the Coast Guard issued its certificate of inspection June 3.