Eastern Launches Z-Drive Tug For McAllister

Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. launched the escort/rescue Z-drive tug Capt. Jim McAllister for McAllister Towing on March 19. The tug, designed by Jensen Maritime Consultants, Seattle, Wash., is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton, Fla., facility. The vessel is scheduled to deliver later in 2019.

Present at the launch were the owners’ onsite representative, Jamie Thibodeaux of McAllister Towing, with Eastern’s project manager Patrick D’Isernia.

The Capt. Jim McAllister (Eastern’s hull No. 223) is the fourth vessel from the same 100-foot Z-drive tug design being built for McAllister. The Rosemary McAllister (Hull No. 224) was delivered in June of 2018 and in final outfitting is the Ava M. McAllister (Hull No. 222) each constructed at Eastern’s Allanton Facility. The lead vessel of the four-vessel series is the Capt. Brian McAllister, delivered in the summer of 2017 built by Horizon Shipbuilding Inc.

The 100- by 40-foot Capt. Jim McAllister features two Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4 diesels, each producing 3,386 hp. at 1,800 rpm. They operate Schottel SRP-4000 Z-drives.

The tug also has three Caterpillar C7.1 turbocharged diesels for generators, and a Caterpillar C9.3 auxiliary diesel engine to power the SFP 150×200 fire pump and FFS 300M monitor.

On deck is a bow-mounted ABS Markey Machinery Series DEPCF-52-75 hawser winch, and a stern-mounted ABS Markey Machinery Series DEPC-42-40 towing winch.