Eastern Delivers 70th Vessel To Florida Marine

Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., the Panama City, Fla.-based operator of two new construction and repair facilities, announced recently the delivery of the mv. Jaden Pasentine to Florida Marine Transporters, headquartered in Mandeville, La.

Florida Marine (FMT) took delivery of the mv. Jaden Pasentine on November 19, 2019. Eastern Shipbuilding (ESG) delivered the DPJ II to Florida Marine in August last year. The mv. Jaden Pasentine, measuring 90 feet by 32 feet with a molded depth of 10 feet, represents the 70th towing vessel in that series built at Eastern Shipbuilding for FMT since early 2006.

The mv. Jaden Pasentine was built at Eastern’s Allanton shipyard from a design by Boston, Mass.-based Gilbert Associates Inc. The twin screw vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 engines from Lousiana CAT.

Those engines are coupled to Twin Disc MG5600 reduction gears with a 6.04:1 ratio from Sewart Supply to produce a total of 3,200 hp. Kennedy Engine Company in Biloxi, Miss., supplied the vessel’s two 99kW John Deere 40445AFM85 generators.

This series of towing vessels, along with the relationship between ESG and FMT, stretches back to 2004. Deliveries for the series commenced in February 2006. According to Eastern Shipbuilding, the series is the largest new construction program in U.S. shipbuilding history between a single owner and single shipbuilder involving the same class of towing vessel.

Florida Marine Transporters operates one of the largest and youngest fleets of towing vessels and tank barges in the country, shipping a wide range of cargoes from petrochemicals, chemicals, liquified petroleum gas, crude oil, agricultural liquids and dry cargo.