ACBL Christens 11,000 Hp. Towboat In New Orleans
“Are all christenings like this?”
First-timers were asking themselves that question at American Commercial Barge Line’s November 12 christening of the mv. ACBL Mariner, an 11,000 hp. towboat built at C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse, La.
The answer was an unequivocal “No.”
The christening for the CT Marine-designed ACBL Mariner, the highest horsepower vessel built to operate on the Mississippi River since the 1970s, and by all accounts the largest twin screw towboat ever built, had it all. Upon arrival at the New Orleans riverfront just above the Crescent City Connection bridge, attendees first walked through Mardi Gras World, the warehouse where many of the city’s iconic Carnival floats are built. Outside, near where the ACBL Mariner was moored, Drago’s Seafood Restaurant served up charbroiled oysters. Besides ACBL personnel and Tony Cibilich, owner of C&C Marine, the christening ceremony’s featured speaker was Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a friend of both ACBL CEO Mike Ellis and shipbuilding icon Boysie Bollinger, who was also in attendance.
Following spoken remarks, four ACBL Mariner crew members shattered bottles of champagne over the forward rail of the vessel, officially christening it into the company’s fleet of towboats. Immediately afterward, the fireworks show began. Similar to New Year’s and Fourth of July fireworks shows in New Orleans, fireworks for the ACBL Mariner christening launched from a barge stationed in the river.
That wasn’t all, either. Once the impressive fireworks display was over, a pair of New Orleans Police Department motorcycle officers turned on their blue lights and sirens and processed through the crowd, leading the famed Warren Easton Charter High School marching band and a group of miniature Mardi Gras floats, all reminiscent of a New Orleans-style Carnival parade. Float riders threw ACBL- and C&C-branded beads and Hubig’s Pies stamped with “M/V ACBL Mariner.” Once the parade was over, attendees ventured into Mardi Gras World’s indoor event space, built to resemble nighttime in the courtyard of a plantation home, for drinks, food, a tarot card reader, a caricaturist and live music.
Ellis said, when ACBL first signed the contract for the ACBL Mariner, the agreement was for C&C to deliver the vessel in February 2025. Before long, though, he and Cibilich worked out a plan to move up the delivery to the first week in December to correspond with the International WorkBoat Show.
“He quickly stated he only had one condition,” Ellis said. “‘To accelerate this vessel and not cost ACBL any extra overtime dollars or anything,’ he said, ‘all I want you to do is agree to have a big party after the christening to celebrate the achievement.’ Keep in mind, I’ve known Tony for a long time. When he says a really big party, he means a really big party.”
Adding to the complexity of the shortened construction window was the fact that the WorkBoat Show this year fell during the second week of November and not the typical first week of December. Despite that condensed timeframe, C&C had the ACBL Mariner ready for guests to tour it before the christening.
“Tony and his team never wavered on his commitment to deliver this vessel for us today,” Ellis said. “It’s truly remarkable how Tony and his team, our supplier, and ACBL’s team managed such an accelerated timeline without ever sacrificing quality. Every detail on the ACBL Mariner speaks to their commitment to craftsmanship and excellence, reflecting the dedication and expertise that have made this partnership so successful. My deepest gratitude goes to you, Tony, and your family and your team for the hard work and skill, which has brought our vision to life in a record amount of time.”
Capt. Ryan Battlefield stands in the wheelhouse of the mv. ACBL Mariner with his wife, Crystal, and his daughters, Lacey (right) and Lainey. (Photo by Frank McCormack)
Ellis said the ACBL Mariner, with its fleet-leading horsepower and innovative design, represents the company’s commitment to efficiency and environmental stewardship.
“The mv. ACBL Mariner is part of our strategy to build on our industry-leading mainline network and our competitive advantage,” he said. “With this industry leading horsepower and capability to push the largest number of barges on the Mississippi River, it enhances our operational efficiency, crew comfort, and further reduces our carbon footprint per ton-mile. As the flagship for ACBL and our industry, this vessel embodies our strength and forward-thinking approach, allowing us to serve our customers and our communities with unmatched capability.”
At its core, though, the ACBL Mariner is about more than that. The company chose that name for a reason.
“It stands as a tribute to our team members on the water, the true heartbeat of ACBL each day,” Ellis said. “They bring dedication, skill and pride to their vessels, and we have kept them at the forefront of our minds throughout every step of this boat’s design. From the thoughtfully crafted floor plan to the spring-loaded house and comfortable living quarters, the Mariner was crafted with our crew in mind. This boat isn’t just a vessel. It’s a home designed to support our mariners as they work tirelessly around the clock in these challenging operation conditions to keep America moving.”
Ellis then called on all the mariners in the audience to stand and be recognized. During his remarks, Ellis also thanked ACBL’s executive leadership, the company’s board, the lenders who made the boat possible and the vendors, including Karl Senner, Louisiana CAT and Boyd CAT, Gemini Marine Electronics, Thordon Bearings and Patterson, which supplied the winches aboard the Mariner.
He closed with what amounted to a benediction for the vessel: “May the ACBL Mariner navigate our rivers safely and proudly honor ACBL’s legacy and the strength of our team for years to come.”
Cibilich began his remarks with a big surprise. On his command, the lights on the Crescent City Connection bridge changed to ACBL’s colors of red, white and blue, which evoked a collected gasp from the crowd. He then outlined some of the specifications that set the ACBL Mariner apart from the rest of the U.S. inland towboat fleet.
Upbound, the Mariner’s 11,000 hp. will allow it to push up to 64 barges, covering 9 acres of surface area, larger than an aircraft carrier. That power, plus its physical dimensions of 200 by 50 feet, make the Mariner “the largest modern line boat in the United States,” Cibilich said.
The Mariner’s two Caterpillar C280-12 main engines are mated to Reintjes WAF 6755H gears from Karl Senner Inc. (5.05:1 reduction). Shafts are by J&S Machine. The engines and gears turn Hung Shen propellers that measure a whopping 124 inches. Wheels turn within kort nozzles from Rice.
“The Mariner features the largest propellers of any inland boat in the United States, coming in at a massive 10 foot 4 inches,” Cibilich said. “If you put a basketball goal on top of the propellers, even LeBron would have a hard time dunking on it. This boat is truly something special.”
According to C&C, the ACBL Mariner has tankage for 140,000 gallons of fuel, 17,000 gallons of potable water, 2,000 gallons of lube oil and 1,000 gallons of gear oil. The vessel has a depth of 12.5 feet and a draft of 11 feet. By manipulating its ballast, the ACBL Mariner’s operating draft can be adjusted up to 18 inches, which will give it some operational flexibility during low-water conditions. ACBL claims that, with the Mariner’s large, two-engine setup, huge wheels, twin steering and flanking rudders and hydrodynamic hull design, the vessel could see up to a 20 percent improved fuel efficiency compared to moving the same amount of cargo with smaller vessels.
Patterson supplied eight 65-ton electric deck winches and three 40-ton manual winches. The Mariner also features Nabrico kevels and chocks and a capstan from Wintech. Louisiana CAT supplied the vessel’s three generators. The keel cooler is by Duramax. The steering system is by Engine Monitor Inc. The vessel also features an ACBL-designed alarm and monitoring system.
Fendering is by Schuyler, while Hiller supplied the fire safety equipment. Wheelhouse Electronics supplied the Furuno electronics package.
The Mariner offers accommodations for an 11-person crew and one guest arranged in a total of eight staterooms. The vessel also has seven bathrooms and both upper and main deck laundry rooms.
Cibilich said the entire boat was built with the mariners in mind.
“The living quarters are mounted on springs,” he said. “For those of you who aren’t mariners, it’s like enjoying a smooth car ride while driving on some of the pothole-riddled streets of New Orleans. You just don’t feel anything. The crew comfort is unbelievable.”
The interior also features a soft-core joiner system from Marine Interior Systems, which serves a dual purpose.
“It’s not only beautiful, but it’s also fire resistant for the crew’s safety,” he said.
Reflecting on the enormity of the ACBL Mariner project, Cibilich said it’s an honor to have C&C stand among some of the most well-known shipyards in U.S. history.
“There are only a few projects in most of our careers that are truly unique,” he said. “The ACBL Mariner is one of those projects because there hasn’t been a boat this large built for the Mississippi River in nearly 50 years. Since founding C&C 27 years ago, I’ve heard the names of all the old shipyards that used to build these large vessels: Dravo, St. Louis Ship, Jeffboat, Nashville Bridge. I can’t tell you how proud and honored I am to carry on the tradition of building this type of vessel.”
Cibilich then thanked members of the shipyard team by asking the Crescent City Connection bridge crew to change the bridge lights to blue and white, C&C Marine’s colors. Cibilich closed by thanking his wife, Alice.
“Without her, there would be no C&C. There’d be no christening tonight,” he said.
Following the christening, the ACBL Mariner returned to C&C for some fine tuning and final fitment. ACBL expects the mariner to go to work in December.
Editor’s note: About a week after the christening of the mv. ACBL Mariner, the company’s board of directors named Peter Coxon as ACBL’s new CEO. See story here.
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Featured photo caption: The mv. ACBL Mariner along the New Orleans riverfront prior to its christening November 12. (Photo courtesy of ACBL)
