Verret Delivers Mv. Miss Carter W To Marine Chartering

Marine Chartering Associates LLC, a marine equipment lessor based in Houston, Texas, has taken delivery of another 86- by 30-foot, 2,000 hp. twin-screw towboat.

Designed and built by Verret Shipyard, located in Plaquemine, La., the boat will be bareboat chartered to Strategic Towing Services LLC, headquartered in Orange, Texas. Verret completed the Subchapter M-compliant vessel June 1, Marine Chartering owner John McMahan said.

McMahan, formerly CEO and chief financial officer of Higman Barge Lines, said the vessel is named Miss Carter W after his oldest daughter, Carter McMahan Wimberly. Wimberly is a graduate of Texas A&M University with more than 20 years’ experience in the financial industry—principally in the areas of wealth management and compliance for Bank of Texas in Houston. She is the bank’s vice president, investment oversight team manager and external performance analyst.

“Carter has spent most of her life on the water as a champion junior sailor and later as a sailing instructor for the youth program at her yacht club,” McMahan said. “She serves as a director of the Judith Liebenthal Robinson Ovarian Cancer Foundation and is an advisory board member of the Spring Branch Independent School District, among other civic groups,” he said.

McMahan was part of an acquisition team that bought Higman in 1986 and built it from a 10-boat, 22-barge operation into one that operated more than 70 boats and close to 150 barges. Kirby Corporation purchased the company in 2018, freeing McMahan to pursue his growth of Marine Chartering, which he had owned before.

He began the recommencement of Marine Chartering with the mv. Cynthia K, built by Hope Services and named for his wife. At 88 feet, 2,680 hp., it is identical to another one of his boats, the Miss Amanda M, named for his other daughter. Other vessels in Marine Chartering’s fleet include the mvs. Otto, Laura M and Alberto.

Strategic Towing, more familiarly known as Neches River Fleet, operates a 100-barge fleet in an oxbow of the Neches River 5 miles from its intersection with the GIWW. It was founded in 2017 by James Robertson and Chris Bouquet, who worked together at CLM Towing.

Vessel Specs

The Miss Carter W’s 2,000 hp. is supplied by twin Caterpillar C32A main engines rated 1,000 hp. each at 1,800 rpm. They are mated to Reintjes WAF 573 gears from Karl Senner, which have a reduction ratio of 7:1, and they turn 80- by 62-inch steel propellers on 7-inch shafts with Duramax seals.

Ship’s service for the three-deck Miss Carter W is provided by two Cat 4.4 marine gen sets with 75 kW each. The engines are cooled by East Park Radiator grid coolers.

Within the hull is tankage for 28,000 gallons of fuel, 12,250 gallons of fresh water, 6,700 gallons of potable water, 5,400 gallons of dirty bilge and 260 gallons each of dirty, hydraulic, lube and gear oil.

Steering for the two main and four flanking rudders is accomplished by a fully redundant, electric-over-hydraulic system made by Custom Hydraulic Components. There is a 42-point vessel alarm system from Eagle Controls.

The Miss Carter W has air-conditioned and heated accommodation for a crew of seven in four staterooms. The crews’ quarters, galley and pilothouse all have fire-resistant paneling and ceilings with sound and vibration damping. There are two baths and showers. The vessel is equipped with a 12-man Ahead sanitation system.

The pilothouse, which has an eye level of 29 feet, houses a full suite of electronic equipment from Wheelhouse Electronics including a Furuno FAR-2127 radar with a 19-inch LCD monitor, three VHF radios, a swing meter, sounder and bridge watch. Atop the pilothouse are two Carlisle & Finch Xenon searchlights and a Kahlenberg duplex airhorn.

On deck are two 40-ton Patterson winches. The tow knees and hull are protected by fenders from M&M Bumpers.
“Verret has done an outstanding job, as has Alberto De La Puenta on our end,” McMahan said. “He has worked with me since 1995 when I hired him at Higman. There, he oversaw construction of over 75 pushboats and 100 tank barges.

“As Verret finishes the Miss Carter W,” McMahan added, “we will begin construction at Verret of a sister vessel to it.”