Conrad builds two inland tow vessels

Conrad Shipyard of Morgan City has started production on a second 6000HP inland towboat designed by MiNO Marine of New Orleans, the company said in a news release.
The Subchapter M-compliant vessel measures 166 feet by 49 feet by 12 feet and is powered by Tier IV compliant engines.
Conrad has orders from two customers for the vessels.
Conrad worked closely with MiNO Marine, who developed the design based on regulatory requirements and current needs existing in the market. Conrad’s production line is geared for serial production for multiple customers, and component manufacturing coupled with a modular build strategy results in efficiencies in production, on-time delivery and lower costs to the customer. The vessel has an optimized hull form for improved performance, and the design is intended to be flexible to accommodate different propulsion drive-trains.
The vessels currently under construction each utilize different engines; one vessel will be equipped with GE engines, and the other will have EMD engines.
“This horsepower range is right in our wheelhouse, and we will continue to expand our capabilities to be able to service our customers’ needs," said Johnny Conrad, chairman and CEO. "We are delighted about the opportunity to provide our customers with a quality vessel constructed by our proven and experienced shipbuilding team.”