Posted: May 13, 2013
Crowley christens final ATB in series - Liberty/750-3
New jobs for AMO members aboard third 750 Class articulated tug/barge
Crowley Maritime Corporation May 2 christened the final vessel in its series of articulated tug/barges. The new 750 Class ATB, Liberty/750-3, provides new jobs for the membership of American Maritime Officers in the Jones Act fleet.
As with the first two ATBs in the 750 Class, the Legacy and the Legend - and all ATBs in the Crowley Maritime fleet - the Liberty is operated under contract with the Seafarers International Union. AMO has established a pass-through agreement with the SIU covering the three 750 Class ATBs. Under the pass-through agreement, members of AMO with unlimited licenses are working aboard the Liberty, as well as the Legacy and Legend, in licensed positions - deck and engine.
The Legacy/750-1 was the first in its class, christened in November 2011. The second, the Legend/750-2, was christened in Tampa last year. Both vessels are working along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The 750-Class barges have a capacity of approximately 330,000 barrels and are 45,000 deadweight tons and are 600 feet in length. The three barges were built by VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss. The 16,000-horsepower tugs were constructed by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. in Anacortes, Wash.
"We set out to offer customers the safest, most reliable petroleum transportation services many years ago by pairing our operational expertise with these safe and innovative vessels," said Crowley President and CEO Tom Crowley. "It fills us with great pride and satisfaction to see our vision come to fruition, and to deliver for our customers."
Over the past 10 years, Crowley has invested more than $1 billion in Jones Act ATB construction to expand the company's U.S.-flag petroleum services fleet. In addition to the 750 Class vessels, Crowley's ATB fleet includes four 550 Class 155,000-barrel ATBs, and ten 650 Class 185,000-barrel ATBs.