American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has reduced emissions while cutting fuel and maintenance expenses through new service agreements signed in 2022 with Caterpillar
The Indiana-based barge and towboat operator entered into customer value agreements (CVAs) with Caterpillar and its distributors earlier this year and is already seeing the results.
ACBL has transported cargo along 11,500 km of US inland waterways since 1915 and has Caterpillar engines and generators on its towboats. To keep its fleet moving, it counts on the Cat dealer network, including Boyd Cat and its marine product support representative Neilly Allen, providing 24/7 year-round support.
Under the CVAs, Caterpillar’s dealer network provides ACBL with Cat remote fleet monitoring and support for these engines to identify issues before they become problems or failures.
“We run the engines hard, so we are dependent upon Neilly and Boyd Cat to support that,” said ACBL vice president for vessel reliability Scott Hankins. “Every decision we make, from monitoring these engines to buying new ones, is geared towards being a more eco-friendly company and industry,” he said.
“It is our mission to be an innovative marine transport solution, including talking regularly about emissions control and green initiatives.”
The Caterpillar CVAs cover connected technologies that provide reliable performance data on the line’s C32 engines.
Cat Remote Fleet Vision monitoring enables ACBL to look at engine-performance data to make adjustments, improve maintenance and order services and parts.
“Parts availability, durability, and serviceability are key in the whole operation,” said ACBL senior manager of mainline vessel engineering Ron Schneider. “We have C32s, C280s running high horsepower rpm. We have got a wide array.”
This level of connectivity enables engineers like Mr Schneider to pinpoint problems and monitor trends in engine performance over time. Armed with these insights and Boyd Cat support, ACBL takes data-driven action to improve efficiency and conserve fuel.
From fast filter deliveries to complex cylinder rebuilds, ACBL trusts Boyd Cat to service its engines and provide diligent preventive maintenance. ACBL and Boyd Cat use data to improve maintenance and decisions on whether engineers need to visit the towboats.
