The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has leased one tug and ordered two newbuild vessels for operations in the Great Lakes of North America
Cleveland-based Great Lakes Towing has gained a contract to provide its 2008-built tugboat Don Raul to the Buffalo District of USACE for up to five years. This is an initial US$3M contract for a firm one-year lease, which can be extended with four more yearly leases to result in US$8.4M of revenue for the tug owner.
In addition, USACE has contracted Conrad Shipyard to construct two CELRE Detroit ice-class tugs for operations on the Great Lakes.
Don Raul will be mainly deployed on Lake Erie between Buffalo, New York state and Toledo, Ohio, towing the Buffalo District’s repair fleet. This 2,090-kW powered, 23-m tug may serve all the way to Massena, New York.
Buffalo District’s fleet is one of three strategically located across the Great Lakes, providing a rapid response for maintenance at US harbours and along the nation’s shorelines.
Tugboats are used to transport a derrick boat and materials barges from port to harbour. USACE plays a role in supporting commerce and strengthening national infrastructure.
“Maintaining safe navigation is a critical mission for the US Corps of Engineers,” said Buffalo District commander Lt Col Eli Adams.“Tugboat Don Raul will greatly enhance our ability to safely and effectively support the residents of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and ensure the economic viability of their waterways,” said Lt Col Adams.
Don Raul will be a short-term replacement for tugboat Cheraw, while the Buffalo District develops and implements a longer-term replacement plan. Cheraw is a former US Navy seagoing tug, which was transferred to the Buffalo District in 1998.
Don Raul is a twin-screw seagoing tug built by Great Lakes Shipyard in 2008. It is expected to depart its current port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to arrive in Cleveland for maintenance, before final delivery to the Buffalo District’s repair fleet 1 August 2022.
Conrad Shipyard will build two 23-m tugboats for US Army Corps of Engineers to help maintain St Mary’s River, upper Great Lakes and the Soo harbour. With a beam of 8 m and draught of around 3 m, these Detroit ice-class tugboats will also be employed for breaking ice up to 30-cm thick and performing ice scraping operations at the St Mary’s Falls Canal.
They will be built to Conrad’s own design and ABS class for Great Lakes service and vessel towing, and to the US Coast Guard’s 46 CFR SubChapter M requirements and be diesel-powered, with twin screw, 1,195 kW of power and accommodation for three crew members.
USACE Buffalo District is responsible for maintaining 35 federal harbours and navigation projects on Lakes Erie and Ontario, including approximately 60 km of protective structures such as piers, jetties, and breakwaters.
The District uses the government-owned repair fleet and hired labour to perform repairs to navigation structures, execute snagging and clearing to remove trees and other obstructions to navigation, and conduct installation and maintenance of safety ladders and signage.
The repair fleet is engaged in harbour maintenance activities for the full duration of construction season on the Great Lakes, typically from mid-April to early November.
