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Mary ann MORANMoran Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn.Moran’slatest ATBworks ongraindeliveriesto PuertoRicoMoran Towing Corp. keepscranking out the articulatedtug-barge (ATB) units, butthe latest one is slightly different than itspredecessors, all of which were set up tohaul oil barges.The latest, Mary Ann Moran,was delivered from the Washburn &Doughty shipyard in East Boothbay,Maine, in late 2010 for the purposeof pushing a 531-foot dry bulk bargeloaded with grain from New Orleansto Puerto Rico.Essentially, she is a near-sistershiptug to Moran’s other recent ATBs withsingle elevated pilothouse. The tug is121 feet in length with 5,300 hp worthof EMD power and an Intercon couplersystem. Upon completion, the new tugwas matched up with Moran’s dry-bulkbarge Virginia, newly converted with anupgraded notch to accept the Interconcoupler system and other improvements.Mary Ann Moran is the fourth tugbuilt to this design by the Washburn &Doughty shipyard. In total, the companyoperates seven ATB units, all but one —the latest — in the oil trade.While Moran has been handlinggrain loads for ConAgra perfectly wellwith a conventional twin-screw towingvessel, it was the appeal of faster voyagesand better fuel economy that promptedthe change to an ATB towing system.The company reports that the typicalround trip voyage has been cut byabout two days from the former 23-dayvoyage thanks to the greater efficiencythat comes with Mary Ann Moran. Alsoinvolved in the ConAgra effort fromthe grain terminal in New Orleans to itsflour mill in San Juan has been the bargeCarolina. The barge Virginia is currentlysailing on a year-round schedule withcapacity of 27,000 tons of wheat, soy,corn, oats, alfalfa and other grains in afive-hold configuration.Mary Ann Moran, named for thewife of ConAgra grain executive GaryRedmann, is powered by a pair of12-cylinder EMD-645F7B engines withLufkin 4.458:1 reduction gears. Thepower train can produce a reported2,650 hp per engine at 800 rpm.Propulsion comes from five-blade, 115-inch Rolls-Royce propellers. The tughas tankage for 142,000 gallons of dieselfuel. Other tankage includes 68,000gallons of ballast water and 16,000gallons of potable water.Mary Ann MoranOwner/Operator: Moran Towing Corp.New Canaan, Conn.Builder: Washburn & DoughtyAssociates, EastBoothbay, MaineNaval Architect: Robert Hill, Ocean Tug& Barge EngineeringDimensions: 121 x 36 x 18Design/type: SOLAS-rated, ATB tugfor ocean transport,paired with dry-bulkbargeEnginesu EMD 12-645F7Bdieselsu 5,300 total hpu John Deere aux. powerenginesPropulsionu Lufkin 4.458:1reduction gearsu Rolls-Royce 5-blade115-inch propellersOthersPEcificationsu Intercon “C” ATBcoupler systemu Markey elec. capstansfore & aftu Ansul CO2 firesuppressionu Matrix watermakersystemu Global davit systemu Fassmer rescue boatu Soundown vibrationdampingflooringu Crew size: 12Navigation gearu Furuno radars, log,depth sounderu Furuno AIS, SSB,Inmarsatu Furuno SOLASelectronicsu Anschütz autopilotu EMI steeringu FuelTrax fuelmonitoringSPECIFICATIONSTank capacitiesu Diesel fuel: 142,000gallonsu Water: 16,000gallonsu Ballast: 68,000gallonsType & Area ofoPErationu Delivery of ConAgragrain products fromNew Orleans toPuerto Rico46 American Tugboat Review 2011