USA: Seattle City Light has awarded a contract to Kvichak Marine Industries to design and build a push-boat to operate at the Ross Lake dam in the North Cascades.
The push-boat will be used for large debris removal to ensure continuous power generation through the dam. The vessel will feature a removable pilothouse to ease delivery on the route to Ross Lake. Kvichak delivered a similar vessel to Seattle City Light in April, which services Diablo Lake.
The boat will measure 7.85 metres in length, with a beam of 3.66 metres and a draft of 1.04 metres.
Weighing 7.8 tonnes, the hull and superstructure will be constructed of marine grade aluminum alloy plate and extrusions. Two vertical push knees will be located at the bow, padded by a 15-centimetre rubber D-section. The push boat will be powered by a John Deere 224kW turbocharged diesel engine with a stainless steel prop in a 37 nozzle, delivering a bollard pull of 2,331 kilograms. The vessel is designed for a crew of three, with fuel capacity of 908 litres.
Delivery is scheduled for September 2012.