Belle Chasse, Louisiana-based shipbuilder C&C Marine and Repair has handed over a new bunkering barge to Colonial Towing.
CTOW 330 is a double-hull tank barge designed for bunkering services and built to support modern fuel handling requirements across lakes, bays, and sounds.
Measuring approximately 297 by 54 by 16 feet (90.5 by 16 by 4.9 metres), CTOW 330 has a nominal cargo capacity of about 28,000 barrels and features a flush deck extending the full length and beam of the vessel.
The barge is designed for US Coast Guard authorisation for Subchapter D cargoes, grade A and lower, inclusive of biodiesel and methanol, and incorporates a type III double-skin hull with raked ends for operational durability and regulatory compliance.
CTOW 330 is configured with eight cargo compartments arranged into two cargo segregations, each served by a dedicated pipeline and pumping capability to support efficient and flexible fuel movements.
The forward deck is arranged with emergency suction risers that can be connected via spool piece to form a loop, enabling either pump set to move cargo from either segregation in an emergency.
The barge is equipped with a US Coast Guard-approved vapour recovery system that includes a stainless steel vent header, closed gauging provisions, and an owner-furnished high-velocity pressure/vacuum valve (3.0 psig pressure/0.5 psig vacuum).
Vapour segregation is supported through strategically placed spectacle flanges and dedicated header arrangements.
CTOW 330 is also fitted with a 600hp (450kW) side thruster powered by a dedicated diesel engine and integrated tunnel arrangement in the bow rake.
