Eastern Shipbuilding, FMT Ink Contract for Additional 90’ Inland Towboats, USA

February 3, 2013

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has announced that on January 23, 2013, FloridaMarine Transporters, Inc. of Mandeville, LA exercised options for up to five (5) additional 90’x32’x10’ “Canal Class” Inland Towboats.

Last December, Eastern delivered the M/V BLAKE BOYD to Florida Marine, the 55th towboat built by Eastern for FMT. This series of towboats originally began with a twenty‐five (25) vessel contract with on‐time deliveries starting in 2006. It has expanded to become the largest single towboat design/build contract in history.

This new contract is for one towboat with four options and will be constructed from a design furnished by Gilbert Associates, Inc. of Boston, MA. The new vessels will be the first in this series with Tier 3 main propulsion engines and generators. The vessel is powered by two (2) Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1,500 HP at 1,600 RPM provided by Louisiana Power Systems. The reduction gears are direct coupled Twin‐Disc Model MG‐5600 with a 6.04:1 reduction supplied by Sewart Supply, Inc. of Harvey, Louisiana. Electrical power is provided by two (2) 99kW John Deere 4045AFM85 99KW Tier 3 generator sets rated for 60 Hz, at 208 VAC provided by Kennedy Engine Company of Biloxi, MS. These diesel engines comply with the current EPA/MARPOL control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from marine diesel engines.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has two shipbuilding facilities in Panama City, Florida and has been in business since 1976 building, converting and repairing vessels in steel and aluminum of all types including tugs, barges, offshore support vessels, research vessels, firefighting vessels, barges, ferries, passenger vessels, fishing vessels and towboats for both the commercial and government marine markets. Eastern Shipbuilding Group continues to remain a diversified shipbuilder. These new towboats will maintain Eastern Shipbuilding’s role as one of the largest manufacturers of Inland Towboats in the United States.

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Press Release, February 3, 2013