Conoco Cuts Steel on Environmentally Improved Towboats.Business/Energy Editors HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2002 Conoco (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :COC See chip on chip. ) is building four new towboats with innovative safety, environmental and design improvements that set new standards for the inland towing industry. "We are raising the bar for towboat design, machinery and marine systems by constructing American Bureau of Shipping The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) is a classification society. At the end of 2006, ABS was the third largest class society with a classed fleet of over 10,000 commercial vessels and offshore facilities. (ABS) class boats," said Karen Stacey, director of Conoco domestic marine. "The four new boats will have double-hulled fuel tanks to reinforce safety and environmental protection." Contrary to the name, towboats actually "push" cargo barges along the Intracoastal Waterway and major rivers. Conoco's inland marine fleet of seven towboats and 14 barges made more than 600 voyages last year, hauling over 21 million barrels of crude oil and refined products "The four new generation boats will replace older assets to enhance our productivity and reinforce our commitment to respecting the environment," said Rick Oshlo, Conoco vice president and general manager, supply and trading, materials and services The new towboats, being built by Orange Shipbuilding of Orange, Texas, will have safety enhancements such as CO2 extinguishing systems, fuel shutdowns, fire detection systems and fire fighting systems. Environmental upgrades will include main propulsion engines that are compliant with the International Maritime Organization International Maritime Organization (IMO), specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1948, with headquarters in London and 158 member nations. IMO is one of the smallest of the UN agencies. (IMO "In my opinion." See IMHO and digispeak. IMO - IMHO ) and Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ) emissions standards. "In addition to fewer air emissions, the new engines will reduce fuel consumption and lube oil consumption by as much as 10 percent," said Antonio Valdes, manager of Conoco marine. "They also will use a next generation, five-blade propeller that is 50 percent more efficient at reducing hull vibration than a conventional four-blade propeller. This will make for a much smoother ride." In addition to the four new towboats, Conoco domestic marine plans construction of two new, double-hulled barges. The 17,000-barrel barges will replace two 10,000-barrel barges in the company's fleet. Conoco is a major, integrated energy company active in more than 40 countries. |
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