News Articles

It's 10:30 pm, dark on the river with patches of fog. You hear and almost feel the powerful engines throbbing first, then a powerful spotlight flicks from side to side, bouncing off the boat houses and river bank. Amazingly enough it's almost silent as it approaches from around a bend.

 

It's the M/V DRUM POINT, a twin screw towboat seen traveling downriver from the Phillips 66 terminal near Old Ocean pushing a barge full of product.

 

The towboat was built in 2005 by Hope Services, Dulac, La. and originally owned by Maryland Marine, Inc., Houston, Tx. then transferred to Higman Barge Lines, Inc., Houston, Tx, and finally now Kirby Marine.

 

Her length is 72 feet, breadth 30 feet, and runs on Cummins KTA38-M1 diesels, 2000 hp. The engines are turned by Twin Disc red with 6.18:1 ratios.