Laborde Allows Tug to Tow for Seven Consecutive Weeks

If a business depends on commercial vessels, those vessels must remain in top condition, as unreliable equipment can take days or weeks to repair, resulting in the loss of customers and revenue.

Smith Maritime is such a business, and the company relies on Laborde Products – particularly the Mitsubishi S12R-Y2MPTK Tier II engines that power its tug, Rhea.Rhea’s maiden voyage involved towing a large section of oil-field equipment from Texas to the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa, then traveling to Nigeria.Impressively, Rhea was able to tow continuously for seven full weeks.

Said Capt. Latham Smith, Smith Maritime founder, "Over the years we've used Mitsubishi engines all over the world. The engines are reliable and economical, saving up to 25% on fuel.In our business, we need engines that are reliable so they don't break down in the middle of the ocean or cause us to be late on our customer's time. With these engines, we've never had a breakdown or any problems. Laborde gives us exactly what we want."

Rhea’s captain also weighed in, sending this message via satellite during the voyage:

"All is well out here, just a tugging along, every one is sure enjoying this boat. These new engines are great and no more soot all over the deck, in the house, state rooms, or lungs. Rhea does not miss a beat, and seems easy on fuel. I think we could have done the whole trip from Texas to Nigeria non-stop, but probably would be cutting it too close. This boat is an absolute dream. It is the most efficient tug I've ever worked in 20 years."

Smith Maritime’s vessels primarily operate between the United States, the Caribbean, and South America.Their services include coastal and ocean towing, submersion operations, demolition harbor, cargo and dredge ops, pipe and cable laying, salvage and rescue and anchor and buoy handling.