Has anyone heard anything about a Kirby tug losing power in the Gulf? I heard some details but don’t know how true so I don’t want to start a rumor
I didn’t know Kirby had tugs in the Gulf.
Ex k-sea, penn, allied unit I’d guess.
Anyone know what boat? I have a friend who is on the Sea Eagle.
Valiant old Penn boat
Kirby spent millions on barges and push and pulled them with junk tugs. I worked briefly for them and the tug I worked on had one good gen set and a rental on deck (No big deal as the rental was much better than the exploded generator in the engine room. Both main engines were in need of new oil coolers (both had over 50% of the tubes plugged in them) Both rudders packing leaked like sieve and was so rusted you could not tighten it. That was up in Alaska where the " weather is much nicer than the GOM " The tug had fuel sounding tubes in peoples staterooms. I had to wake up a trainee to sound one of our tanks. The tanker-man made more money than anyone aboard. Those brand new barges are being pushed by jury-rigged accidents waiting to happen.
This kinda shit happens all the time, even more often when you buy a fleet of everyone elses junk. Reading old logbooks on one tug i was one, bad fuel while towing a dead ship, lost power, listed over, crew in survival suits ready to bail, entertaining reading. Kirby owns MSI, everytime ive dealt with them from Houma to NJ they have always been good, im sure they have it straightened out by now.
I called kirby a few yrs ago sniffing around about a job after another epic TX crew change, the girl kept pushing an “alaska boat”, with a retarted schedule and even more retarted travel, said no thanks and glad i did.
A few boats from the ex seaboats fleet have recently had continued casualties, mostly steering related.
Kirby even admitted they underestimated the issues on the tugs when they made the overall ksea purchase and had to spend way more on shipyard than imagined.