Tugboat makes waves in Tampa

TAMPA — A newly built petroleum tank vessel, which will transport petroleum and related products, including gasoline, was recently christened at the Port of Tampa.

The new vessel, an articulated tug-barge named Legend/750-2, was set into the Gulf of Mexico by Crowley Maritime Corp., a Jacksonville-based transportation and logistics firm. The Legend/750-2 is the second in its class to hit the water.

“We are extremely pleased to add another 750-class ATB to the fleet,” says Rob Grune, Crowley senior vice president and general manager of petroleum services, in a release. “We are confident that, like the first of its kind, the Legend/750-2 will also exceed industry standards for the safest possible transportation of petroleum and chemical products.”

The tugboat Legend is a 16,000-horsepower vessel, according to a Crowley release, while the barge 750-2 has a 330,000-barrel tank. The ship, combined, measures 674 feet and will travel to both U.S. Coasts, in addition to the Gulf.

The Port of Tampa is one of several key shipping locations for Crowley. The firm, according to the release, discharges nearly 163 million gallons of product each month there. Also, between five to seven of its vessels make weekly ports calls to deliver cargo and petroleum products.