Bay-Houston Towing Company Receives First Conrad Z-Tech Tug

Bay-Houston Towing Co. has taken delivery of another of their innovative Z-Tech 7500 tugs. The Z-Tech 7500 design is the largest of the Robert Allan line of Z-Tech tugboats. The LEXIE M was delivered to Bay-Houston on July 8, 2008 by her builder, Conrad’s Orange Shipbuilding yard after extensive dock and sea trials in Orange, Texas. The LEXIE M is the first Z-Tech 7500 to be completed by Orange Ship Building, and is only the third Z-Tech to be built in the United States. The arrival of the LEXIE M brings to 16 the number of harbor tugs in Bay-Houston Towing Company’s growing fleet. The LEXIE M’s principal dimensions are: Length, 98.5 ft., beam 39.3 ft., and a hull depth of 16.4 ft. She is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C engines, which produce 3150 horsepower each for a total of 6300 horsepower. She is designed for a minimum bollard pull of 75 tonnes. The EPA Tier II rated Caterpillar engines are mated to Model SRP-1520 Schottel drives. The Lexie M is fully FiFi 1 compliant, with twin Caterpillar C-18 engines powering the fire pumps, each rated at 5300 gpm. Electrical power is provided by two John Deere gensets, each rated at 125 kw. The winch on the Lexie M is a Markey Model #DYSF – 52 Escort Line Winch. The winch has an automatic render/recover mode, and will be equipped with an application specific Markey tension meter. The winch will have a brake capacity of 500,000 pounds. The LEXIE M will not be the last Z-Tech tugboat in Bay-Houston’s growing fleet. The second of the Z-Tech 7500’s ordered from Conrad’s Orange Shipbuilding yard; the HUNTER M is due to be delivered in early 2009. The WESLEY A, LEXIE M, and HUNTER M are all named after members of the 5th generation of the same family, the Haden family. Bay-Houston Towing Co. traces its roots to Capt. W. D. Haden who founded the companies that make up Bay-Houston back in the 1880s. Bay-Houston Towing Co. provides ship docking services in the ports of Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Freeport, and Corpus Christi. For further information, please contact Capt. Tom Tray, Gene Autry or any of our representatives at 1-800-324-3755, 713-529-3755, in Galveston at 409-765-9381 or on the web at www.bayhouston.com