Quick Turnaround for Marine Engine Overhaul Demonstrates Commitment from Cat® Dealer, Aids Gulf of Mexico Oil Crisis
Commission from BP requires a rapid overhaul for the Potomac to reach Louisiana in time for assistance with the oil spill.
Cat® 3516B Marine Engine
As one of the leading petroleum transportation companies on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Vane Brothers has developed a strong reputation for ethical business and a commitment to sustainability in all aspects of their business. So after hearing news of the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico, Vane Brothers quickly closed a deal with British Petroleum (BP) to supply six tug boats which would maneuver six 50,000 barrel barges next to the skimmers that are collecting the oil from the gulf before pumping the oil out of the skimmers for transport to a disposal point at an oil refinery.
While Vane Brothers, a marine transportation company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, was definitely supportive of the task, the commission from BP could not have come at a more inopportune time for the vessel the Potomac. Just three days prior, Vane Brothers had ordered a top end overhaul kit for twin Cat® 3516B engines onboard the Potomac. Unfortunately, when the direction from BP was that Potomac would be needed on the scene within weeks, Vane Brothers made a plea with their local Cat dealer, Alban Tractor, to complete the engine overhaul as quickly as possible so they could commit to assistance during the crisis.
To achieve this aggressive goal (the turnaround for an overhaul typically takes 25 days, including lead time for parts), fantastic teamwork was necessary between Vane Brothers, Alban, Caterpillar and CDS Transportation. First, the overhaul kit was ordered from Caterpillar Logistics Services in Morton, Illinois, USA, for parts to be packaged, shipped, and delivered. These parts were immediately transported by CDS Transportation directly to Alban, where the overhaul on both engines was then completed in just eight days, one-third of the normal turnaround time. The overhaul was thus completed in time for the Potomac to be on its way to the Gulf of Mexico, where it arrived in time to join the other Vane Brothers boats in assisting with the situation.
Alban technician inspects overhaul of Cat® 3516B
marine engine on the Potomac
"This was a definite success story do to the commitment of the Alban technicians and the Caterpillar staff that put forth the extra effort to get the parts and complete the work in support of this customer's critical needs," noted Rusty Steele, Marine Business Manager at Alban. "Faced with the confines to complete a 'normal' process with a quite 'abnormal' timeframe, both the Alban and Caterpillar teams worked through and around obstacles to get the job done. In fact, the Alban technicians completed the overhaul by volunteering to work on Father's Day and 18-hour days throughout the overhaul."
This commitment from Alban and Caterpillar underscores the exact reason why Vane Brothers has chosen Cat propulsion engines for the vast majority of their tug boat fleet - the assurance of quality product support from Cat dealers in all major ports of call. Congratulations to Vane Brothers and Alban for this fantastic accomplishment and providing assistance to this international crisis.
For more information about Cat power solutions, visit your local Cat dealer and visit MARINE.CAT.COM.
Tug boat Potomac, which completed an overhaul on the twin Cat® 3516B engines
