The newest member of the Port of South Louisiana family fits right in, mainly because like the rest of the Port family, it’s reliable, durable and willing to work hard.
Just don’t expect this newest member at any office functions or holiday parties. Why, you ask?
Well, this latest addition to the Port of South Louisiana weighs several tons.
In August, Mitch Smith, Paul Aucoin and several other prominent Port officials formally took possession of the “Nathan Folse,” a 75-foot custom configured, endurance-model, multi-purpose catamaran. Stocked with a bunch of fancy (and technical) bells and whistles, the vessel was purposely designed to handle multiple duties such as (but not limited to) fire rescue missions, general rescue missions, “Command and Control” operations, and 24-7 port security missions — a vital necessity considering the traffic that goes in and out of the largest tonnage port in the Western Hemisphere.
“We try to keep this type of equipment up-to-date because it plays such a vital role in what we do.” says Aucoin, the executive director of the Port of South Louisiana. “So having a state-of-the-art boat, a boat that travels a little bit faster, has the latest equipment and can carry more people was an upgrade all-around.
“The boat is just beautiful,” Aucoin continued later. “It’s just very impressive — latest design, latest everything. It’s like getting a new car, just so much better than the old one.”
Because time is of the essence in fire and rescue situations, the Nathan Folse is powered by Twin Cat C-18 diesel engines placed in a conventional straight-shaft inboard configuration. At top speeds, the catamaran can reach cruising speeds of 25 knots over a nominal operating range of 500 miles. Capacity-wise, the ship’s below-deck lodging can comfortably handle six crew members and can carry enough supplies for extended stays if necessary. The “pilothouse” provides 360-degree visibility and the command and control suite is designed to facilitate multi-agency coordination during emergency response events, and is suited with a positive-pressure chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive ventilation system (or CBRNE for those in the know), which provides peace of mind and protection for crews in disaster response scenarios.
When called on for firefighting incidents, the new vessel has two dedicated drives engines able to disperse 6,000 gallons of water per minute through an oversized water main. Rescue officials can divert water to certain valves through three radio frequency-controlled monitors.
Additionally, the vessel has four more hydrant connections and a 400-gallon foam reservoir, providing extra help and flexibility for any firefighting situation that might arise on the river.
The Nathan Folse — which came with a $3.2 million price tag — was purchased using funds from the Port-Security Grant Program administered by FEMA. The boat, which was delivered to the port in August 2015, was built in-state by Metal Shark out of Franklin. The Acadiana-based manufacturer supplies custom vessels used for defense, law enforcement and general commercial needs. Their well-known clients include four branches of the military — Coast Guard, Army, Navy and Air Force — foreign militaries, various fire departments and port operators.
“Our 75 Endurance (Nathan Folse) is the most advanced fireboat boat design on the market, incorporating crew-friendly features and advanced systems throughout,” says Metal Shark president Chris Allard. “Metal Shark is honored to have been selected by the Port of South Louisiana to deliver this new vessel. We trust that this new Metal Shark will meet the port’s needs, help keep their port secure, and potentially save many lives for years to come.”
The purchase and now implementation of the Nathan Folse rescue and firefighting vessel is just another example of the Port of South Louisiana’s proactive response to upgrade facilities and services to meet the wide-ranging needs of current tenants and future business clients — a campaign that stretches from the end of Joel Chaisson’s tenure and the entirety of Aucoin’s. For example, the Port has massively upgraded its regional airport — specifically lengthening its runway and sprucing up its terminal — so CEOs and other heads of business can check operations without having to fly into New Orleans or Baton Rouge. The Port has also built new warehouses, redesigned existing facilities, now operates three docks instead of two and a couple years ago built a new finger pier allowing vessels on both the barge side and the shipside.
“Stakeholders and the industries up and down the river rely upon us for this rescue and fire-prevention equipment — all these boats with the crews — it’s important for clients within our jurisdiction,” Aucoin says. “So this is really, when you think about it, another upgrade to the port and progress like this is necessary to stay competitive and be a desirable location for business.”
By William Kalec