Army Corps of Engineers christens new derrick boat
Oct. 26—CLEVELAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday christened its new derrick boat Kolber.
The Kolber will serve as part of the Buffalo District repair fleet, whose mission is to provide routine navigation operations and maintenance services to the Black Rock Lock in Buffalo, and 36 federal harbors across lakes Erie and Ontario. The Kolber is expected to serve as the Buffalo District floating crane for the next 40 years.
Kolber's crane can place armor stone weighing up to 20 tons at a radius of 90 feet. Its crane will be used to move the mitre gates of the Black Rock Lock in Buffalo and can lift 102 tons at a radius of 70 feet.
The Kolber was named in honor of Jonathan E. Kolber. His 35 years of service to the nation as a civil engineer is an enduring legacy that has inspired many young people to follow his footsteps into the engineering profession and continues to inspire today's Army engineers. Mr. Kolber was employed by the Buffalo District as a geotechnical engineer. He was an expert in concrete applications and geotechnical design.
This new derrick boat is 160 feet long, has a beam of 60 feet and a depth of 12 feet. The large crane is a SeaTrax series 60 Model S9302. Its design and construction were contracted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Marine Design Center. The barge was designed by TAI Engineers of New Orleans, and constructed by Metal Trades, Inc., South Carolina.
The Kolber's primary work will be maintenance repairs of the 37 miles of coastal navigation structures (pier, jetties, breakwaters), and removal of obstructions to navigation from the channels.
