The mission of Tobin is to conduct condition surveys of the Mississippi river to further the safety of marine operations. With the intent of keeping waterways open and preventing obstructions to marine navigation, Tobin will accurately and effectively obtain and document data on the rapidly changing waters in the Mississippi River.
The vessel is powered by twin Caterpillar C18 Tier 3 engines making 800 hp each to reach optimal speeds resulting in the prevention of research delays, which is important considering the frequent changes in Mississippi River conditions. The single Caterpillar C2.2 Tier 3 Genset provides 25 ekW of electric power for Tobin’s air conditioning, Teledyne marine singlebeam echosounder and other electrical needs onboard.
Tobin operates with enhanced features such as the Twin Disc marine gears MGX5136RV, Michigan Wheel propellers, Furuno navigation and communication systems, Delta ‘T’ Systems engine room ventilation, Arid Bilge Series 4 system and Ayres paneling.
With speeds that reach 28 knots, the survey vessel allows researchers to acquire data quickly and prevent inconsistencies caused by changes in the river bottom. Additionally, Tobin is equipped with state-of-the-art technology including the EchoTrac, E-20 survey system which is the key component that allows the vessel to take survey measurements.
This vessel’s name honors Thomas G. Tobin who worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District for more than 30 years. As a capable engineer and brilliant programmer, Tom developed systems that automated the processing and mapping of daily navigation condition surveys collected.