Expanding demand for grain movement from Idaho, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington prompted the acquisition by Shaver Transportation Company of its 13th vessel, the Cascades (shown above). The big towboat recently began service between Lewiston, Idaho, and Portland, Ore., according to George H. Shaver, president of the 101-year-old marine transportation firm.
In the past year and a half, Shaver Transportation has placed in service new grain barges costing approximately $5 million, which are the largest on the Columbia River, holding approximately 3,700 tons each, Mr. Shaver said. In 1980, Shaver Transportation moved 14 million bushels of grain down the Columbia River. Grain from the Inland Empire is shipped all over the world.
A pusher towboat, the Cascades has an overall length of 100 feet, a 36-foot beam, and a 10 1/2-foot draft. With 3,000 bhp, she has a fuel capacity of 42,000 gallons. The vessel was named after a fast, beautiful sternwheeler that Shaver operated from 1909 to World War II. That Cascades was originally built for use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the construction of Cascade Locks.
The new Cascades was built by Scully Bros. Boat Builders in Morgan City, La. She was acquired by Shaver from Columbia Marine Service, Inc., which operated the towboat on the Mississippi River. Purchase price was over $1 million. Shaver Transportation has upgraded the electronics systems and engines in addition to painting the vessel.
In addition to the Cascades, Shaver recently placed in service the 2,500-bhp oceangoing tug Shaver, acquired at a cost in excess of $2 million. Besides its headquarters operations out of Portland, Shaver Transportation has vessels serving out of British Columbia, Alaska, and San Francisco.