American Cruise Lines Launches A New Riverboat

A new paddlewheeler being built for American Cruise Lines for service on the Mississippi River was successfully launched at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland last Sunday. Immediately following the picture perfect launch into the Wicomico River—seen here—tugboats nudged the new riverboat into Chesapeake Shipbuilding’s East Outfitting Basin where the upper decks and outfitting will be completed.

“This is a significant milestone in the construction process and also for American Cruise Lines,” said Timothy Beebe, Vice President of American Cruise Lines. “We look forward to introducing yet another new paddlewheeler on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.”

The launching comes just a few weeks after the joining of the two hull sections, weighing at almost 600 tons a piece. With the installation of the upper decks up next, the new riverboat will come together quickly, and upon completion will be the second new riverboat built for the Mississippi River by American Cruise Lines. Two additional riverboats are also on the way.

The just-launched boat, still unnamed, will have a capacity of 150 passengers and is scheduled to begin navigating the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the spring of 2015.

Image Courtesy of American Cruise Lines