With EPA Tier 4 transition rules possibly expiring in 2027, heavier engines with a higher horsepower-to-displacement ratio, like Mitsubishi, may increase in popularity. “It's already happening,” says Jacob Yoder, dealer development at Laborde Products, in Deer Park, Texas.
Headquartered in Covington, La., Laborde Products has continued building its dealer and service network along the Gulf Coast and East Coast. “We’re seeing more commercial fishing vessel operators choose Mitsubishi for a lot of reasons, fuel efficiency and the reliability of a mechanical engine, for example,” says Yoder. “Over the last four or five years, we’ve continued building our dealer and service network along the Gulf Coast and East Coast, and we have projects underway and scheduled in New England, New Jersey, and Louisiana."
Mitsubishi has long been a favorite among commercial fishing operators who appreciate the simplicity and durability of mechanical engines. One upcoming project, Yoder notes, is the planned repower of Westbank Fisheries’ menhaden vessel, the Kimberly K. “Westbank recently opted for a 33-liter, 850-hp Mitsubishi S12A2 for the planned repower of the Kimberly K,” he says. “It's got a bigger turbo, is more fuel efficient, has more low-end torque, and delivers more power at lower RPMs. For fishing vessel operators, that means dependable performance, long engine life, and lower maintenance costs.”
Further down the Gulf Coast at Williams Fabrication, the late Lars Vinjerud had several boats built for his New Bedford, Mass., company, Fleet Fisheries, including the Viking Power, launched in 2019 with a Mitsubishi. “Laborde sold several Mitsubishi engines to Lars,” says Yoder. “We’re also supporting the repower of Lund's Fisheries’ fish dragger, Evening Star, in New Jersey. Our dealer in there, Ocean Power, is supplying a Mitsubishi S6A3 for that project.”
Yoder notes that Laborde has worked on a number of repower projects through Ocean Power. “Interest in Mitsubishi engines is continuing to grow among commercial fishing operators in the Northeast,” he says. “Our other dealers in the region are Rhode Island Engine in Narragansett and Windward Power in New Bedford, Mass. Windward recently supplied a 684-horsepower Mitsubishi S6R-Y3, an EPA Tier 3 engine, for another Gloucester fish dragger, the Midnight Sun."
The F/V Midnight Sun Facebook page shows the owners cutting a hole in the bulkhead aft of the engine room and removing the old engine through the fish hold.
For commercial fishermen, dependable service can be just as important as the engine itself. To help minimize downtime, Laborde has invested in dealer training and replacement parts availability throughout its service network.
“We have stocking requirements for our dealers that cover the most common service parts,” says Yoder. "We also have warehouses in Texas, Kentucky, and Louisiana, so we can typically get parts to our dealers within 24 hours.”
Those investments help commercial fishermen gain faster access to parts and service, reducing downtime and helping keep their vessels working.
