M/V Mark Shell is a twin‑screw towboat built in 2010 by Marine Builders Inc. in Utica, Indiana, carrying a 99' x 35' frame and driven by Cummins KTA50‑M2 Tier 2 diesels pushing 3,200 horsepower through Haley red 6.864:1 gearing.
She started her life as the Helen Merrill under Seacor Offshore Barges LLC before transferring to SCF Liquids in St. Rose, Louisiana in September 2012. In April 2016 she changed hands again, eventually being renamed Mark Shell in January 2017 after joining Kirby Inland Marine, who operate her today.
Seen here in Catlettsburg, Kentucky easing upriver to pick up tow, she kicked her lights on for me — a small gesture, but one that says everything about river people. Boats, crews, and photographers all sharing the same water, the same early‑morning quiet, the same respect for the work.
