Supplying Critical Power Solutions for Inland Waterways
Watch the full customer testimonial video featuring Gateway Dredging COO Terry Banger to hear how fleet modernization, repower projects, and long-term support have shaped a partnership spanning more than three decades.
Since the early 1990s, CK Power has worked with Gateway Dredging and Contracting to support the equipment behind one of the region’s established commercial sand dredging operations.
Gateway supplies aggregate materials throughout the St. Louis market through a fleet of suction dredges, tugboats, and barges operating across the inland waterway system. The company also provides barge rental and towboat services and moves between 1.5–2 million tons of material annually to support concrete production and construction activity throughout the region.
Their fleet includes four suction sand dredges and six towboats, with each piece of equipment serving a specific role in production and transportation. As Gateway Chief Operating Officer Terry Banger explains in the video, the process depends on every system working together. Dredges produce material, towboats transport it, and unloading equipment moves it to customer locations. Equipment performance directly impacts output across the operation, making reliability and uptime critical.
Supporting fleet modernization through repowers and power systems
Over the last decade, Gateway has modernized its fleet through a series of repower projects, transitioning from older Tier 0 engines to newer Tier 3 platforms. CK Power supported those updates with marine power solutions designed around the operating requirements of the fleet.
That work has included marine generator packages powered by John Deere, along with recent repower projects using the John Deere 6135 platform. According to Gateway, those upgrades delivered measurable fuel savings while also providing additional horsepower capacity. Gateway selected configurations that provide reserve capacity and support long-term equipment life across applications operating under continuous demand.
Support beyond installation
The relationship between CK Power and Gateway extends well beyond equipment delivery and repower projects.
CK Power continues to support Gateway equipment throughout its lifecycle, servicing newer marine generator packages, John Deere-based repower platforms, and legacy Kohler generator systems and propulsion configurations still operating within the fleet today. Maintaining a mixed fleet often means supporting multiple generations of equipment simultaneously, requiring ongoing service and technical expertise across a wide range of equipment.
In the testimonial, Terry Banger also highlights CK Power’s responsiveness, technical support, and family-business approach as factors that have contributed to a relationship spanning more than 30 years.
As Gateway continues investing in its fleet, CK Power remains a resource for equipment updates, ongoing service, and future repower opportunities.
Watch the full customer testimonial video and hear directly from Gateway Dredging leadership to learn why they continue choosing CK Power time and time again.
