Wins Barge News

St. Johns wins barge contract with one of world’s largest construction companies. St. Johns Ship Building of Palatka, Fla. won a contract to construct a custom crane spud barge for Skanska, one of the largest construction companies in the world. This is the first contract St. Johns has signed with Skanska USA, a leading national construction company with 7,000 employees in the U.S. and 2010 revenues of $4.8 billion. “In a highly competitive environment, Skanska chose St. Johns because they saw our previous work…

Heavy transport shipping company Dockwise Shipping B.V. took delivery of the M/V Blue Marlin after her conversion into the world's largest semi-submersible heavy transport vessel able to carry heavy cargoes up to 73,000 tons. After a conversion of three months at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Blue Marlin has re-joined the Dockwise fleet with an increased deadweight capacity of 76,061 tons. The beam has been increased by 21 m, which results in an increased unobstructed deck area of 11,227 sq. m (63 m wide x 178.2 m long). The propulsion system of the vessel has been upgraded and extended with two Azimuth retractable propulsors, each 4.5 MW, to provide optimum manoeuvrability and seagoing characteristics while carrying ultra large cargoes.

Jeffboat has been awarded a contract to build two 52,000 net barrel ocean service tank barges for Vane Line Bunkering of Baltimore, Maryland. These barges are the fifth and sixth built to the same design at Jeffboat since 2001. Work on the new barges is expected to begin in June 2004 and extend through September 2005. The barges are to be built for coastwise manned and ocean unmanned light oil service. The new contract contains options for Vane to purchase up to two additional barges of the same design. Jeffboat is currently constructing two similar barges for Vane, the DOUBLESKIN 55 and DOUBLESKIN 57. These barges are designed for coastwise manned and ocean unmanned heated heavy oil service. These barges are set to deliver in May 2004 and October 2004 respectively.

The Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Corporation (SENESCO) will build a 180-ft. barge at Quonset Point, R.I., for John P. Picone Inc., a general contractor from Lawrence, N.Y. This is the ninth barge order SENESCO has received since it began operations in November 1999. In addition, SENESCO has manufactured a number of barge-like structures or "floats" used in marinas for passenger, gambling and other craft in Lynn and Boston, Mass. The Picone Vessel will be used as a construction barge in the New York area. All five vessels built so far at SENESCO are deck barges and have the capability of carrying heavy crawler cranes.

The Manitowoc Company,Inc. announced that U.S. Shipping Partners, L.P. has awarded the Manitowoc Marine Group (MMG) a contract for the construction of two 156,000-barrel, ocean-class, double-hull tank barges. The vessels will be built by its Bay Shipbuilding subsidiary located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The barges, which are scheduled for delivery in the third and fourth quarters of 2008, will measure 521 feet in length, 72 feet in width, and 41 feet in molded depth. The contract also includes options for two additional vessels. The U.S. Shipping barges will be used for oil and chemical transport along the East Coast and will be ABS, Coast Guard, and OPA-90 compliant.

Keppel Corporation Limited, through its offshore unit in Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), has clinched another contract to build a swamp barge from repeat customer, PT Apexindo Pratama Duta Tbk (PT Apexindo). The S$25 million contract for the swamp barge, Yani, is the third contract PT Apexindo has awarded to Keppel FELS Ltd. The Indonesian drilling contractor, who recently obtained a public listing on the Jakarta Stock Exchange, has earlier awarded Keppel with two other contracts, one for the new construction of swamp barge Raisa, and another for the repair and refurbishment of swamp barge Maera. Said Mr Tong Chong Heong, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Keppel O&M…

J. Ray McDermott ("J. Ray"), a subsidiary of McDermott International Inc. ("McDermott"), announced that it has been awarded a contract by Coastal Drilling Company, LLC to fabricate a drilling barge at J. Ray’s Morgan City, Louisiana facility. Coastal Drilling’s Rig #22, a 3,000 HP posted barge rig with dimensions of 250’ x 70’ x 18’ will be constructed in one of J. Ray’s onsite fabrication buildings. J. Ray will have upwards of 100 employees engaged to complete the barge work during the third and fourth quarter of 2005. The drill barge is scheduled to sail by January 2006. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to demonstrate our expertise and capabilities on this job.