On July 28, 2003, Smith was hired as Vice President of Sales Engineering for Senesco Marine and will work out of the New Orleans office. Smith joins Senesco Marine with over 25 years experience in engineering, estimating, sales and construction of tank barges. Smith leaves his former position at Halter Marine where he worked as Program Manager and Director of Barge Construction. “John’s skills and judgment will be important to us as we build Senesco Marine into the best barge construction and repair company in America,” said Gary Schuler, CEO of Senesco Marine.
Smith will help position Senesco Marine as the
premiere barge builder in the country. This past year Senesco Marine launched two 80,000-barrell, double-hulled liquid fuel barges and is currently working on a third. Smith says there is going to be a sudden rush to comply with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) passed by Congress in the aftermath of the
EXXON VALDEZ oil spill off the coast of Alaska. OPA 90 requires single-hull tank vessels to be phased out according to their age and size and replaced by double-hull vessels by January 1, 2015.