Ingram Barge President & CEO Craig Philip
Ingram Barge Company announced it has placed an order for up to 20 new 10,000-barrel double-skin tank barges - the
largest new construction addition to Ingram's fleet of tank barges since
1976.
Ingram Barge is the largest inland carrier in America with more than 130
towboats and nearly 4,000 barges operating on the Mississippi, Ohio,
Illinois, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway. The purchase announced today will expand Ingram's tank barge
fleet by about ten percent.
Ingram has been operating tank barges since the mid-1940s, although it
has traditionally been a smaller component of the company's business.
Currently, Ingram owns and operates nearly 200 tank barges which provide
service for many oil and chemical companies.
The builder of the new barges will be
Jamesbuilt, LLC, a subsidiary of
James Marine, Inc. of Paducah, Kentucky. Terms of the new agreement were not disclosed.
Dan Martin, Ingram's Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer,
said delivery of the new state-of-the-art tank barges will occur over a
30-month period beginning in 2008.
"Ten of these barges will be equipped for vapor recovery, and ten are to
be outfitted with steam coils for heating cargoes," Mr. Martin
explained. "This new capacity is being added as a result of a
combination of new affreightment contracts and a continuing need to
recapitalize our fleet."
Craig Philip, Ingram's President and CEO, noted that the purchase order
is a reflection of his company's strong commitment to the marine
industry, the economy, and the future of the markets Ingram serves.
"This new
construction contract demonstrates our commitment to this very
important segment of our business," Mr. Philip said. "Coupled with our
fleet of nearly 4,000 dry cargo barges and over 130 towboats we are able
to offer a very high level of predictable service to customers, along
the entire inland river system."