Kirby Buys 94 Inland Tank Barges

Kirby Corporation purchased from Union Carbide Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation, 94 inland tank barges for $23 million in cash. Nine of the 94 tank barges are currently out-of- service and will be sold. Kirby has operated the tank barges since February 2001 under a long-term lease agreement between Kirby and Union Carbide Finance Corporation. Joe Pyne, Kirby's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The 85 in-service inland tank barges are all double hull. We anticipate this transaction to be marginally accretive to our 2003 earnings, as the integration of the leased tank barge fleet was completed during the 2001 third quarter." Kirby Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, owns or operates 937 inland tank barges and 219 inland towing vessels.