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.