R&R Marine Shipbuilding,
Inc. entered into a multi-year
contract with Blessey Enterprises, Inc. of New Orleans, La., for the construction of up to eighteen (18) inland tank barges.
Blessey currently operates a fleet of 100 inland
tank barges along the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway and
inland rivers of the United States.
The barges will be built at R&R's new construction facility in Port
Arthur, Texas. The first barge is scheduled for delivery in July, 2008 with
subsequent barges being delivered every 2 1/2 months. When completed, each
barge will measure 297.5 feet long by 54 feet wide and 13 feet deep. The
contract calls for the construction of both clean and black-oil barges.
According to R&R owners Ricky Martinez, Tommy Nugier and Keal Woodruff
"we are very pleased to partner with Blessey for the construction of their
new barges and to have the opportunity to work with Walter Blessey and his
team. We enjoy our current relationship for maintenance and repair of their
fleet and look forward to a long relationship for
their fleet expansion."