Jim Barker News

A new intermodal service for the Tri-State area offers a transportation alternative linking New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut with Long Island. The new service, launched in partnership between Seastreak, the Bridgeport–Port Jefferson Ferry and Hampton Jitney, uses a combination of ferries and busses to transport passengers from New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut to Long Island. Beginning May 22, 2015, the seasonal weekend service called Sea Jitney will carry passengers to and from these locations with the Port Jefferson dock as the hub.

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding Corporation was recently formed and James A. Barker has been named the President and CEO. Blount-Barker, based in Warren, R.I., specializes in the design and shipbuilding of tugboats, cruise ships, high-speed ferries and dinner and passenger vessels. The new company takes over the activities of the Blount Marine and Blount Industries entities, and operates as a separate corporation. As part of the new venture, Mr. Barker assumes management of Blount's shipyard and personnel, with the option to purchase the operations should they be sold in the future. "Jim Barker brings complementary experience that will greatly enhance the capabilities of the new Blount-Barker venture," said Luther H. Blount, founder of Blount Marine and Blount Industries.

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding Corp. was recently formed, and James A. Barker has been named the President and CEO of this new venture. Blount-Barker, based in Warren, R.I., specializes in the design and shipbuilding of tugboats, cruise ships, high speed ferries and dinner and passenger vessels. The new company takes over the activities of the Blount Marine and Blount Industries entities, and operates as a separate corporation. As part of the new venture, Barker assumes management of Blount's shipyard and personnel, with the option to purchase the operations should they be sold in the future. "Jim Barker brings complementary experience that will greatly enhance the capabilities of the new Blount-Barker venture," said Luther H. Blount, founder of Blount Marine and Blount Industries.

When MR/EN traveled up to the New England coast this past fall as part of a New England shipyard swing, we were expecting to meet the great one himself — Luther H. Blount — who could be informally known as the "father" of New England shipbuilding. Blount began his career so many years ago with the construction of a 77-ft. steel catamaran, was the first of many greater and more technologically innovative vessels that would later earn the designation as Blount crafted. Over the years, Blount oversaw the daily operations of his yard, managing to get his hands dirty on the overall production process. Carefully designing every vessel to a tee with a pencil and sketch pad…