Kirby Corp. to Acquire Allied Transportation

Kirby Corporation agrees to purchase assets of Allied Transportation Company, a subsidiary of Allied Marine Industries, & two affiliated companies.

Kirby Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, is the nation's largest domestic tank barge operator, transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along all three United States coasts and in Alaska and Hawaii.

Allied is an operator of offshore barges and tugboats participating in the coastal transportation of petrochemicals, as well as dry sugar products, in the Northeast, Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions of the United States. Customers include major petrochemical companies, most of which are current Kirby customers for inland tank barge services.

Allied's fleet consists of 10 coastwise tank barges with a total liquid capacity of 680,000 barrels, three offshore dry-bulk barges with a total capacity of 48,000 deadweight tons, and seven tugboats.  The total value of the cash transaction is anticipated to be $116 million (before post-closing adjustments and fees), including $10 million that will be paid contingent on developments with the sugar provisions in the U.S. Farm Bill.

The purchase will be financed through Kirby's revolving credit facility.  Last week, Kirby received the consent and commitment from participating banks to increase its unsecured revolving credit facility from $250 million to $325 million.  The closing of the Allied transaction is expected to occur in the late third or early fourth quarter of 2012 and is subject to certain conditions, including expiration of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.