Continuous Flow Manufacturing Facility News

Signal International announced the option to build the second articulated tug/barge (AT/B) vessel has been exercised by Kirby Ocean Transport Company of Houston, Texas. Signal’s state-of-the-art continuous flow manufacturing facility in Orange, Texas now has a backlog of nearly $100M. Engineering, planning and material procurement for the first AT/B is on schedule for manufacturing work to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Simultaneously, fabrication of the second unit is also slated to get underway before year’s end. The AT/B vessels are comprised of a 20,000 DWT ocean bulk barge with a 6,000 BHP AT/B ocean tug. Each barge measures 480 ft x 90 ft x 36 ft and will be outfitted with Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering’s Articouple connection.

Signal International has been awarded a $47M contract by Kirby Ocean Transport Company of Houston, Texas, to build an articulated tug/barge (AT/B) unit with an option for an additional unit. The AT/B vessel is comprised of a 20,000 DWT ocean bulk barge with a 6,000 BHP AT/B ocean tug. The barge will measure 480 ft x 90 ft x 36 ft and will be outfitted with Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering’s Articouple connection. The 6,000 HP tugboat will be 125 ft x 42 ft x 22 ft built and classed to ABS Maltese Cross, +A1 Ocean Towing Service standards. The AT/B will transport dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade. The barge fabrication work will commence in the second quarter of 2011 at Signal’s state-of-the-art continuous flow manufacturing facility in Orange, Texas, which has 450,000 sq.