Steel Floating Dry Docks News

Biblia, Inc., Marine Towing and Transportation has ordered a new dry dock to service its fleet tugs and barges.The 500-ton lift capacity floating dry dock was designed by JMS Naval Architects and is currently being built by Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, La. The new dry dock, which will replace Biblia’s existing dry dock in Savannah, Ga., is 120’ long, 60’ wide, has a 6’ deep pontoon, and 14’ tall wing walls. It will primarily be used for hauling tug boats with a maximum length of 120 feet and draft of 10 feet.Biblia owns and operates a fleet of tugs and barges…

Signal International Inc. announced the purchase of the Bender Shipbuilding & Repair assets through a bankruptcy auction. Signal was the winning bidder of the Mobile, Ala. shipyard for $31.2m which is contingent upon approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Alabama. “This purchase is consistent with diversifying the company while continuing the focus on our core competency in the overhaul, repair and upgrade of offshore drilling rigs,” said Dick Marler, Signal’s president and chief executive officer. According to  Marler, Signal plans to make an additional investment of about $5m on upgrades and repairs, and  increase employment to 400 to 500 within 18 months.