AWO: Over 73% of Tank Barge Fleet is DH

July 26, 2004

AWO estimates that as of July 2004 the domestic U.S. tank barge fleet consisted of 3,876 vessels. As the chart shows, double-hulled barges numbered 2,847, or 73.5% of the fleet. The rest of the fleet is divided nearly evenly between 479 single-hull barges and 550 other hull types (double-side, double-bottom, and other reinforced hull designs).

Compared to the previous estimate in October 2003, the tank barge fleet increased by only six vessels, but the percent double-hulled increased from 68.3% to 73.5%. Analysis of the individual vessels deleted from and entering the fleet shows that in recent years companies have been removing older tank barges of all hull types and replacing them with modern double-hull tank barges. For more information, contact Doug Scheffler, AWO’s Manager - Research & Data Analysis, by phone at (703) 841-9300 or via email at [email protected].

(Source: AWO Letter, July 23, 2004)