Bollinger Delivers for Bouchard

The Bollinger built 35,000 BBL tank barge B. No 231 sails past the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge entering New York Harbor as the latest addition to the growing OPA’90 compliant fleet of Bouchard Transportation

Bollinger Marine Fabricators, L.L.C. delivered B. No. 231, the first of two double hull, 35,000 barrel (BBL) oil tank barge units built to meet OPA’90 requirements to Bouchard Coastwise Management.

Morton S. Bouchard III, president and CEO of Bouchard Affiliates, said “The delivery of the B. No. 231 is another step forward for Bouchard, and our commitment to our customers to provide the highest quality equipment that meets their changing needs. The Bollinger design, along with their manufacturing process and skilled labor force, insure that we are getting paramount barges, tugs and service for our new and existing fleet.”

The B. No. 231 is a manned, clean oil, oceans tank barge measuring 300-ft. long, with a 64-ft. beam and a depth of 21-ft.. The barge has ten cargo tanks, with Byron Jackson cargo pumps, driven by John Deere engines. The barge has accommodations with full galley for four, and is classed ABS, +A1 Oil Tank Barge, Manned Oceans. The sister ship, B. No. 233 is scheduled to deliver from Bollinger Marine Fabricators in the second quarter of 2008.

“We have been successful in working with Bouchard from our new construction, as well as our repair/conversion facilities” said Donald “Boysie” Bollinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., “The diversity of our shipyards and workforce maintains our ability to provide customers like Bouchard with a single point of contact to respond to their demands in the marine market for new construction, conversions and repairs.”

Bouchard conversion projects at Bollinger Gulf Repair and Bollinger Algiers are moving forward with the tank barge B. No. 295, previously B. No. 195, being transformed from a single hull to double hull vessel to meet the requirements of OPA ’90, with her tug, the 127-foot, BOUCHARD GIRLS, as well as the tug ELLEN S. BOUCHARD at Bollinger Algiers undergoing regulatory renewals and upgrades. The B. No. 295, BOUCHARD GIRLS and ELLEN S. BOUCHARD will be retrofit with the Intercon connection system.