Senesco To Build Another 80,000-Barrel, Double-Hulled Barge

Senesco Marine has signed a second contract with Fall River, Massachusetts-based Sea Boats, Inc. to build another 80,000-barrel, double- hulled barge. Construction of this new, environmentally friendly vessel is well underway and is expected to be complete by April of 2004. Earlier this year, Sea Boats launched the "Tennessee," its first 80,000-barrel, double-hulled barge built by Senesco Marine. Sea Boats then needed another such barge built, and fast. "Because of new Federal guidelines, our customers must replace their single-hulled barges with double-hulled vessels," explained Gary Schuler, Senesco Marine's Chief Executive Officer. "In many cases, the new barges must be in place by 2005. To accommodate our customers, we've maximized our production capacity by implementing a new, on-time design, build, and deliver process." In an effort to help protect our environment from oil spill accidents, tougher Federal regulations were enacted in 1996, mandating that all oil barges be double-hulled by the year 2015. The Federal legislation also forced the retirement, as of 2005, of single-hulled barges that are 25 years old or older. Sea Boats found itself in the latter situation with its next barge, so company executive Don Church turned once again to Senesco Marine. "Senesco Marine delivered a quality vessel the first time around," Church began. "And the people at Senesco Marine are not only great to work with, they're exceptionally talented as well. So our decision to return to them for our next double-hulled barge was an easy one." Schuler said that the new barge that his company is building for Church will be even more impressive than the first one. "The new barge will sport a sleek new design, developed by the architectural firm of Guarino & Cox, our new strategic design partner." New design features include a raised trunk that will be smooth on the outside. The bow and stern will also be built differently to make towing of the barge an easier task for tugboats. The barge's crew, according to Schuler, should find that this vessel is safer and easier to maintain as a result of these design changes. With the new barge slated for completion by April of 2004, Schuler reports that Senesco Marine is already 6 weeks ahead of schedule. "Our second Sea Boats barge is putting our new, on-time design, build, and deliver process to the test, and I'm pleased to report that we're doing very well."