Bollinger delivers barge to Bouchard

Bollinger Marine Fabricators LLC in Amelia recently delivered a double-hull, 60,000-BBL oil tank barge to Bouchard Ocean Services Inc. in Melville, N.Y.

The manned ocean, clean oil tank barge is certified by the American Bureau of Shipping and U.S. Coast Guard to meet OPA ’90 requirements. The barge has 10 cargo compartments and two separate pumping systems. It is equipped with two Byron Jackson cargo pumps, driven by Detroit series 60 engines, and the deck is outfitted with two electric-hydraulic cranes.

The B. No. 262 is the first of three barges Bollinger Shipyard will deliver to Bouchard within the next 10 months.

Bollinger is building a sister ship – another 60,000-BBL clean-oil barge – scheduled for delivery in March 2010, as well as an 80,000-BBL manned ocean, clean-oil barge in June.

Delivery of the final barge will mark the end of Bouchard’s double-hull construction business plan, which was implemented in 1992. The plan called for Bouchard’s entire single-hull fleet to be replaced with flush-deck, double-hull barges .

“Bollinger is delighted to deliver the B. No. 262 on-budget and on-schedule, and we are very pleased to continue to play a vital role in Bouchard’s build programs,” said Chris Bollinger, the company’s executive vice president of new construction. “Our talented workforce continues to provide superior craftsmanship, exemplifying the Bollinger tradition.”