Tank barge deliveries spiking

The number of inland tank barge deliveries for the first six months of 2019 was up 52 percent over same timeline 2018 deliveries, according to River Transport News. Its mid-year survey of delivery activity shows “the inland barge industry operating on the Mississippi River System and its connecting waterways took delivery of 50 new inland tank barges” from January through June. For the first six months of 2018, 33 tank barges were delivered. There was a “dramatic shift” in favor of 30,000 bbl. equipment, aggregate barge deliveries measured in bbls. increased 181 percent - growing from 390,000 bbls. in 2018 to 1.097M bbls. of capacity in the first half of 2019, RTN reported. Barge companies took delivery of 27 new 30,000 bbl. tank barges through June. There were 20 30,000 bbl. tank barges delivered during 2018. But deliveries of 10,000 bbl. inland tank barges dropped significantly in 2019. There was 51 10,000 bbl. tank barges delivered during 2018. Three 15,000 bbl. and three 24,000 bbl. barges have been delivered by mid-year 2019 - compared to “zero” in 2018, the newsletter reported. “Mandeville, La.-based Maritime Partners purchased the largest number of new inland tank barges by mid-year 2019, RTN reported. “Maritime Partners, however, charters q great deal of this equipment to others. Given that info, Devall Towing of Sulpher/Lake Charles, La., was the most prolific operator of this year with respect to new inland tank barges entering its fleet. Devall took delivery of 10. Other operators taking delivery of inland tank barges this year included Canal Barge Co. of New Orleans (seven), Enterprise Marine of Houma, La. (five), and NGL Marine of Houston (four), according to the survey. (Source: Boat Work 07/24/19)