USA: Signal International Starts Construction Works on Two Articulated Tug/Barge Units

Signal International started construction on two articulated tug/barge units, the contract was awarded by Kirby Ocean Transport Company of Houston, Texas. The vessel is comprised of a 20,000 DWT ocean bulk barge with a 6,000 BHP AT/B ocean tug. The barge will measure 480′ x 90′ x 36′ and will be outfitted with Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering’s Articouple connection. The 6,000 HP tugboat will be 125′ x 42′ x 22′ built and classed to ABS Maltese Cross, +A1 Ocean Towing Service standards. The AT/B will transport dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade.

The barge fabrication work started in August 2011 at Signal’s state-of-the-art continuous flow manufacturing facility in Orange, Texas, which has 450,000 sq. ft. of covered fabrication area. Fabrication on the tug will begin in November. The first AT/B will be completed in 14 months; the second will be built in less than 12 months.

This facility recently completed two of the world’s largest floating power generation barges within a 180-day production schedule.

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Source: signalint, August 29, 2011;