US$278M fleet acquisition and new port tug delivery

Kirby finished acquiring Savage Inland Marine’s tugs and barges in a US$278M deal Tug Technology & Business originally reported in January 2020, financing the acquisition with additional borrowings.

It has expanded its own fleet with Savages’ 46 towboats and 90 tank barges, with total transportation capacity of around 2.5M barrels.

This fleet transports crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and lower Mississippi River and its tributaries.

As part of the US$278M agreement, Kirby has taken over Savage’s barge fleeting services and ship bunkering business along the US Gulf Coast.

Kirby Corp completed its Savage fleet acquisition on 3 April 2020.

• Kirby to boost tank barge fleet with US$278M purchase
• Acquisition expands inland transportation and marine bunkering
• With new addition, McAllister completes powerful tug fleet expansion

Meanwhile, McAllister Towing is mobilising a new harbour tug to a growing Florida, US, port after it was built in a Washburn & Doughty shipyard.

Eileen McAllister will be the most powerful tug in Port Everglades where it will assist Tate McAllister to handle larger ships visiting the harbour.

It was delivered to McAllister on 6 April after sea trials and ABS certification tests, where it achieved 84 tonnes of bollard pull from two Caterpillar 3516E main engines, which are compliant with US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 emissions requirements. These engines have a combined power of 5,050 kW and drive two Schottel SRP 490 Z-drive units.

Eileen McAllister has an overall length of 28.3 m and a beam of 11.5 m. It has Markey-manufactured winches on the bow and stern for ship handling and docking.

McAllister Towing vice president and general manager in Port Everglades Captain Chuck Runnion says Eileen McAllister’s arrival will motivate the company to provide a new level of towage and docking service in the port.

“Eileen McAllister was constructed specifically to meet the needs of handling the ever-increasing size of vessels calling into Port Everglades,” said Capt Runnion.

“This tug, along with Tate McAllister will be able to safely handle these ships and even larger ones with exceptional control and power,” he said.