SENESCO Marine of Quonset Point announced it has signed a contract with New
Jersey-based U.S. Shipping – a deal that will increase its work force from 200
to about 500 employees by November of next year, the company said.
U.S. Shipping is among the largest petroleum/chemical carriers in the country.
The more than $40 million contract allows SENESCO to build a 140,000-barrel double-hulled chemical Articulated Tug Barge (AT/B) with a tug that can double as a 158,000-barrel double-hulled petroleum AT/B. U.S. Shipping also has the option to build three more.
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“We are announcing to the industry that we are now focusing on state-of-the-art AT/Bs,” said SENESCO Marine CEO Gary Schuler at a press event on Oct. 26.
At the event, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri commended SENESCO on the contract and the company’s recent growth.
“This kind of success demonstrates the growing potential of Quonset. With the spectacular bay and with a growing commerce park, Quonset is waiting to be developed,” Carcieri said.
The governor’s comments about Quonset came as state officials push for passage of Question 14 in Tuesday’s election, which will ask voter approval of $48 million for improvements to the Quonset/Davisville Industrial Park.
Construction on the AT/B is expected to take about 14 months for the barge and another 12 months for the tug. If the company stays on schedule, SENESCO will begin cutting steel in December and deliver the AT/B by early 2006.
U.S. Shipping is considered a leader in the tanker industry, operating six integrated tug and barge vessels in the domestic oil trade and two parcel tankers.
The 48,000-ton vessels are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and capable of carrying a variety of liquid petroleum and petro-chemical cargoes.
The AT/B will be U.S. Shipping’s first. The barge component of the AT/B will measure 512 feet long and the tug will measure 145 feet long, for a total of about 650 feet.
The naval architecture firm Guarino and Cox of New Orleans designed the AT/B.
SENESCO has also established a strategic alliance with Luther Blount of Blount Boats in Warren to act as technical consultant on the tug portion of the project.
Blount Boats Inc. is a full-service shipyard specializing in boat design,
engineering, craftsmanship and repair.
