Kirby Buying Bouchard?

JohnSmithUSMM · January 28th, 2013, 10:11 PM

I heard for the first time 5-6 weeks ago, that Kirby was looking at Bouchard to purchase them in 2013. Now today, I heard it again from another man at crew change. Anyone else hear anything?

My concern is that Kirby has 77% of the Inland business (not counting their charters) and with their purchases of coastal companies, they now have 33% of that market.

**ATB2N2** · January 29th, 2013, 12:12 AM

That would be to costly at this stage in the game. I find it very unlikely.

**z-drive** · January 29th, 2013, 12:46 AM

Unlikely. I recall hearing their financing ability was about maxed out at the Penn purchase. Eliminating Bouchard would only leave Reinauer, Hornbeck and Moran for east coast product. I'd guess they would start the anti-trust complaints pretty soon. Also I would consider Bouchard too big to buy at this point; maybe before K-sea happened it was possible. There were big rumours Reinauer was being bought, hornbeck was being bought, and so on. Maybe there was truth when they were shopping around but i doubt it now. Companies with aggressive newbuild or rebuilt equipment such as Reinauer and Bouchard would be a tough sell. Its tough to lowball solid up to date equipment. A lot of the k-sea stuff was aging (as noted in several Kirby press releases) and that probably helped the cause.

I doubt Morty would sell for anything less than a few times more than fair market value too.

I'll start a rumour next week at crewchange that Kirby is looking to buy exxon-mobil. Why not?

**BargeMonkey** · January 29th, 2013, 02:00 AM

The capability of the rumor mill, especially on this website is unlimited. About 5-6 years ago we had a company wide rumor that the case's of "foss" paint where on thier way down to the boats, and it created panic. Kirby bought Penn for 2 reasons, the equipment was alot newer and nicer, and because of the connections and contracts Penn had moving black oil. Vane has killed Kirby-sea in nyc for bunker work, shut them right out, which was k-seas bread and butter in nyc. I would place my 2cent bet on vane being bought before bouchard.

**kfj** · January 29th, 2013, 03:19 AM

Morty would never just sell because of his ego

**Tugted** · January 29th, 2013, 05:32 AM

There used to be a rumor Foss was buying Mac

**kfj** · January 29th, 2013, 06:29 AM

I heard OSG is buying Kirby in an all cash de

**PaddyWest2012** · January 29th, 2013, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by kfj

I heard OSG is buying Kirby in an all cash de

HA, now there's a good one. Be careful, someone might actually believe that...

**New3M** · January 29th, 2013, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by kfj

I heard OSG is buying Kirby in an all cash de

HAHAHAHAHAHA they can barely pay us! Ill have to float that one around the fleet...

**kfj** · January 29th, 2013, 04:38 PM

Do it. It came from a real good source :-)

**z-drive** · January 29th, 2013, 05:15 PM

You know if you haven't heard a rumor by 7am its time to start one. Thats galley talk basics.

**ForkandBlade** · January 30th, 2013, 05:03 PM

I saw Bob Magas on a Reinauer tugboat today at their yard. He's a Port Engineer for Kirby/K-Sea. Rumor has it that he was checking out the barge Connecticut that belongs to Moran as well. Should be interesting in the next 6 months.

**z-drive** · January 30th, 2013, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by ForkandBlade

I saw Bob Magas on a Reinauer tugboat today at their yard. He's a Port Engineer for Kirby/K-Sea. Rumor has it that he was checking out the barge Connecticut that belongs to Moran as well. Should be interesting in the next 6 months.

I remember the wile rumors when reinauer bought the Bridget McAllister. I sure had fun when a Moran boat was sitting in Boston waiting to go up on the ways....

**Downrite Marine Towing** · January 30th, 2013, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by JohnSmithUSMM

I heard for the first time 5-6 weeks ago, that Kirby was looking at Bouchard to purchase them in 2013. Now today, I heard it again from another man at crew change. Anyone else hear anything?

My concern is that Kirby has 77% of the Inland business (not counting their charters) and with their purchases of coastal companies, they now have 33% of that market.

They puchased Allied transportation, I did launch for Allied so they sent out a letter to us.

JohnSmithUSMM · February 2nd, 2013, 09:27 AM

Didn't know what I was starting when I asked but I sure did enjoy the comments.

Skuttle is skuttle. Thanks.

**PaddyWest2012** · February 2nd, 2013, 10:30 AM

What would we do with ourselves on long, boring watches were it not for the magnificently orchestrated rumor-mill that is our own beautifully unique industry?

**BargeMonkey** · February 4th, 2013, 11:36 PM

Youve gotta enjoy it, because sometimes you hit the nail on the head with a bullshit rumor. Seen it happen here 2x, right when the stuff was being tied up and sent to africa.

**Bayrunner** · February 8th, 2013, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Tugted

There used to be a rumor Foss was buying Mac

Haha I remember that! We didnt know if we should be scared shitless or rejoice about the possibility of a pay raise.

**Bayrunner** · February 8th, 2013, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by z-drive

I remember the wile rumors when reinauer bought the Bridget McAllister. I sure had fun when a Moran boat was sitting in Boston waiting to go up on the ways....

I remember that too. The Bridget, god bless her, was the finest tow boat in the fleet with the best captain in the company. Guys begged to get put on there and I had just gotten in sync with that captains crew when the Reinauer guys showed up.