Purpose-Built Liquefied Ammonia Barge Joins Jones Act Fleet

The Harvest is the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. since 1982. Credit: Vigor

West Coast shipbuilder Vigor Industrial has delivered the articulated tug barge Harvest, the first purpose-built liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the United States for Jones Act trade in over three decades.

Delivery was confirmed Tuesday by classification society ABS, which classed the ATB as well as the connecting tug Abundance, constructed and delivered by Washington-based Nichols Brothers Boat Builders.

“The delivery of this ATB represents a landmark achievement for all of the project stakeholders as well as the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” says ABS Americas Division President Jamie Smith. “The first-of-its-kind in over three decades, the Harvest will help reshape the U.S. fleet and support safer trading in U.S. waters.”

The Harvest is the first complex liquefied ammonia transport barge built in the U.S. since 1982. The ATB tank barge will safely transport up to 22,000 tons of American-made anhydrous ammonia (NH3), a key ingredient in fertilizer. The Harvest features a state-of-the-art, onboard re-liquefaction plant that keeps cargo cooled to -27 degrees Fahrenheit.

The vessel will support the Jones Act trade of Tampa Port Services, LLC, a subsidiary of The Mosaic Company, a leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash. The ATB will be operated by a subsidiary of Savage Companies.

“Working with the ABS Global Gas Solutions team and leveraging its experience in safety and innovation supported a successful delivery of the Harvest on an aggressive schedule,” says Vigor Senior Vice President and Program Manager Joe Corvelli. “This vessel, which incorporates the latest technologies, is an important part of Tampa Port Services’ operations and will contribute to a more efficient and sustainable Jones Act fleet.”

Over the last 24 months, the project supported approximately 1,500 American jobs and involved close to a million labor hours at Vigor facilities in Oregon and Washington, as well as subcontractors throughout the region. In total, teams used 9,000 tons of American rolled steel to complete the 508’ x 96’ ATB tank barge.

Vigor launched the Harvest in June. 

“This is a significant project for both the maritime industry and our community,” notes Vigor CEO, Frank Foti. “We’ve worked hard to bring together a family of companies designed to take our complex fabrication capabilities to the next level and bring new work to the Pacific Northwest.”

“The NH3 barge project brings our vision to life,” said Foti. “It combines Vigor’s capabilities in large vessel construction with decades of experience building complex structures like nuclear containment devices, dam lift gates and bridges. It’s proof that the industrial artisans who are a huge part of the Portland and SW Washington economies are the reason we are nationally competitive.”

The Harvest Principal Characteristics

Length: 508’
Beam: 96’
Depth: 51’
Draft (Full Load): 26.6’
Cargo Tank Capacity: 22,000 ST @ 96%
Cargo Tank: Type A Prismatic Tank, (4)
Cargo: Refrigerated Liquid NH3 carried at –27 degrees F
Onboard re-liquefaction system for cargo maintenance
GENSETS: 4X940kW, 1X163kW
Fuel Storage Capacity: 27,250 Gal
Articouple Connection System
USCG and ABS approved Ballast Water Treatment System