Harley Marine Returns to Vigor for New Tank Barges

An aerial view of Vigor Fab in Portland, Oregon. Photo (c) Vigor Industrial

Vigor Fab has announced that it has been awarded a contract to build two 83,000 bbl. tank barges for Harley Marine Services.

The 422’x 76’ x 27’ tank barges, designed by Elliott Bay Design Group to be part of an articulated tug and barge configuration, will be among the largest vessels constructed for Harley Marine’s fleet.

Construction will begin this month at Vigor’s 60-acre facility along the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, which is equipped with an 800 foot buildway, 600 ton gantry crane, and 360,000 square feet of covered fabrication areas.

“These vessels will be the ninth and tenth we’ve built for Harley Marine,” said Bryan Nichols, Vigor’s Sales and Marketing Manager. “We’re glad we could earn this opportunity to help Harley expand their fleet. We work hard to provide the best possible products and services, and there’s no higher compliment than repeat business.”

Vigor also built the Sixty-Five Roses tank barge, about the same size as the new barges and currently the largest vessel in Harley’s fleet, in Portland.

“Vigor has been an excellent partner in building barges over the years. Vigor not only has the capacity needed to build multiple large vessels, they consistently provide the quality craftsmanship we depend on to serve our customers,” said Keith Barnes, Harley Marine’s Director of Petroleum Barge Operations.

The deal was praised by the industry trade group, American Maritime Partnership, who said on their Twitter page that the new barges are an example of the American maritime industry “meeting new US energy market demands”.

The first tank barge is scheduled for delivery in spring 2015, with the second barge set for delivery in the summer of 2015.