The following is text of a news release from Crowley Maritime Corp.:
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — Crowley Maritime Corp. has developed design and operations capabilities for accommodations support barges to serve offshore services companies needing safe, comfortable and efficient quarters for their installation personnel to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Building on more than a century of experience providing disaster and expeditionary response solutions, Crowley’s flexible and customizable capabilities are based off its multi-function fleet of 10 400-foot-long barges and one 260-foot-long barge available through the company’s Shipping group. Additionally, Crowley’s associated fleet of tugboats are pre-positioned in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic seaboard, and Pacific Coast. Project engineering includes housing units capable of accommodating more than 500 people per barge or over 5,500 people total. Other capabilities include:
• The ability to quickly source and deliver numerous living arrangements (ships, outfitted barges and other structured facilities), including medical/hospital facilities.
• Specialized options to meet needs based on geography, quality of life, risk mitigation, and length of stay.
• In-house capability to provide vessels with supporting staff, including stewards, cooks, electricians and mariners.
• Marine engineering and naval architecture services for cohesive design solutions.
• All ships, structured facilities, meals and security will follow required risk mitigation and quarantine protocols.
Crowley’s offshore services has a long history and broad experience supporting the offshore oil and gas industry, including major energy related projects such as offshore rig tows, transport of jackets and topsides, and project cargo sealift operations in harsh and remote environments. During the coronavirus pandemic, Crowley’s offshore team has shifted focus to serve its offshore clientele with a unique solution to assist with crew changes by offering a safe and secure quarantine accommodation barge for rig workers.
Crowley’s accommodation barge solution has been used in several offshore campaigns including, in recent years, the Furie natural gas production platform and underwater pipeline installation and Harvest offshore pipeline project in Alaska, as well as housing workers during cleanup operations in response to the 1989 Valdez oil spill.
“Our barges and towing vessels have the capability to be positioned virtually anywhere on water, including in close vicinity to offshore bases along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Combined with our project engineering and vessel design services, Crowley can tailor solutions to support oil company’s quarantine procedures concerning offshore crew rotations,” said Jeff Andreini, general manager of Crowley offshore services.
Crowley Offshore Services provides expertise and equipment to provide safe and reliable marine transportation and logistics services for project cargo movements, offshore construction and offshore module components in even the most challenging of environments. With high-bollard-pull tugs and barges, plus logistics and project engineering solutions and services, including regulatory management, Crowley provides specialized turnkey marine transportation solutions for unique and challenging needs.
