The following is the text of a news release from Seaspan:
(NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia) — Seaspan Marine unveiled the newest addition to its marine fleet, a 16,000-tonne barge named Seaspan 252, during an official commissioning ceremony at Seaspan’s North Vancouver Barge Maintenance Terminal today.
The 374-by-90-foot bulk barge is the largest of its kind in Canada, and can carry the equivalent of 1,454 standard dumptruck loads of limestone.
An open ocean, ABS classed + A1 barge, the Seaspan 252 is the company’s fourth new barge over the past 10 months, following Seaspan 211 and 212 in June, and Solid 66 in late 2014.
“Seaspan Marine is proud to be the leading provider of marine transportation solutions on the West Coast of Canada,” said Jonathan Whitworth, CEO, Seaspan. “Today’s celebration exemplifies our latest investment in the future of British Columbia’s marine sector. With the addition of four large barges to our fleet in less than a year, Seaspan continues to help drive Canada’s marine industrial base, with an unwavering commitment to its people, customers and equipment.”
These new four barges add a total of 44,000 tonnes of barging capacity and an almost 50 percent rise in volume to Seaspan’s fleet. The additional barges increase Seaspan’s ability to handle specialty and project cargo and prepare the company to meet the needs of both its current customers, as well as those in the LNG business.
Seaspan 252 was commissioned by Linda Peters, wife of Daniel Peters, vice president of manufacturing, West, for Ash Grove Cement Co.
The barge is scheduled to enter service in October for Ash Grove, hauling limerock from Texada Island to Portland, Ore., and Seattle.
