In late November, Gunderson Marine Inc., Portland, Ore., delivered a 343-foot by 94-foot by 21-foot, 912 TEU, oceangoing deck cargo/container barge to Columbia Coastal Transport, LLC, Clark, N.J. Built for Portland-based, Pac/Atlantic Leasing, LLC, which in turn leased the barge to Columbia Coastal, the Columbia Elizabeth(named after Port Elizabeth in the Port of New York/New Jersey) is one of the largest container barges ever built in the U.S. It will transport empties, full containers and project cargoes between the U.S. West, Gulf and East coasts.
This is the 11th barge in Columbia Coastal's feeder barge network, which, according to Columbia president, Bruce Fennimore, is moving 200,000 containers a year. Fennimore said the barge is sure to get a workout with projections of stacking boxes up to six high. "We think it may be the largest pure COB (container on barge) in the world," he said. Columbia Coastal is the largest feeder barge service operator on the East Coast.
Gunderson, meanwhile, is largely known for its work constructing rail cars; however, the marine side of the business has picked up of late. An oceangoing railcar/deck cargo barge contract will be built by the yard for Alaska Rainbelt Marine LLC, and a 182-foot split hopper barge will be constructed for J.E. McAmis, Inc., Chico, Calif.
The Columbia Elizabeth is subdivided into 24 watertight compartments and has a raised foc's'le deck with breakwater. Two knuckled-type skegs are installed at the stern rake. "We worked at refining the hull form in order to get good flow to the three skegs," said naval architect Michael Whalen, president of Fisker-Andersen & Whalen Inc. "We've increased barge resistance by 25 percent to 50 percent, cutting the skeg influence down." Whalen also pointed out the barge's wider beam at 94 feet, which will allow for more container stacks both fore and aft.
As for Pac/Atlantic Leasing, LLC, this is its sixth barge purchase and lease, and one of the principals, Joseph Tenant, said that, along with partner Peter Brix, "Subject to available business, the partnership will grow." |