CONOCO TO CONSTRUCT DOUBLE HULLED BARGES

Conoco Inc. will soon add five double hulled, 30,000 bbl capacity barges to its U.S. marine operations fleet to replace some older barges. The decision to build double hulled barges is part of the company's nine point environmental program unveiled in April (OGJ, Apr. 16, p. 89). The vessels, scheduled for operation by first quarter 1991, will be built in the U.S. and exceed American Bureau of Shipping and U.S. Coast Guard design standards.

June 11, 1990

Conoco Inc. will soon add five double hulled, 30,000 bbl capacity barges to its U.S. marine operations fleet to replace some older barges.

The decision to build double hulled barges is part of the company's nine point environmental program unveiled in April (OGJ, Apr. 16, p. 89).

The vessels, scheduled for operation by first quarter 1991, will be built in the U.S. and exceed American Bureau of Shipping and U.S. Coast Guard design standards.

Three of the barges will transport gasoline and distillates and will be equipped with vapor recovery and waste reduction systems. The other two will transport heavy fuel oil and asphalt and feature inside heating to ensure constant product temperatures.

All five vessels will have spill retainer railings around each hatch to prevent accidental fluid discharge.

In addition to being safer, Conoco said, the new barges will increase profits through larger payloads and greater flexibility.

Conoco's U.S. marine group operates a fleet of barges along the Gulf of Mexico Intracoastal canal from Brownsville, Tex., to St. Marks, Fla., and up the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers to Tulsa.