Columbia Coastal Announces Fleet Expansion

Columbia Coastal Transport added the first of four new container barges to its fleet in the Port of Charleson, S.C. Columbia New York (formerly Columbia Trader) will be operated in the company's southern service, calling the ports of Charleston, Savannah and Miami on a regular weekly basis. Columbia New York was refurbished at the Detyens Shipyard in Charleston. The newly configured barge will be able to transport both 20 and 40 ft. containers, with capacities of 590 TEUs or 295 FEUs. Three more barges are scheduled to come into service over the next six weeks, including Columbia Newark (capacity of 670 TEUs); Columbia Philadelphia (capacity of 480 TEUs); and Columbia Wilmington (capacity 480 TEUs). These four new barges bring the company's fleet up to ten barges, and represent a massive 75 percent increase in total container capacity. System wide, the company's total capacity is now 5,190 TEUs.