Repair: MarCom Breathes Life Into Damaged Barge

MarCom Inc. in St Johns, Ore., recently took on a previously damaged barge headed for scrap and is - through some innovative thinking between the barge owner and shipyard owner - preparing it to go back into service. Brusco Tug and Barge is owner of Mr. Chips (ex Glacier Bay), a 268 x 56-ft. deck cargo barge built by Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock in 1961 (hull #111). The barge was grounded during a tow in December 1999 and later salvaged. It was heavily damaged and headed to scrap when Brusco Tug and Barge and MarCom Inc. began discussions to find an economical alternative to scrapping that would repair the barge and return it to service.

The barge was towed to MarCom's facility and placed on drydock January 6, 2003. MarCom representatives and Port Engineer William Kelley began surveys and discussions that eventually resulted in an agreement for the removing of a 24-ft. section and accomplishing repairs followed by re-joining the repaired sections to form a barge 24-ft. long. Work is expected to be completed by March 29.