Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. Completes Two Deck Barge Designs

Bristol, RI – March 27, 2009 -- Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) recently completed two substantial design jobs for Argosy Barge Lines, LLC. of Bellaire, Texas.

One of the barges is a 200 ft x 50 ft x 12 ft ocean going deck barge (see upper drawing). BHGI has designed over 30 deck barges of varying dimensions over the years, and the Argosy 200 builds on this experience with channel construction utilized on the sideshell, bottom shell, and longitudinal bulkheads, but flanged plates used on the main deck for local strength considerations. The barge is designed to the American Bureau of Shipping Rules for Building and Classing Steel Barges, and is intended to be built to class with a B-25 loadline assignment.

The other design for Argosy is an interesting departure from the norm for BHGI. It is a 250 ft x 54 ft x 12 ft inland deck barge. Thus, it was designed to the American Bureau of Shipping Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels for Service on Rivers and Intracoastal Waterways. This vessel has a very similar structural design to the Argosy 200, but has a double rake (see lower drawing).


Both vessels are designed for deck loads up to 3,000 lbs per square foot, which should cover the majority of loads expected by Argosy.



Argosy is actively soliciting builders for both barges. If interested, please contact Mike Little at Argosy,  713.668.3388  713.668.3388 , or contact BHGI at the numbers below, and BHGI will pass your information on to Argosy.

Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. provides naval architecture, marine engineering and construction oversight services to a wide variety of customers. Their commercial work includes small passenger vessels, oil and deck barges, tugboats, patrol vessels and offshore supply boats. Recreational vessel work includes mega yachts as well as powerboats and sailboats.