The Ledcor Group of Companies has added two new flat-deck heavy cargo barges and one 1,200 horsepower tug boat to its marine division. The newly acquired 80 metre barges are part of the rapid growth planned for the division, which will add three tugboats and eight barges to its current fleet of six tug boats and 15 barges within the coming year.

The barges, equipped with a deck strength of over 3,000 lbs/sq.ft, will carry a wide variety of potential cargoes including bulk commodities, containers, equipment modules, and construction materials such as pipe. In the event that one or more LNG plants are constructed in the province, the barges will be used during the construction phase to provide a cost-effective solution for the transportation of the necessary equipment and materials.

“The new tug and barge assets allow us to meet our current and future customers’ needs as Ledcor continues to expand its service offerings in British Columbia,” said Mark Houghton, Chief Operating Officer for Ledcor’s Marine division. “We are well positioned to seize new opportunities and ship diverse types of cargo with these two new barges.”

Since the launch of its marine division in 2012, Ledcor has witnessed tremendous growth in demand for its marine services in BC and has made significant investments in its fleet.

The tugboat will be used primarily for shipping wood chips, aggregate and other bulk commodities to industries in the Lower Mainland and along the Fraser river.