Page 28: of Marine News Magazine (January 2011)

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28 MN January 2011

Lipely said the company's six dry docks in Amelia, La. are busy refurbishing boats and barges for offshore oil and gas and inland use. “That side of our business has remained steady. We’re presently working on some dredg- ing equipment that needs to be repaired.”

Conrad Industries builds and repairs deck, tank and crane barges, lift boats, industrial vessels and ferries at three shipyards in Morgan City and Amelia, La., and one in Orange, Texas.

Gulf Vessel Traffic Slowed in Late 2010

At Louisiana's Port Fourchon, the leading oil and gas terminal in the U.S. Gulf, vessel traffic declined in the last quarter of the year after having increased in the spring and summer because of spill-response efforts at BP's leaking well.

Chett Chiasson, executive director of Port Fourchon, said “we now have vessels stacked or tied up, with no jobs, as companies wait for drilling permits. If more permits aren't issued soon, stacked vessels could join other equip- ment that's moving overseas.”

Port Fourchon, south of the Intracoastal Waterway in

Lafourche Parish, services Gulf oil and gas exploration,

Shipyard welder in Port Fourchon.

Photo cour tesy the Gr eater Lafour che Por t Commission