Oil Patch Bits: Vigor completes barge for King County Marine division

US Fab, a Vigor Industrial company, said April 23 that in March it delivered its latest purpose built vessel to Washington’s King County, a unique maintenance and moorage barge designed to serve the day-to-day needs of the county’s passenger-only ferry fleet. The 140-foot by 40-foot by 7-foot 6-inch barge features moorage for up to four vessels and two steel structures, one that houses a well-equipped maintenance workshop and the other a two-story office and crew quarters.

“This was an interesting project that required teams to integrate two different building classification standards while maintaining optimal cost efficiencies,” explained Bryan Nichols, sales and marketing manager for Vigor Industrial. The barge was designed by Glosten Assoc. to ABS and Coast Guard standards, while the structures were designed by CH2M Hill to non-marine, commercial construction standards.

US Fab’s expert teams in Portland built the barge, pump house and all the below deck systems. Once the barge section was complete the vessel moved to Vigor’s Tacoma facility where experienced project managers worked with trusted subcontractors to construct and integrate the barge’s buildings.

The completed barge is moored at Pier 48 in Seattle where it will be used to support the King County Ferry District’s passenger only vessels operating the West Seattle and Vashon Island Water Taxi ferry routes.