Crowley Upgrades Car Decking Aboard its Puerto Rico Service Vessels

(Jacksonville, Fla.; Jan. 8, 2001) – Crowley Liner Services, the largest carrier of domestic and foreign automobiles between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, is making significant upgrades to all car decking aboard its fleet of Ro/Ro barges used in the trade.

Each vessel is having its main decking and panels hydroblasted, primed and painted with a new generation of International KHA marine-protective, non-corrosive, epoxy paint. This process returns the structures to like-new condition and assures shippers of cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles that their cargo will transported in the cleanest, most pristine storage areas available in the trade.

“Five of the nine barges have been completed, with each upgrade taking about a week,” said Jerry Farnell, general manager of marine operations and traffic. “The work is being done by contractors and Crowley employees in Jacksonville so that each vessel can be completed quickly, professionally and with minimal disruption to our time-sensitive schedules. We expect to have the entire fleet upgraded by the end of April.”

Crowley’s triple-deck Ro/Ro barges range in size from 580 feet to 730 feet in length and are capable of carrying up to 480 trailers and 240 automobiles, plus oversized loads.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Crowley Liner Services provides cargo common carrier services between Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the north coasts of Colombia and Venezuela. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oakland-based Crowley Maritime Corp., founded in 1892. Additional information about Crowley Maritime Corp. and its subsidiaries, Crowley Liner Services, Crowley Marine Services, Crowley Logistics and Crowley Petroleum Transport may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.

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