ACL expands tank barge fleet

US tank barge operator American Commercial Lines (ACL) has purchased eight 20,000-bbl tank barges from SeaRiver Maritime, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil. The purchase will expand ACL's fleet of 325 tank barges, which transport liquid cargoes, including chemicals, petroleum and renewable fuels, throughout the US inland waterway system. "This expansion of our fleet enables us to meet shippers' needs for mid-range-capacity tank barges and underscores ACL's long-term commitment to our liquids business," says the company. "As an added benefit, these tank barges were built by Jeffboat, adding quality, as well as capacity, to our liquids fleet."