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From his first voyage at eleven
years of age as a cabin boy on a
sailing ship bound for China, Captain
Bouchard knew that shipping would be
his life. By 1915, he was the youngest
tugboat captain in the Port of New
York.
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Captain
Fred Bouchard |
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On July 30, 1916, while on watch of
the tug C. GALLAGHER of the Goodwin,
Gallagher Sand Co., Captain Bouchard
witnessed the infamous Black Tom
Explosion, which detonated $22 Million
dollars worth of WW I munitions.
Always one to set out to accomplish
what few others could, he took his tug
from the Long Dock at Erie Basin in
Brooklyn and headed for New Jersey.
Amongst continuing explosions, which
blew the glass panes and lights out of
his tug, he worked to rescue the
4,000-ton Brazilian steamer TIJOCA
RIO, and the schooner GEORGE W. ELEZY,
of Bath, ME. Later the US District
Court awarded the Captain a salvage
award and an additional award for
personal bravery, which totaled
$9,000. He quickly invested the
salvage award to create his own
company, Bouchard Transportation
Company, which was incorporated in
1918.
The first cargo shipped for his new
company was coal. In 1931, he acquired
Bouchard's first oil barge, a sunken
15,000-barrel vessel, which he
purchased for $100. After raising this
vessel, he then towed it from
Jacksonville, Florida to a Norfolk,
Virginia shipyard, where it was
converted into a hot oil system, oil
barge that was named the JOHN
FREDERICK. This 1931 acquisition was
to be the first of many vessel
purchases and construction projects at
Bouchard. |
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"With His Own Seafaring Experience and
Vigorous Spirit, Captain Bouchard Founded a
Prosperous Barging Company"
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Captain Bouchard's first successor
was his son commonly known in the
industry as "Buster." In 1951, under
"Buster's" direction, the company
built three 20,000-barrel oil barges,
and three accompanying tugboats, which
ran the New York State Barge Canal. In
the years that followed, "Buster"
Bouchard became a prominent figure in
the oil transportation industry. In
1955, the third generation of
Bouchards entered the company. The
family's involvement grew, and so did
the company's fleet.
From 1951 to 1976, Bouchard
Transportation consistently expanded
and improved its fleet to meet its
customers' increasing needs. Under the
new leadership the company was
credited with having brought the
greatest number of large oil barges
into New York Harbor between 1974 and
1978. During this period, the majority
of the vessels built by Bouchard
ranged from 55,000 to 110,000 barrel
barge. |
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"Increasing the Size and Capabilities
of Our Fleet and Extending Our Coastal
Route"
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Even though the company's cargo
carrying capacity doubled, building
continued from 1979 to 1980, three
19,000 ton hot oil system barges and
three 5,700 horsepower tugboats were
built to transport residual products
via the Gulf Coast along with two
19,000 ton clean petroleum barges. By
1989 the fleet grew to nineteen barges
and eight tugboats. The barges range
in size from 18,000 to 125,000
barrels. Rounding out the fleet are
eight twin screw tugboats from 4,200
to 6,000 horsepower, which were more
maneuverable than the original tugs.
During this rapid growth period, in
addition to increasing its fleet,
Bouchard extended its coastal route to
include the entire eastern seaboard,
Gulf Coast and Great Lakes ports. |
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"A Leader in OPA Certified Double Hull
Oil Barges"
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In 1992, the fourth generation of
Bouchards took the helm just as the
company faced the new challenges from
the expansive new regulations enacted
under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA
90). In response, Bouchard once again
took the lead and became the first
company to build several new 138,000
barrel "Double Hull" barges and
"state-of-the-art" 6,140 horsepower
tugboats to move these 400+ foot
barges. In addition, they built, to
date, the largest new double hull
barge ever built: the B. NO. 245,
which is larger than 250,000 barrels.
The company also expanded the area of
operation to include all four coast of
the US, East, Gulf, West and Great
Lakes. Today the Bouchard's fleet
contains some 31 barges ranging from
25, 000 barrel to 252, 000 barrels and
17 Tugs ranging from 3,000 to 10,000
horsepower.
The future continues to looks bright
as additional construction projects
and conversions (the B. NO 255 and B.
NO. 265) are already underway.
Bouchard prepares to build for the
future and continue in its age long
philosophy of re-investing in new
equipment to meet current and future
needs of its customers and the
industry while looking forward to the
challenges of tomorrow. The successful
barging company that Capt. Bouchard
started more than 80 years ago
continues today with a foundation of
experience and family tradition. |
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