Turn Services has acquired control of St. John Fleeting and its affiliated companies, thereby expanding its barge operations on the Mississippi River. This deal, announced last November, allows Turn Services to access the St. John facilities located near Mile Marker 140 close to Reserve, Louisiana, where it has the capacity to accommodate up to 300 barges.
Details of the Deal and Its Impacts
The mentioned facilities manage various types of barges, including dry, liquid, pressure, CDC, deck, and oversized barges. Turn Services has stated that this acquisition will also increase cargo transport capacity in the southern Louisiana port area and will be added to its existing network of barge and shipping operations along the Mississippi River.
St. John Fleeting has been operating on this river for nearly 50 years, providing services such as barge transportation, marine transport, loading and repairing barges, and transferring at docks. With this acquisition, Turn Services becomes one of the largest independent barge and transportation operators in the United States.
History of Turn Services and Previous Expansions
Founded in 1990, Turn Services has rapidly grown and established a network of barge operations along the Mississippi River and the Waterway between the Gulf and Intracoastal. The company also has operations in the Houston Ship Channel and the Sabine-Neches Waterway.
Prior to this deal, Turn Services had also expanded by acquiring Michoud Fleet in Louisiana and Marine Fueling Service operations in Texas. This recent move can be seen as a strategic step to strengthen the company's position in the maritime transport and barge market.
