Inland Marine Service To Operate TVT Vessels

Inland Marine Service (IMS) has entered into a new vessel management agreement with Tennessee Valley Towing (TVT), a Paducah, Ky.-based subsidiary of James Transportation, as announced September 19 by Dave Hammond, President of IMS. As a result of the deal, IMS will be responsible for operating TVT’s entire fleet of more than 20 towboats.

“Crewing and operating towboats has become more and more difficult each year,” said Jeff James, president of James Transportation. IMS’s existing business model of towboat operation enables it to hire crews from a broader area and manage those crews more effectively. Turning those functions over to IMS will allow TVT to operate ore efficiently and to thrive long-term and continue to grow. We feel this strategic partnership with IMS will help in our growth initiatives in many ways.”

“The 800-plus proud, professional mariners of IMS feel honored that the James family and TVT entrusted us with their line haul fleet. Our vessel crews and shoreside teams strive to add great value daily,” said Hammond.

TVT is the latest company to benefit from IMS’s turn-key solutions. In addition to the 20-plus towboats IMS is operating for TVT, IMS, located in Hebron, Ky., provides vessel management services for American Commercial Barge Lines, Ingram Barge Company, Apex Oil, Campbell Transportation and Crounse Corporation in the inland waterways system and on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway moving dry and liquid cargoes.

The company’s services include vessel management, planned maintenance, compliance management, harbor services, training, safety and marine insurance.