Muscle Shoals Marine Service Has New Owner

Muscle Shoals Marine Service Inc., a fleeting and harbor service with locations at Florence, Ala., and Iuka (Yellow Creek), Miss., has changed hands. The new owner is Mark Burchfield, a former towboat captain with American Commercial Barge Line.

Capt. Burchfield purchased the company from Mike McDonald, after he heard of the latter’s plan to retire from the river business last spring. He was familiar with Muscle Shoals because he is an advisor for the mv. Delta Mariner in its transportation of rockets and aviation hardware from Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral, Fla., and the Muscle Shoals sites serve as staging areas for the Delta Mariner. The landing at Florence is located at Tennessee River Mile 256. The Yellow Creek landing is located at the head of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Capt. Burchfield started in the river business working for Brent Towing Company, Greenville, Miss., a division of Kirby Inland Marine, Houston, Texas. He has also done trip and contract towing for many other river companies. He spent the majority of his career, over 30 years, with ACBL.

Burchfield has renamed the company RMB Marine Services LLC. The address and phone numbers remain the same, but the email address is now rmburchfield@gmail.com. The company hopes to expand both fleets and is open to any opportunities concerning fleeting and short line hauls, Burchfield said.

Caption for photo: Capt. Mark Burchfield spent more than 30 years with ACBL.