Southwest Shipyard LP
Southwest Shipyard LP is a family-owned Texas Gulf Coast shipyard group founded in 1954 as a barge fleeting operation in Channelview. It now provides new barge and boat construction, dry docking and conversion repair, gas freeing and barge cleaning, steaming and flaring, surface preparation and coating, and industrial wastewater treatment for commercial and government marine customers. The company operates four yards — Channelview, Brady Island, Brady Island West and Galveston — all with deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico, with 12 floating dry docks, marine railways and 20 dockside slots.
Southwest Shipyard LP
Southwest Shipyard began in 1954 when founder Henry Hilliard established a barge fleeting facility to serve the Houston Ship Channel. Now in its third generation of family ownership, with Henry "Hank" Hilliard as Chairman of the Board, the company describes itself as one of the largest shipyards and barge cleaning facilities on the Gulf Coast, serving both commercial and government marine customers under the motto "Faster, Safer, Better."
Services
- Gas freeing and barge cleaning — dedicated docks for up to ten barges, fully permitted; shift supervisors are USCG-defined "competent persons"; 50% of wash water recycled
- Steaming and flaring — 250hp and 500hp boilers, four Clean Enclosed Burners, for 10,000 to 30,000 bbl barges
- Vessel repair and conversion — major, routine and conversion work with certified ship fitters, welders, carpenters and mechanics
- Surface preparation and painting — abrasive blasting, cargo tank linings (zinc, epoxy, high-temperature baked), ballast, void and potable water tank coatings; blasting and painting incorporated into an ISO 9001:2008 certified quality process
- New construction of barges, boats and ferries
- Industrial wastewater treatment — oil-water separation and biological treatment for third-party wastewater, ballast water, wash water and contaminated storm water, with in-house testing
Facilities
- Channelview: 3 dry docks, rail system for up to 5 barges, 10 dockside slots, cleaning, steaming and flaring, wastewater treatment
- Brady Island: 7 dry docks, rail for up to 3 barges, 4 dockside slots, new construction
- Brady West: 2 dry docks, rail for up to 3 barges, 4 dockside slots, new construction
- Galveston: enclosed new construction line for 10K and 30K bbl barges, enclosed paint booth, high speed fabrication and panel line, module fabrication to 500 tons with two 250-ton cranes
- Company-wide: 12 floating dry docks, multiple marine railways, two transfer rails, 22 out-of-water repair positions, 20 dockside slots
Vessel Types
- Double skin inland tank barges (10,000–30,000 BBL), stainless steel tank barges and acid barges
- Double skin ocean tank barges (ABS ✠A1) for oil and chemical cargoes
- LPG inland tank barges
- Inland push boats, 1,500–3,600 HP
- Cutter suction dredge, idler and deck/spud barges
- Vehicle/passenger ferries, OSVs and tugs
Location
Headquartered at 18310 Market Street, Channelview, Texas, with yards in Houston (Brady Island and Brady West) and Galveston, all with deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico.