HONOLULU – Sause Bros. will celebrate the arrival of its new barge Columbia at Pier 20 in Kalaeloa Harbor on December 12 with nearly 300 invited guests, including corporate officials, industry professionals and local dignitaries.
The vessel will receive a Hawaiian blessing and attendees will be treated to hula performances and a retrospective highlighting the shipping company’s growth since its founding in the mid-1930s.
Columbia began the first leg of its maiden voyage on November 27 with a nearly full payload from Sause Bros.’s Teevin Terminal on the Columbia River in Rainier, Ore. It will make its return trip on December 13.
Construction on Columbia began in March 2012 and was launched this past spring after being outfitted with the necessary structure and equipment for Hawaii service in Coos Bay, Ore. at Southern Oregon Marine (SOMAR), a division of Sause Bros.
It joins the company’s other modernized barge Kamakani and will allow for sailings twice a month. Both barges have an advanced hull design that increases both fuel efficiency and cargo capacity, offering an economic advantage to the over 500 companies that use Sause Bros. to regularly ship products to Hawaii.
“Sause Bros. is thrilled to introduce Columbia to the Hawaii market because it gives us the opportunity to better serve our customers both here and in Oregon,” said Jeff Browning, general manager for the Columbia River Service division of Sause Bros. “We have spent the last six to seven years doing research and development with Gunderson Marine to create the most technically advanced barges. That work has been realized with Columbia and Kamakani.”
Sause Bros. will continue to update its fleet of barges and tugs by utilizing engines fueled by ultra-low sulphur diesel. Tugs are currently being repowered at SOMAR. The company’s goal is to achieve 80 percent carbon reduction for its Hawaii common carrier service by the end of next year.
Sause provides a full range of services: from ocean towing, cargo handling, and ship assist, to marine construction and repair. We’re dedicated to providing the highest quality of service, with certifications in both the International Safety Management Code and the American Waterways Operators Responsible Carrier Program. Whether it’s lumber, plywood, paper, petroleum products, chemicals, bulk commodities, containers, oversized, overweight, or specialty cargoes, we have the people, the equipment, and the expertise to meet our customers’ needs. For more information, please visit www.Sause.com and www.Facebook.com/SauseBros.