Kirby Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas is the largest tank barge operator in the United States, transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, along all three U.S. Coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. Products transported by Kirby include petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemical products by tank barge. Kirby also owns and operates eight ocean-going barge and tug units transporting dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade.
Through Kirby's diesel engine services segment, Kirby is an after-market service provider for medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines, reduction gears and ancillary products for marine and power generation applications. Kirby also serves as a distributor and service provider for high-speed diesel engines, transmissions, pumps and compression products, and manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping units, for the land-based pressure pumping and oilfield service markets.
Kirby Inland Marine operates the nation's largest fleet of inland tank barges and towing vessels.[citation needed]
Kirby's service area spans America's inland waterway network including The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Mississippi River System, the Illinois River, the Ohio River and other waterways. Kirby operates 884 active inland tank barges, 251 active towing vessels and five fleets.
History
The corporate predecessor, Kirby Industries, Inc., was founded in 1921.[4] The Kirby Corporation was founded in 1969 as a subsidiary of that company called Kirby Exploration Company, Inc., and was spun off in 1976. The company changed its name in 1990.[5]
