Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) announced the sale of West Gulf Marine, a Galveston, Texas-based builder of inland tank barges, to Maritime Partners, a maritime financing firm focused on Jones Act vessels. BGL said in a statement that it’s Transportation & Logistics Infrastructure team acted as exclusive financial advisor to West Gulf Marine in the transaction.
West Gulf Marine was founded by brothers Bryan and Keith Fiegel more than 40 years ago. The company said it specializes in the construction of tank barges used to transport black oil, petrochemicals, refined products, and other cargoes on the inland and intracoastal waterways. Its customers have included operators such as Kirby Corp., Canal Barge Company, and Enterprise Product Partners, the company reported.
The Fiegels said the company grew out of their father Harry’s Galveston Shipbuilding Company, which built oceangoing tank barges. “We started a new operation focused on the inland sector, and after building our first barges for Cenac Towing, we developed a strong following among the leading inland tank barge operators,” said Bryan Fiegel.
In a joint statement, Bryan and Keith emphasized that Maritime Partners’ acquisition will maintain continuity for employees and customers. “It is great to be selling the business to a group that understands the maritime culture and will preserve the legacy of the business,” said Bryan. Keith added, “This will provide Maritime Partners with a first-class operation that will complement their fleet needs while continuing to service the inland customers that West Gulf has served for decades.”
The West Gulf Marine acquisition comes just one month after Maritime Partners finalized its purchase of Seattle-based Centerline Logistics Corp. Taken together, the back-to-back acquisitions reflect Maritime Partners’ continued expansion in the Jones Act market, adding both shipyard capabilities through West Gulf Marine and marine transportation assets with Centerline. The moves underscore the company’s role not only as a financing provider but also as a growing operator with a diverse footprint across the U.S. maritime sector.
