Collaboration was the key when three GAC USA offices on the Gulf of Mexico came together recently to deliver the goods onto a heavy lift ship.

Acting as broker for Marine Management Group, GAC Houston supervised the towage of the pipe-laying barge 'Global Shawnee' the 145 Nautical Miles from Carlyss, Louisiana to Freeport, Texas. The GAC team at Lake Charles had made all the arrangements for sailing the tug and barge'from Carlyss to Freeport.

Once the 9,029 MT barge arrived at Freeport, GAC Operations Manager Linda Hooser liaised with shippers and port authorities to oversee its loading onto the COSCO heavy lift ship MV 'Tai An Kou' which would take it to its final destination, Dubai.

Meeting challenges
The first challenge was getting the barge to Freeport, due to a shortage of available tugs.

The next challenge was'the load-out operations at the sinkhole inside the harbor at Freeport. The submersible vessel anchored'in the 65 ft. sinkhole, where it'ballasted down'in preparation for the loading of the barge. Meanwhile, the GAC team was kept busy juggling traffic issues at the busy port, weather-related towage matters, timing, connections, barge listing, daylight restrictions, documentation and P&I approval.