A significant event occurred recently at Bergeron Marine when the barge CMS-563 (shown above) slid down the launchways at the company's Port Bienville facility. The 120-foot by 30-foot by 7-foot steel deck barge built for Central Marine Service, Inc., New Orleans, was the 100th vessel constructed at the Mississippi yard.
Production began at the 40-acre site located in the sprawling Port Bienville Industrial Park near Pearlington, Miss., in the spring of 1978. On April 14, 1978, Bergeron Marine launched its first vessel, the CMS-434, a 110-foot deck barge, also owned by Central Marine Service.
Initially, the company's operations at Port Bienville were confined to new construction. In addition to the new construction of a wide range of barges, Bergeron Marine's facilities were expanded and now include a specialized LASH barge repair and renovation facility. This facility, now a very important part of Bergeron's Mississippi operation, is believed to be the finest of its kind in the United States for the repair and reconditioning of LASH barge fleets.