Wellspring Barge Partnership, Minneapolis, Minn., has applied to the Maritime Administration for a Title XI guarantee to aid in financing the construction of 75 covered hopper barges—40 to be 195-foot, rake-type barges and the remaining 35 to be 200-foot, box-type barges. All are intended for use on the inland rivers of the United States.
The barges are being built by Equitable Shipyards, Inc., New Orleans, La., with deliveries scheduled from July through December 1981. The requested guarantee is for $19,723,594, or 87½ percent of the total $22,541,250 estimated cost.