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Barges and Boats

Center:	Stennis Space Center
Location:	Hancock County, MS
Year Built:	various, most around 1965
Historic Eligibility:
Important Tests:	Not a research facility

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[top] History

A variety of specialized vessels were constructed for use on the canal system and inland waterways connecting what is now the Stennis Space Center with the Gulf of Mexico, and several existing vessels were also modified for use at the test facility. This included a fleet of three 270,000 gallon liquid hydrogen barges and six 105,000 gallon liquid oxygen barges (the fuels used by the Saturn V engines), two barges for transporting the Saturn V engines on inland waterways, called the Little Lake and the Pearl River, a seagoing vessel for transporting rockets from California, called the Point Barrow, and a number of towboats, including the custom-built Clermont, the Apollo, and the Bob Fuqua. Other vessels are known to have been used at the facility as well. Additionally, cargo was moved to the facility over inland waterways from the Marshall Space Flight Center, and several vessels owned by A. L. Mechling Barge Lines, Inc., of Joliet, Illinois, the company awarded the contract to move this cargo, served in this role.

[top] Photos

Note that the Clermont and its successor the Clermont II are on a separate page.

[top] Apollo

The Apollo was owned by Gulf Coast Towing Co., Inc., New Orleans. It was just a regular towboat when that company got a contract to work at what was then the Mississippi Test Facility. It was built at Nashville, Tenn. in 1959 by the original owner, The Barrett Line, and was originally named Bonus H. It was 90 by 22.8 feet and had two Caterpillar diesels which totaled 1,200 hp. It was sold in 1965 to Gulf Coast Towing, who added a 55-foot high tower in order for the pilots to see over the high NASA cargoes carried.

1966 Apollo with the Little Lake and Poseidon, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1966 Apollo pushing barges at the S-I-C Booster Storage Facility	1966 Apollo pushing fuel barges, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1967 Apollo moving Pearl River to the dock, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1968 Apollo moving Pearl River with an S-IC, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen
1978 Apollo moving a liquid hydrogen barge	1981 Apollo moving a barge	1982 Apollo at the bascule bridge

[top] Bob Fuqua

Bob Fuqua was built by A. L. Mechling Barge Lines, Inc, in Joliet, Illinois.

1965 Bob Fuqua moving a barge

1965 Bob Fuqua moving Palemon, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

Bob Fuqua moving Palemon, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

1970 Bob Fuqua with Poseidon, Orion, and BG-6376, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

Bob Fuqua moving Compromise, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

[top] Point Barrow

Point Barrow, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

Point Barrow, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen

[top] Cargo Barges

1961 Hazel pushing Palemon, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1963 Unloading steel from the Pearl River for construction.	1963 Unloading steel from the Pearl River for construction.	Poseidon at the bascule bridge	Horace E Horton pushing Palemon, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen
1966 Horace E Horton moving Promise, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1967 Apollo moving Pearl River with an S-IC	1967 An S-II engine raised on to the A-2 stand from the Little Lake	1967 An S-IC lifted into the B-2 stand from the Pearl River	1970 Poseidon, Orion, and BG-6376, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen
1977 Point Clear moving Pearl River	1977 Point Clear moving Pearl River	1977 Point Clear and Clermont move Pearl River to the dock	1977 Pearl River and an unidentified tugboat	1977 Pearl River at the bascule bridge

[top] Fuel Barges

1963 fuel barge concept drawing	1965 Clermont with barge, Courtesy of Boat Photo Museum, Dan Owen	1966 liquid oxygen barges	1977 liquid hydrogen barges	1977 liquid hydrogen barges
1977 liquid oxygen barges	1977 Clermont moves a liquid oxygen barge	1987 The Clermont II transports liquid oxygen to the B-1 stand	1989 An engineer on a liquid oxygen barge	2001 Clermont II moves an empty fuel barge
2004 Clermont II moves a barge of liquid oxygen