Kirby Corporation operates domestic tank barges in the United States. Its Marine Transportation segment provides marine transportation service and towing vessel transporting bulk liquid products. It operates tank barges throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, coastwise along three United States coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii.
The company transports petrochemicals, black oils, refined petroleum products, and agricultural chemicals by tank barges. It also operates offshore dry-bulk barges and tugboat units that are engaged in the offshore transportation of dry-bulk cargos in the United States coastal trade. Kirby Corporation owns and operates 1,094 inland tank barges, approximately 281 inland towboats, 28 coastal tank barges, 24 coastal tugboats, 4 offshore dry-bulk cargo barges, 3 offshore tugboats, and a docking tugboat.
Its Distribution and Services segment sells after-market service and genuine replacement parts for engines, transmissions, reduction gears, electric motors, drives, and controls, electrical distribution and control systems, energy storage battery systems, and related oilfield service equipment. The segment also rebuilds component parts or diesel engines, transmissions and reduction gears, and related equipment used in oilfield services, marine, power generation, on-highway, and other industrial applications.
Additionally, it rents generators, industrial compressors, high capacity lift trucks, and refrigeration trailers. The company manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping units, as well as electric power generation equipment, specialized electrical distribution and control equipment, and high capacity energy storage/battery systems. It serves various companies, the United States government, and pleasure crafts.
The company was formerly known as Kirby Exploration Company, Inc. and changed its name to Kirby Corporation in 1990. Kirby Corporation was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
