Kirby Corporation Signs Agreement to Purchase Ship Bunkering Operations of Enterprise Marine Services

HOUSTON, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kirby Corporation ("Kirby") (NYSE: KEX) today announced the signing of an agreement to purchase the ship bunkering operations of Enterprise Marine Services LLC ("Enterprise") for approximately $53 million in cash.  The asset purchase will consist of 21 inland and offshore tank barges and 15 inland towboats and offshore tugboats.  Enterprise provides transportation and delivery services for ship bunkers (engine fuel) to cruise ships, container ships and freighters primarily in the Miami, Port Everglades and Cape Canaveral, Florida area, the three largest cruise ship ports in the United States, as well as Tampa, Florida, Mobile, Alabama and Houston, Texas.  The closing of the asset purchase is expected to occur in February 2011.  Funding of the acquisition will be through the use of Kirby's existing cash.  

Joe Pyne, Kirby's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The purchase of the Enterprise ship bunkering assets expands our marine transportation operating footprint in Florida, as well as expands our existing Houston ship bunkering operation.  The Enterprise tank barges are relatively new, with an average age of seven years and the large majority of the vessels are under time charter agreements ranging from two to three years."

Mr. Pyne further stated, "We expect the ship bunkering operations to be immediately accretive to Kirby's earnings.  Projected full year revenue from the asset purchase is anticipated to be in the $30 to $35 million range, generating projected full year net earnings in the $.05 to $.07 per share range."

Kirby Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, operates inland tank barges and towing vessels transporting petrochemicals, black oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals throughout the United States' inland waterway system.  Kirby also owns and operates four ocean-going barge and tug units transporting dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade.  Through the diesel engine services segment, Kirby provides after-market service for medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines and reduction gears used in marine, power generation and railroad applications.

Statements contained in this press release with respect to the future are forward-looking statements.  These statements reflect management's reasonable judgement with respect to future events.  Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties.  Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated as a result of various factors, including cyclical or other downturns in demand, significant pricing competition, unanticipated additions to industry capacity, changes in the Jones Act or in U.S. maritime policy and practice, fuel costs, interest rates, weather conditions, and the timing, magnitude and the number of acquisitions made by Kirby.  Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and Kirby assumes no obligation to update such statements.  A list of additional risk factors can be found in Kirby's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Kirby Corporation