UNSPSC 78101704: International barge transport services

UNSPSC 78101704 International barge transport services (Commodity) covers marine vessel flotation, removal, transport, and disposal operations that state and local governments are currently procuring almost exclusively for derelict-vessel abatement and coastal-infrastructure projects. Recent solicitations show two distinct work streams: single-vessel removal and disposal contracts—mostly derelict boats ranging from 16 to 32 feet—and specialized barge-based deployment of reef materials for marine-habitat construction. The Commodity code encompasses supply of ocean-going tugs, deck barges rated for 500-ton-plus capacity, and all associated labor and equipment to move waterborne materials or disabled vessels across open water to designated offshore or landfill endpoints. Issuing bodies are primarily county marine-resources and coastal-management divisions. Escambia County Marine Resources Division, Florida, has been the dominant recent buyer, issuing multiple price-quote requests for derelict-vessel removal under the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Derelict Vessel Removal Grant Opportunity; Volusia County Coastal Division, Florida, has solicited barge-based artificial-reef deployment through an ITB with a three-year base term and renewal options.

Activity is concentrated in Florida's coastal jurisdictions, particularly the Panhandle (Escambia County) and Central Atlantic Coast (Volusia County). Volusia County issued ITB 26-B-127JS on October 5, 2026, with responses due November 5, 2026, for artificial-reef deployment services including tug and barge provision, vessel loading from the County's reef yard, and offshore GPS-coordinated placement at depths of 50 to 130 feet across 18 permitted reef sites; pricing is lump-sum per 300-ton load with deployment required within 90 days. Escambia County Marine Resources Division has posted ten price-quote requests since June 2026 for individual derelict-vessel removal, transport, and tipping—vessels including a 32-foot Islander broken apart by Tropical Storm Bertha, a 30-foot Morgan grounded near Pensacola Pass, and smaller craft in Perdido Bay and Kees Bayou—all funded through FWC grant awards with work-commencement requirements within 7 calendar days and completion within 14 days. Marine pollution liability, protection-and-indemnity, and maritime workers'-compensation insurance at $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate are standard requirements across all solicitations. A local preference of up to three percent applies in Volusia County for contractors with permanent locations in specified Central Florida counties.