UNSPSC 78101716: Marine towing service

The movement and relocation of offshore rigs is a recurring and regular feature of offshore energy exploration, field development and operation.

UNSPSC 78101716 Marine towing service is a Commodity code covering the removal, transport, and disposal of derelict, abandoned, and disabled vessels across inland waterways, coastal zones, and marine environments. State and local governments procure this work to clear navigable waters, enforce environmental protection standards, respond to public nuisances, and recover vessels damaged in accidents or subject to police impoundment. Recent solicitations show two distinct streams: single-vessel derelict-removal projects funded through state fish and wildlife grant programs, and ongoing towing and storage contracts serving police departments, school districts, and fleet operations. The work combines specialized marine expertise—divers with PADI, NAUI, or SDI certification; operators holding U.S. Coast Guard Operator Uninspected Towing Vessel licenses; personnel trained in hazardous-material handling—with heavy equipment (wreckers, barges, flatbed trucks) and secure storage facilities. Contractors typically bid unit pricing by vessel size or fixed rates by vehicle category, carry $1 million to $2 million in marine liability and workers' compensation insurance, and work under tight environmental compliance regimens protecting seagrass beds, wetlands, and mangroves.

Issuing bodies span Florida counties (Escambia, Pinellas, Hillsborough), Florida cities (Fort Myers, Tampa, Sarasota), school districts (Pinellas County Schools, DeKalb County Schools in Georgia), and state environmental agencies (Oregon Department of State Lands, Texas General Land Office). Florida dominates recent activity, with Escambia County Marine Resources Division issuing multiple derelict-vessel quotes under Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission grant programs. The geographic spread extends across Florida's coastal and river systems (Bayou Chico, Bayou Chico, Kees Bayou, Pensacola Pass, Tampa Bay) and into the Pacific Northwest (Willamette and Columbia Rivers in Oregon) and Texas (Port Bolivar). Representative recent opportunities include the City of Fort Myers RFP 26067 for continuing derelict-vessel removal with disaster response, responses due August 18, 2026, with unit pricing by vessel length and emergency-mobilization fees; Escambia County's July 2026 quotes for a 32-foot Catalina grounded near Pensacola Pass, due July 20, 2026; and the City of Tampa ITB 26P00115 for vessel removal, towing, storage, and disposal on an as-needed basis, due March 2, 2026, with Small Local Business Enterprise preference available.