Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC

When completing deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico, companies need vessels that they can depend on. Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC says it provides that reliability.

“[We are] founded on the premise that superior performance and safer operations provide our customers value and satisfaction,” the company states.

Based in New Orleans, the marine transportation company tows drilling rigs and offers offshore supply and multi-purpose support vessels. Captain Numa J. Guidry founded the company in 1955 when he assembled a fleet of inland towing vessels to service the Gulf Coast transportation market.

A decade later, the firm grew into offshore ocean towing and rig-moving services. Over the years, Harvey Gulf maintained and operated vessels that not only towed drilling rigs, but also barges that carried multiple types of cargo, including propane from Louisiana.

By 1988, Harvey Gulf’s current CEO, Shane Guidry, became the third generation of his family to lead the company. This was followed by Harvey Gulf transitioning from a full-service towing firm to specializing in offshore towing, particularly for large jack-up and semi-submersible rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

“As part of this specialization, Harvey Gulf divested the company’s liquefied petroleum gas division, sold all of its inland towing vessels and replaced them with larger, more powerful offshore towing vessels,” the company says. It also repowered and added equipment so its vessels could perform deepwater rig towing.

Over time, Harvey Gulf earned a reputation for having the most powerful towing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. “We also modernized electronics and navigations systems and installed performance and safety equipment, such as Shark Jaws, bow thrusters and kort nozzles,” Harvey Gulf says.

In 2008, The Jordan Co. L.P., a New York-based private equity firm, acquired Harvey Gulf from the Guidry family. “Through the sale, Harvey Gulf looks to combine the management team and specialized services and equipment developed over the past 10 years with a partner dedicated to expanding the fleet and services to meet the evolving needs of its customers, while maintaining the same level of performance and safety standards they rely on,” the company says.

Well Equipped
Harvey Gulf designs and equips its vessels to meet its customers’ needs. “This includes producing the highest bollard pull for towing vessels and providing the largest cargo capacities for offshore supply services,” it says. “We also design and equip some of our offshore supply vessels for dual operation as dive/construction and mooring line support vessels, affording greater flexibility to our customers.” All of its vessels are American Bureau of Shipping-certified.

Safe and Sound
Harvey Gulf holds the values of safety and environmental preservation in high regard throughout its operation. As part of this mission, the company provides employee training and has implemented its own Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Continuous Improvement Management System (HSSE-CIMS) to set the standard for its workers.

“Our HSSE-CIMS goes beyond traditional company HS&E rules and regulations,” Harvey Gulf explains. “This is a dynamic system that incorporates and integrates with all of our other company policies and procedures, with management continuously reviewing and improving all areas based on our evolving services and knowledge of safety and vessel operations.”

This system includes an incentive program, Taking Aim at Behaving Safely (TABS). Through the program, each employee keeps an eye out for possible safety concerns and fills out a TABS form, in the event that they witness a possible hazard.

Because of their participation, employees can earn quarterly bonuses of $250. In the fourth quarter, if they haven’t had any accidents, they get $1,500. But to qualify, they must attend all safety meetings and training, turn in a required five forms and not be involved in any of the incidents.

“Harvey Gulf gives away over $160,000 each year in safety bonuses under our TABS program,” the company says. In 2013, it gave away $400,000.

Additionally, employees who turn in the most significant TABS also are eligible for prizes such as caps, hard hats, mugs and t-shirts.

“At the annual Safety Awards Banquet, all employees who received all safety bonuses are entered into a drawing [for more prizes],” the company says.

Showing Support
Harvey Gulf annually shows its community support by sponsoring a float in the Krewe of Alla Mardi Gras parade for the Sunshine Kids organization. Sunshine Kids “supports children terminally ill with various forms of cancer,” the company explains. “The Sunshine Kids fill this float and are provided beads and other throws for their ride in the largest Mardi Gras parade on the west bank of New Orleans.”

Additionally, Shane Guidry recently funded a baseball and softball facility that is being built for De La Salle High School in New Orleans. Guidry also renovated and built the gym for the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans for his daughters.

“While our employees do not have the resources for such a commitment, the relative magnitude of the donation is one example demonstrating true dedication by our leadership to our communities,” Harvey Gulf says.