Hornbeck Offshore exercises barge option

Hornbeck Offshore Services, announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hornbeck Offshore Transportation (HOT), has exercised the second of its three fixed-price shipyard options for the construction of one additional 110,000-barrel double-hulled tank barge. The vessel, which will be constructed by Manitowoc Marine Group, is expected to be delivered during the second half of 2005.

HOT currently operates a fleet of 12 ocean-going tugs and 16 ocean-going tank barges, one of which is double-hulled. Three of its existing single-hulled tank barges are scheduled to be retired under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 by 1 January 2005. With today’s announcement, the Company now has a total of five double-hulled tank barges under construction, i.e. three 110,000-barrel barges at Manitowoc and two 135,000-barrel barges at a different shipyard.