Hughes Marine offers a wide array of barges ready for your marine construction needs on a bareboat and time charter basis. Hughes barges are always well-maintained. Most Hughes deck barges are equipped with spuds to facilitate placement in areas with no pier or bulkhead. Mats, anchors, and winches are all available for rent for your marine construction applications. We can load and unload your equipment and material at our state-of-the-art Brooklyn, NY facility Erie Basin Bargeport. Our building program ensures that our fleet is modern and, given sufficient lead time, we will build or modify equipment to the specifications of our customer for a particular marine construction job or project.
Most of our barges work in the Northeast United States and along the East Coast. When appropriate, we also service the US Gulf Coast, Central America, Caribbean, and Bermuda. Several of our barges are designated as oceangoing barges by the American Bureau of Shipping, so they are able to work in all oceans and seas.
We have provided barges for every major marine construction project on the US East Coast for the past century. We are currently providing barges for the Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement Project in the Hudson River, as well as several marine infrastructure projects in the tri-state area.

Spud Barges |
40′ – 300′ long x 10′ – 60′ wide |
Oceangoing |
Up to 2,500 ST capacity |
Carfloats |
Up to 300′ long |
Material Barges |
300 to 3,000 ST capacity |
Hopper Barges |
1100 ST capacity |
Jobsite Tugs |
25′ long, 400 HP, truckable tugs |
Hughes also caters to various non-marine construction related industries. Hughes barges have provided the support for movie equipment during maritime sequence filming. Hughes barges have also provided the space for advertisement filming, helicopter and ferry landings, and other non-construction related projects. We even had a greenhouse barge in the Hudson River, called the Science Barge. Whether you are looking for a barge for your marine construction project or your next specialty project, call Hughes today to answer your questions.

Since the late 1800s, Hughes Bros. has moved all types of cargo along the canals and in between the East Coast, Gulf, and inland waterways. We specialize in moving oversized objects, too large for truck or rail. We have inland barges for canals and rivers, as well as ABS oceangoing barges for coastwise marine transportation along the US East and Gulf Coasts, Caribbean, and throughout the Americas.
Some of the oversized cargo that we have transported recently are the world’s largest sailing catamaran (pictured above), precast concrete pilings for bridge and pier construction, hopper barge covers, and generator units for power plants and manufacturers.
We regularly attend the Breakbulk Americas show to meet customers and keep abreast of the news and developments in the marine transportation industry. As members of the Railway Industrial Clearance Association, Hughes Bros. has built a competent network of inter-modal and logistics suppliers, so we can provide assistance for your marine transportation needs from origin to destination.
Hughes Bros. is one of the few carriers that has been certified by the United States Interstate Commerce Commission to move commodities of all types throughout North America. Our Certificate, W463, was issued in 1944.
We also have barges that are capable of transiting the New York State Canal System to transport oversized or overweight objects and to support marine construction projects in the area. Our network of tug operators in the Northeast ensures that we are knowledgeable about local waterways, weather patterns, and marine facilities.

We have the equipment and experience to move your cargo safely, efficiently, and competitively. We are pleased to quote your movement at no obligation.
Transportation by Tug and Barge, Domestic and International
- Oversized Objects
- Construction Materials
- Bulk Materials
- Waste Materials
- Towing: Any Port, Any Horsepower
Hughes Marine is ready to load or unload the materials and marine equipment for your job or project. Our state-of-the-art loading berth at Erie Basin Bargeport is staffed by experienced crane operators and riggers who can use our cranes, forklifts, and securing equipment to unload cargo from your trucks onto our barges.
When you rent barges, truckable tugs, or other marine equipment from us, you are getting more than the standard marine equipment. We can make modifications to barges, such as adding spudwells, fenders, anchors, man-rails for safety, crane mats, and much more.
Our secure location in Erie Basin, in the heart of New York harbor, means that we can load your marine equipment safely and with minimal impact from weather and tidal conditions. While staging your job in Erie Basin, you can be assured that your equipment is safe, as our facility is securely guarded 24/7/365.
When planning your next job that requires barges or other marine equipment, give us a call so we can answer your questions. We have been doing this for over a century, so we will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Erie Basin Loading Berth
We also have the expertise to see that your crane or truck is safely walked onto our barges at the proper stage of the tide. With our heavy-duty crane and truck ramps and reinforced bulkhead, we are one of the few facilities in the area with the capacity to load your marine equipment safely. Additionally, we have floating cranes to transfer jobsite materials, set spuds, or move oversized objects and marine equipment within the port of New York. Many contractors use our floating crane service to ensure that their barges are placed in the correct locations, the spuds are dropped securely, and they are able to set the gangways and other equipment properly.
Hughes Marine has over 120 years of experience in all facets of the marine industry, including barge leasing, marine transportation, and specialty marine projects. We use that experience to see that our customers get the job done safely, effectively, and competitively. We combine marine background and business practicality to manage any marine related project from start to finish, on time and on budget. There are circumstances due to foreign ownership, distance, or other factors, which necessitate outside management of your floating equipment or barge leasing operations. Hughes has the maintenance, accounting and management personnel, pier space, and ownership background to manage your floating equipment, alone or in partnership. We have extensive experience in providing tug and barge leasing services to movie companies, fireworks (including the annual Macy’s 4th of July show in NYC), and other unique entertainment events. We can manage your marine project, your equipment, or both.

Consulting
- Purchase and Sale of Marine Equipment
- Equipment Evaluation
- Market Studies
- Transportation Project Methods and Pricing
- Expert Witness
- Collateral Appraisals for Financial Institutions
- Transportation of Nuclear Components
- Project Evaluation
- Movies and Fireworks
Equipment Management and Barge Leasing
- Ownership of US Flag Equipment for Foreign Owners
- Management of Vessels or Entire Fleets for Absentee Owners
- Specific Services – Pier Space, Insurance, Maintenance
- Time Charter of Hughes Equipment to Foreign Owned Companies
With over 100 years in business, we have been involved with every type of marine-related project imaginable. We enjoy helping our customers and friends in the maritime industry navigate the oft-murky waters of marine equipment and barge leasing, transportation projects, and other logistics projects.
We stay abreast of industry developments and trends by attending trade shows throughout the country, holding leadership positions on tug and barge operations, and generally having our ears to the ground in the barge leasing and maritime services community.

Hughes Marine is your solution for special waterfront or waterborne projects involving marine logistics and tugs and barges in NY and throughout the Northeast United States. We routinely use barges for fireworks shows, ferry landings, movies, commercials, public relations spectacles, and even a floating greenhouse.
Recent projects utilizing Hughes barges in NY include the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, where we have been providing barges for nearly 30 years. We also run the marine operations for the annual Macy’s show, which involves up to 8 tugboats and barges in NY’s Hudson River.
Additionally, we have also supplied barges and maritime expertise for dozens of other annual fireworks displays, and blockbuster movies such as I am Legend, War of the Worlds, and Meet Joe Black.

Some of our barges in NY are current ferry landings for Hudson and East River ferries. Since land is at a premium in New York Harbor, barges represent the most feasible way to set up a ferry landing for passenger ferries. Several of our barges are also used for breast-off barges for marine construction projects, where the water at the pier may not be deep enough for a ship, tug, or larger barge. Breast-off barges enable a safe dock for ships and other vessels that would otherwise get damaged in shallow water or underdeveloped bulkheads and piers.
Not only do we supply tugs, barges in NY, and other marine equipment such as anchors and buoys, we lend our maritime expertise to the industries that are unfamiliar with the ways of the water. We provide excellent equipment, deliver it on time, and make sure the marine logistics of your project are flawless.
Give us a call today with your special marine project needs. Nothing is too outlandish – trust us, we’ve heard it all. We will guide you through your specialty marine project from start to finish.

Hughes Marine is dedicated to being a turn-key barge rental and marine solution for all of your “Green” projects. Like every industry, the maritime industry grows more ecologically friendly and environmentally sustainable every year. With limited land in and around New York Harbor, some of our recent customers have turned toward the water and the use of deck barge rental for environmental projects.
One of the more well-known projects with which we’re involved is The Science Barge on the Hudson River here in New York. The Science Barge is operated by Groundworks Hudson Valley as a floating greenhouse run by 100% alternative energy, such as solar and hydroelectric tidal power. We are very pleased with our partnership with Groundworks and only hope that we have an opportunity to participate in more similar barge rental projects in the future. You can read more about The Science Barge HERE.
With solar, wind, and tidal power sources on the rise, we look forward to being the barge rental and marine transportation resource for East Coast energy companies. With the world currently experiencing a mass shift toward urbanization, land will become even more premium and we will need to find ways to both maximize our use of space as well as supply energy to urban populations. Green energy will be at the forefront of that revolution.
Call us today for a free quote on your next Green project.