Bouchard Transportation's future uncertain in wake of barge blast probe

An explosion in 2017 that punched a hole in one of Bouchard Transportation’s barges is threatening to sink the company.

The Long Island tug and barge owner has been operating on a limited basis with a skeleton crew since early October, according to a letter from chief executive Morton Bouchard III obtained by TradeWinds.

In the letter, Bouchard accused the US Coast Guard (USCG) and ABS of trying to destroy the century-old, family-owned company by revoking safety documents and taking its fleet out of service in the wake of the investigation into the explosion.