Turn Services
Turn Services is a New Orleans-based inland marine services company founded in 1990 that provides barge fleeting, shifting, towing, cleaning, and repair services on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway for barge operators, terminal operators, and energy/agricultural shippers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersNew Orleans, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Turn Services does
Turn Services, LLC is a privately held inland marine services company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, founded in 1990 by Frank Morton. The company provides barge fleeting (temporary mooring), shifting, towing, cleaning, repair, and last-mile delivery services along the Lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the river mouth, and along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway across Louisiana and Texas. Its customer base consists primarily of barge line operators (including American Commercial Barge Line), terminal operators (notably sister company Associated Terminals), and energy and agricultural shippers. Turn Services operates 26+ towboats and 13 crew boats, supported by a network of fleeting locations with combined capacity exceeding 590 barges.
The company's core technology stack is centered on maritime fleet management, vessel tracking, safety management systems, and regulatory compliance platforms. The Destination Zero safety program and a robust safety management system in place since 2011 support compliance with USCG Subchapter M, MTSA, and FWPCA regulations, with quarterly internal audits across all vessels and facilities. The company participates in AWO Responsible Carrier Program audits and has earned Jones F. Devlin safety awards for 13 vessels. New vessels are constructed through a long-standing partnership with Eymard Marine Construction & Repair in Harvey, Louisiana. A customer portal provides online account management.
Turn Services generates revenue through four primary streams: barge fleeting and shifting services (the core offering), vessel towing services, barge cleaning and repair services, and fuel and lubricant sales. Services are delivered under B2B contractual arrangements with major enterprise customers on a customized, location- and scope-based pricing model with no public pricing disclosure. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales, led by President Todd Fuller and supported by a VP of Sales and Customer Service and a VP of Business Development. Since 2019, Turn Services has pursued an active acquisition strategy, completing deals for Gulf Coast Diesel, Bayou Fleet, Michoud Fleet, Dockside Fleet (from ACBL), and announcing acquisitions of Marine Fueling Service (2024) and St. John Fleeting (2025), materially expanding its fleet, geographic reach into Texas, and service line breadth.
Turn Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Turn Services
- Legal name
- Turn Services, LLC
- Website
- http://turnservices.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Turn Services is a New Orleans-based inland marine services company founded in 1990 that provides barge fleeting, shifting, towing, cleaning, and repair services on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway for barge operators, terminal operators, and energy/agricultural shippers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Turn Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Inland Maritime Fleeting and Towing Services
- NAICS
- Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades) (IMAJAHAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Marine Retrofit, Conversion & Life-Extension (Class/Regulatory Upgrades) (TLAKAKAK)
Keywords
Where Turn Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Orleans
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Turn Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Barge Fleeting and Shifting Services: Core revenue stream providing barge fleeting (temporary mooring), shifting, and repositioning services along the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Services include dry, liquid, pressure, CDC, deck, and oversized barge handling. Revenue generated through service contracts with barge line operators.
- Vessel Towing Services: Towing services including pushboat operations, last-mile delivery, and transport services on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Coast. Fleet of pushboats named after champion thoroughbred horses, ranging from 1,600 to 2,000+ horsepower.
- Barge Cleaning and Repair: Barge cleaning and topside repair services. Includes dry cargo barge cleaning, potable water delivery, and crane services. Revenue from service fees to barge operators.
- Fuel and Lubricant Sales: Fuel, lube, and aggregate sales at select locations, expanded through the Marine Fueling Service acquisition. Marine fuel supply services both dockside and midstream.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Turn Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Turn Services is an inland marine services company that provides barge fleeting, shifting, cleaning and topside repair along the Lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the mouth, as well as pushboat towing, last-mile delivery, stevedoring, dock transfer, boat charter, crane services, fuel and lubricant supply, and aggregate sales on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Texas to Florida. The company owns and operates a fleet of 1,600 to 2,000+ horsepower pushboats and crew boats at multiple fleeting facilities and supports customers with regulated safety, environmental and Subchapter M compliance services.
Product overview
Turn Services is a maritime services company providing barge fleeting, shifting, cleaning, and repair services along the Lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the mouth, and towing services on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Texas to Florida. The company operates a fleet of pushboats and provides integrated marine services including fuel/lube sales, aggregate sales, stevedoring, dock transfer, and boat charter. Turn Services operates multiple locations in Louisiana (Myrtle Grove, Meraux, Dockside, Michoud, Convent) and Texas (La Porte/Port Arthur), and has expanded through acquisitions of Marine Fueling Service, St. John Fleeting, Gulf Coast Diesel, and other maritime companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Barge Fleeting Services Contract-based barge fleeting providing mooring and temporary storage for barge fleets at strategic waterway locations on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, serving barge line operators and terminal operators.
- Barge Shifting Services Repositioning of barges within ports and terminals to support efficient cargo handling and transportation logistics for barge line operators and terminal operators.
- Barge Cleaning Services Dry cargo barge cleaning services to prepare barges for different cargo loads, delivered at Turn Services facilities and in-plant at customer terminal locations.
- Barge Repair Services Topside repair and maintenance services for barges, supported by Turn Services' diesel engine repair capabilities through Gulf Coast Diesel.
- Towing and Last-Mile Delivery Services Pushboat towing services for barge transportation, shifting, and 'last mile' delivery on the Lower Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Texas to Florida, using the company's fleet of 1,600 to 2,000+ hp pushboats.
- Vessel Services Operation of crew boats and towboats supporting harbor and fleeting operations, including vessel acquisition, integration, and ongoing deployment of the Turn Services fleet.
- Facility and Shipyard Services Shipyard and facility services supporting vessel and barge operations at multiple Turn Services locations in Louisiana and Texas.
- Stevedoring and Dock Transfer Services Cargo handling stevedoring and dock transfer services for moving cargo between vessels and docks at ports and terminals along the Lower Mississippi River, expanded through the St. John Fleeting acquisition.
- Boat Charter Services Charter of vessels for temporary use by customers, available through the Marine Fueling Service operations in Texas.
- Crane Services Crane services for cargo handling and construction operations at select Turn Services locations, expanded through the MFS acquisition.
- Potable Water Delivery Delivery of potable water by barge to vessels and marine facilities, available at select Texas locations through the MFS operations.
- Fuel and Lubricant Sales Marine fuel, lube, and aggregate sales at select Turn Services locations both dockside and midstream, expanded through the MFS acquisition.
Quantifiable outcome
- Jones F. Devlin Safety Awards for 13 vessels in 2019 - recognizing 2+ years of operations without Lost Time Injury
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Turn Services
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Turn Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Turn Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Marine Fueling Service (MFS)coreTurn Services announced plans to acquire Marine Fueling Service, Inc. in July 2024. MFS is a marine support company with 65 years of service in the Golden Triangle area and Intracoastal Waterway in Texas, providing fleeting, shifting, towing, boat charter, fuel, and lube services. The acquisition strengthens Turn Services' operational capabilities along the Gulf Coast.
- Associated TerminalsflagshipStrategic alliance formed in 2004 between Turn Services and Associated Terminals, a leading terminal operator on the Lower Mississippi River. Gary Poirrier and David Fennelly serve as co-chairmen of Associated Terminals. Turn Services became the primary barge fleeting and service provider for Associated Terminals, and the two companies operate as sister companies with shared leadership and operations infrastructure.
- Eymard Marine Construction & RepaircoreEymard Marine Construction & Repair of Harvey, Louisiana is Turn Services' primary vessel construction partner. The shipyard has built multiple towboats for Turn Services including vessels named after Triple Crown winners (Justify, American Pharoah, California Chrome, Curlin, Nyquist, Barbaro, Native Dancer, Man o' War). Four vessels were under construction in 2019 for Turn Services, with vessels ranging from 67.6 to 72 feet with 1,600 to 2,000 hp.
- U.S. Coast GuardcoreTurn Services maintains collaborative relationships with the U.S. Coast Guard for regulatory compliance. All four secure fleets have USCG-approved Facility Security Plans and trained Facility Security Officers. Each towboat has USCG-approved Vessel Security Plan and each captain is a trained Vessel Security Officer. Company participates in Coast Guard Bridging Inspection Program and holds Certificates of Inspection for crew boats.
- U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreTurn Services works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on waterway infrastructure matters including lock operations and navigation channel maintenance affecting their operational areas on the Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
- American Waterways Operators (AWO)coreTurn Services is an active member of the American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. Frank Morton served as AWO Chairman. Mario Muñoz serves as chairman of AWO's harbor services sector committee. Company participates in AWO Responsible Carrier Program audits.
- Gulf Intracoastal Canal AssociationcoreTurn Services maintains membership and collaborative relationships with the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, representing waterway transportation operators on the Gulf Coast.
- Delgado Community CollegeminorTurn Services partners with Delgado Community College for wheelhouse simulation training, providing mariners with opportunities to build skills using real-world scenarios in cutting-edge simulators during annual Wheelhouse Proficiency Management classes.
- RiverWorks DiscoveryminorTurn Services participates in RiverWorks Discovery's Who Works the Rivers career fair, an educational program introducing students to careers in the maritime industry and promoting workforce development.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Turn Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bisso Marine: Houston-based marine services provider operating tugboats and towboats along the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River system. Comparable to Turn Services in offering towing, shifting, and barge support services to oil & gas and industrial customers in the same geographic corridors.
- Crescent Towing & Salvage: New Orleans-based marine services company providing tugboat towing, barge fleeting, and salvage operations on the Lower Mississippi River. Directly comparable to Turn Services as a fellow independent fleeting operator in the same regional market with overlapping customer base among barge lines.
- Magnolia Marine Transport: Vicksburg, Mississippi-based inland marine transportation company operating a fleet of towboats along the Mississippi River system. Comparable to Turn Services in providing barge transportation and fleeting services to commodity shippers in the inland waterway market.
- Higman Marine: Houston-based barge fleeting and harbor services company operating on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Mississippi River. Comparable to Turn Services in providing dedicated fleeting and shifting services at strategic waterway locations for barge line customers.
- Genesis Marine: Inland marine services company providing barge fleeting and shifting along the Mississippi River. Comparable to Turn Services in offering dedicated fleeting capacity at strategic river locations for barge operators.
- Florida Marine Transporters: Inland marine transportation and fleeting operator with operations across the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River system. Directly comparable to Turn Services in providing barge fleeting, shifting, and towing services to barge line customers in overlapping geographies.
Broad incumbents
- Bouchard Transportation: Hicksville, New York-based marine transportation company operating tugboats and barges along the US coastline and inland waterways. Comparable to Turn Services as an established marine services and transportation provider, though with a broader coastal and harbor towing portfolio.
- Canal Barge Company: New Orleans-based barge transportation and marine services company with a fleet of tank barges and towboats. Comparable to Turn Services as an established inland marine operator on the Lower Mississippi River, though broader in scope with owned barge fleet rather than pure service model.
- Ingram Marine Group: Nashville-based, one of the largest inland marine transportation companies in the US, operating a fleet of over 4,000 barges and 150+ towboats. Comparable to Turn Services as a major player in inland waterway transportation and fleeting services, though substantially larger and vertically integrated with barge ownership.
- Marquette Transportation: Paducah, Kentucky-based inland marine transportation company operating a fleet of towboats and barges along the Mississippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Comparable to Turn Services in serving overlapping customer base and geographies, though with owned barge assets in addition to service offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Turn Services social profiles
Digital presenceTurn Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Turn Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Turn Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Turn Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Turn Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Turn Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Turn Services
What does Turn Services do?
Turn Services is an inland marine services company that provides barge fleeting, shifting, cleaning and topside repair along the Lower Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the mouth, as well as pushboat towing, last-mile delivery, stevedoring, dock transfer, boat charter, crane services, fuel and lubricant supply, and aggregate sales on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Texas to Florida. The company owns and operates a fleet of 1,600 to 2,000+ horsepower pushboats and crew boats at multiple fleeting facilities and supports customers with regulated safety, environmental and Subchapter M compliance services.
Is Turn Services a public or private company?
Turn Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Turn Services founded?
Turn Services was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Turn Services based?
Turn Services is headquartered in New Orleans, United States, in the North America region.
How does Turn Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Barge Fleeting and Shifting Services are the primary driver. The others are vessel Towing Services, barge Cleaning and Repair and fuel and Lubricant Sales.
Who are Turn Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bisso Marine, Crescent Towing & Salvage, Magnolia Marine Transport, Higman Marine, Genesis Marine and Florida Marine Transporters. Broad incumbents are Bouchard Transportation, Canal Barge Company, Ingram Marine Group and Marquette Transportation.
Does Turn Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Turn Services.
What industry is Turn Services in?
Turn Services's product category is Inland Maritime Fleeting and Towing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAHAN, Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades), with a secondary code of TLAKAKAK, Marine Retrofit, Conversion & Life-Extension (Class/Regulatory Upgrades). Its NAICS code is 48839 and its SIC code is 4400.