C&C Surpasses 700 Barges at Robotic Blast Facility

BELLE CHASSE, La., April 27, 2026 — C&C Marine and Repair, the full-service shipyard located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, today announced it has surpassed 700 barges blasted at its patented Robotic Blast and Paint Facility — a milestone that underscores the company's position as the technological leader in barge surface preparation and marine coatings.

Since opening in November 2018, the 83,350-square-foot, fully enclosed and climate-controlled facility has operated day and night, year-round, processing hopper barges, deck barges, and 10,000- and 30,000-barrel tank barges for customers across the inland marine industry.

"Surpassing 700 barges is a testament to what's possible when you commit to building better technology instead of accepting the status quo," said Tony Cibilich, owner of C&C Marine and Repair. "Our customers trust us with their most valuable assets, and this facility was built to honor that trust — faster turnarounds, superior finish quality, and zero weather-related delays."

The facility's three fully automated blasting robots — each capable of blasting at 2,000 square feet per hour — deliver the output of 30 workers while operating continuously. The system blasts a standard inland hopper barge in one-fourth the time of traditional manual methods, with two hopper barges completed in as little as 36 hours. The proprietary blasting system brought technology that existed in other industries to an unprecedented scale — purpose-built for the barge industry and unlike anything that had been done before.

The facility's steel grit blast medium produces NACE III inspector-verified surface profile readings of 4.5 to 4.8 — significantly superior to the 3.0 to 3.5 readings typical of conventional sand or slag methods. The result is stronger paint adhesion, longer coating life, and fewer required paint jobs over the lifespan of each vessel.

Beyond performance, the facility sets the industry standard for environmental responsibility. Its air filtration system captures over 99% of all airborne particulates, prevents runoff and overspray into adjacent waterways, and recycles steel grit blast media up to 150 times before disposal — making it among the most sustainable blasting operations in the marine industry.

"Every barge that comes through this facility goes back to work faster and stays protected longer," said Mike Wade, Manager of Blasting Operations. "That's real value for our customers' bottom line."

C&C Marine and Repair's Belle Chasse facility spans 100+ acres and includes over 500,000 square feet of covered fabrication space, two drydocks, eight hydraulic transporters, and 3,200 linear feet of waterfront dock space. The company offers fully integrated newbuild construction, repair, conversion, and surface preparation services across all vessel types.