A spud barge is a deck barge with steel spuds that drop to the bottom and hold it in place without anchors. It gives excavators, cranes, and pile-driving rigs a stable platform, it holds position in current, and it can be repositioned in minutes as the work moves.
We rent spud barges out of Larose, bare or with a long-reach excavator already on deck, and we deliver them with our own 1,200 HP tugs. One quote covers the barge, the machine, and the tow.
Why Melancon Marine
Why people call us
Barge, machine, and tug in one quote
A lot of yards rent you a bare barge and leave the tug and excavator to you. We own all three, so we quote them together.
Close to the coastal work
From Larose our tugs can reach most of Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes and the ICW corridor in a short run. That keeps mobilization cost down on coastal restoration, dredge support, and bulkhead jobs.
We work off these barges ourselves
Our own pile-driving and construction crews use the same barges we rent out. The decks, spud winches, and rigging stay maintained because our own work depends on them.
The right barge for the job
A spud barge isn't right for every job. Tell us the water depth, the bottom, and the load, and we can confirm whether ours fit the work before anything gets quoted.
The Scope
What this service covers
Spudded positioning
Steel spuds hold the barge on station without anchor spreads or constant repositioning.
Long-reach excavator option
Rent the barge with the machine already loaded and rigged.
Tug delivery & pickup
Our tugs deliver, shift, and retrieve the barge on your schedule.
Crane & rig support
A stable deck for pile hammers, cranes, and drilling rigs.
Dredge support duty
Material handling and equipment staging alongside dredging operations.
On-site shifts
The tug that delivered the barge can stay to shift it along the work as the job advances.
How It Works
How a job goes
01
Scope the platform
Water depth, load, and what sits on deck: excavator, hammer, crane, or material.
02
Get a quote
Barge, equipment aboard, and tug delivery quoted together.
03
Spud down on site
We deliver and position the barge where the work is.
04
Shift or retrieve
We move the barge as the job advances and pull it when you finish.
On the Job
Our equipment on the job
Service Area
Spud barges delivered across South Louisiana: Bayou Lafourche, the ICW, Port Fourchon, Houma, Morgan City, and coastal restoration and dredging sites statewide.
Common Questions
Common questions
What is a spud barge used for?
A spud barge is a deck barge with vertical steel spuds that drop into the bottom and hold it in place. Contractors use them as floating work platforms for pile driving, bulkhead and dock construction, dredge support, crane work, and equipment staging where you can't work from land.
How much does it cost to rent a spud barge in Louisiana?
Pricing depends on the rental term, whether an excavator or other equipment rides on deck, and the tow distance to your site. Day, week, and month terms are available. Call (985) 691-4591 with the job location and dates for a package quote covering barge, equipment, and delivery.
Do your spud barges come with an excavator?
They can. We rent bare spud barges, and we rent them with a long-reach excavator already loaded and rigged. Taking the package saves you a separate equipment mobilization.
How is the barge delivered to my job site?
Our 1,200 HP tugboats tow the barge from Larose to your site, position it, and set the spuds. When the job moves down the shoreline, the same tug can shift the barge, and when the job ends we retrieve it.
Can a spud barge work in shallow bayous and marsh?
Shallow, protected water is what these barges are for. Draft depends on the load aboard, so give us the water depths on your site and we'll confirm the fit before anything mobilizes.
Who rents spud barges?
Marine construction contractors, dredging companies, coastal restoration crews, pipeline and utility contractors, and pile-driving crews. If you're not sure whether the job needs a spud barge or a different setup, call and describe the work.
Larose, Louisiana
Put the fleet to work
Call (985) 691-4591 for rates, availability, and scheduling.