MARAD APPROVES BARGE FLAG TRANSFERS, SCRAPPINTS

MARAD APPROVES BARGE FLAG TRANSFERS, SCRAPPINTS    The U.S. Maritime Administration has approved the reflagging of three barges and the elimination of two ships from service.
   K-Sea Transportation of Staten Island, N.Y., received approval to sell the 6,430-gross-ton tank barge 'KTC-115' to McKeil Boats, a Canadian company, and transfer the vessel to Canadian registry and flag. The barge was built in Avondale, La., in 1968.
   Nowitna Fisheries in Seattle received approval to sell the 2,457-gross-ton barge 'Barge-I' to Grupo Pesquero De California, a Mexican company, and transfer the vessel to Mexican registry and flag. The barge was built in Portland, Ore., in 1969.
   Marine Barge Co. of Weehawken, N.J., received approval to sell the 1,929-gross-ton barge 'MCC-1' to Noroeste, a Mexican company, and transfer the vessel to Mexican registry and flag. The barge was built in Jefferson, La., in 1973.
   MarAd approved the application of Eastern Overseas in Port Washington, N.Y., to sell the 22,357-gross-ton tanker 'Cherry Valley' to Amantis International Pte. Ltd., based in Singapore, for scrapping in India. The ship was built in San Diego, Calif., in 1974.
   The agency also approved the application of CS Charles L. Brown in Baltimore to sell the 2,881-gross-ton cable ship 'Charles L. Brown' to the Island Territory St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles, for use as an artificial reef. The vessel was built in Italy in 1954.
   Under section 9 of the 1916 Shipping Act, MarAd must approve all transfers and scrappings of U.S.-flag ships and barges.