Wawa Reportedly Secures Tug Barge for Fuel Transport

WAWA, Pa. — Wawa Inc. will take delivery of an articulated tug barge from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in order to transport gasoline from the Gulf Coast to Florida.

According to Argus Media, the barge will have a capacity of approximately 18,000 barrels. It will facilitate Wawa's plans to expand its presence in Florida, which relies primarily on seaborne fuel shipments due to lack of pipeline access.

The convenience store retailer is currently on a major hiring push as it prepares its southeast Florida launch, as CSNews Online previously reported. The Pennsylvania-based chain is looking to fill 400 new jobs in the region.

Wawa will open new stores in Palm Beach and Broward counties in 2017, and plans to open 25 to 30 stores throughout Florida for the next few years.

The c-store retailer oerates more than 730 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida.