Benny Cenac Jr of Cenac Marine Towing Company Donates Barge Now in Use at SLCC

28 Mar Benny Cenac Jr of Cenac Marine Towing Company Donates Barge Now in Use at SLCC

In November 2017, Benny Cenac Jr CEO and owner of Cenac Marine Services, and Company, dedicated a fully refurbished barge, a flat-bottomed ship used to transport heavy goods through rivers and canals, to South Louisiana Community College’s Maritime training program. Mr. Cenac, a resident of Houma, and employees met with Captain Carl Moore of SLCC, quickly learning of their need for updated equipment. After understanding that the students of SLCC were in dire need of more learning resources, Mr. Benny Cenac Jr and Cenac Marine Services graciously provided the school with the barge, inspired by the communities’ growing interest in maritime trade and towing.

The very first open enrollment class began in August. Depending on the size of the class, hands-on barge training can last approximately eight hours long and provides students with a wide array of hands-on training. The goal of the South Louisiana Community College and their Maritime training program is to offer the class every two weeks, depending on instructor availability, and to ensure students with an interest in the trade are provided the opportunities to further their understanding. 

Through the program, students can gain critical experience through courses like marine leadership and management skills, personal safety and social responsibility, first aid, and water survival. In addition to the donation of the barge, two Cenac Marine Boat Captains currently serve as tankerman instructors during their off time. The Cenac instructors have been certified through the state of Louisiana to teach the course. It takes a total of 32 hours to complete the course. After completion of the course, they are required to complete basic firefighting training before they can become certified tankermen.

South Louisiana Community College’s diverse array of programs allow students to explore non-traditional careers such as carpentry, welding, heating and cooling, and industrial scaffolding. The school, locally famous for its wide range of academic endeavors and forward-thinking curriculum, motivates students to learn and prepare to lead the world into a new era defined by academic prosperity and inclusion for students of all interests.

Benny Cenac Jr Inspiring the Pursuit of Maritime Trade

Benny Cenac Jr, a passionate philanthropist and owner of Main Iron Works, stated, “From the very start of this project I have been excited about what we can offer to the community and to those interested in becoming tankermen. My company and I are fortunate to have the opportunity to provide a hands-on learning experience to many people for years to come.”

Those who are interested in taking the class can register on site at 331 Dickson Road in Houma. The barge is also housed at this location. Captain Carl Moore, Assistant Dean of Marine Operations and former Shrimper Captain said, “The barge donated by Mr. Cenac and Cenac Marine Services has been a game changer.  We’re excited to be able to offer hands on, real life experience while under the supervision of an instructor. This will help everyone in a way we just haven’t been able to in the past.”

Benny Cenac Jr and Company continue to be inspired by the growing interest of students to learn more about the field of maritime trade and believe that fostering such interests will create a pipeline for students to enter the field, further advancing the work of Mr. Cenac and his historic company.

To learn more about South Louisiana Community College and its Maritime training offerings, please contact Anthony Baham, Dean of Maritime and Continuing Education, or visit  http://www.solacc.edu. More information on this inaugural class was featured on Workboat’s website. To read about the barge dedication that took place in 2017 please see this article.