After 30 years in the launch service business on the Mississippi River, Fred Willhoft, Sr. formed Crescent Ship Service, Inc. in July 1975 to serve the upper Mississippi River at Mile 115 in the Ama and Destrehan area.

 

Since then we have been extremely busy.

 

   

    In 1980, after working with the various floating grain elevators for several years we expanded our operations to the  Grandview Anchorage area near Paulina, Louisiana at Mile 146.  In 1985, we opened a launch at the Burnside  Anchorage, located at Mile 165, which enabled us to serve all of our customers launch needs on the Mississippi river in between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Then in 1994 we continued to expand by opening another launch to  serve the Reserve anchorage which is located at Mile 137.  In March 2000 we opened a launch  service in Davant Anchorage, which is  located at Mile 55. And in June 2001 we opened our second launch station  below New Orleans  in Braithwaite, La; which is located at Mile 81.7 and  Services 9 & 12 mile Anchorages.  

     

HURRICANE KATRINA

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, numerous  things have changed on the Mississippi River.  

Specifically, the people and property of St. Bernard & southern Plaquemines Parishes were particularly affected and dispersed.  Consequently because of this, Crescent Ship Service has decided to delay the reopening of our two launch stations south of New Orleans which were staffed by employees from these areas.  The reasoning for this decision is that we will reopen when we can guarantee our customers that they will receive the same level of service that they have grown accustomed to.   

 

But Crescent Ship Service’s experience with Hurricane Katrina was not completely negative.  We are extremely proud to say that after Hurricane Katrina we were the first boats operating on the Lower Mississippi River and the only launch service that directly assisted in the evacuation of the citizens of St. Bernard Parish.   This civic duty that we were able to provide helped us get through that tough time and strengthened us to continue our commitment to you our customer.