Hines Furlong To Acquire Campbell Transportation’s River Division

Nashville, Tenn.-based Hines Furlong Line Inc. (HFL) announced December 3 that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the river division of Campbell Transportation Company (CTC). The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

The acquisition is designed to bring together two organizations with deep ties to America’s inland waterways, each focused on safety, service and continuous investments in its fleet and people. Together, Hines Furlong Line and the Campbell Transportation Company River Division will strengthen overall inland river operations and extend capacity along the Ohio River.

“As two long-standing, family-led organizations, HFL and CTC share, not only a deep respect for the rivers we operate on, but also a commitment to the people who navigate them and the communities they serve,” said Kent Furlong, president and founder of Hines Furlong Line. “Our newer and recently refurbished vessel fleet adds significant capabilities to the CTC River Division’s existing service lines, enabling us to continue providing reliable, high-quality equipment supported by the trusted people and standards that both HFL and CTC customers rely on.

“At the same time,” Furlong added, “we are honored to carry forward the legacy that Campbell has built over decades, while uniting complementary trade lines, vessels and—most importantly—cultures under a single, shared purpose.”

Once the transaction is closed, the combined organization will have more than 800 employees. The acquisition will bring HFL’s owned and/or managed fleet to 870 hopper and tank barges, 64 inland towboats and 1,000 permitted fleeting spaces throughout the inland waterway system. In addition, with the acquisition, HFL will oversee two shipyards and support facilities serving key river corridors.

“Kent Furlong has a deep understanding and commitment to the river industry,” said Peter Stephaich, executive chairman of Campbell Transportation Company. “He will provide a good home to our River Division employees. Kyle Buese will continue at the helm of Campbell, now exclusively focused as a tank barge operator, while HFL carries forward our River Division legacy with the same integrity that has defined us for generations.”

Buese, president and CEO of Campbell Transportation Company, said the acquisition agreement is all about each company’s future, people and customers.

“Our people and our customers are at the heart of every decision we make,” Buese said. “By positioning our Gulf Division as a stand-alone company and aligning our river operations with HFL, we’re building a future where both can grow stronger, invest deeper and respond faster to changing market needs.”

Campbell’s Gulf Division will continue to operate under the Campbell Transportation Company brand and be headquartered in Houston at one of its existing corporate offices. Hines Furlong Line will maintain its existing operations in Nashville, Tenn., and Paducah, Ky., and will add the River Division’s Pittsburgh operations, expanding its presence to both ends of the Ohio River.

While Hines Furlong Line was incorporated in 2004, the family-owned company has a legacy stretching back five generations. With more than 150 years of river heritage, HFL offers reliable and efficient transportation services across multiple divisions, including boat and barge leasing, crewed charters and barge towing and fleeting. HFL’s vessel operations base is in Paducah, Kentucky.

Campbell Transportation Company, Inc. is a privately held business focused on providing safe, efficient and reliable service to marine transportation customers throughout the inland waterways. The company has a history going back more than 100 years and has been under current ownership for more than 50 years. With corporate offices in Pittsburgh and Houston, the company provides marine transportation and services of bulk dry and liquid products throughout the inland waterways, with operating facilities on the Ohio River and the Gulf Coast.