US Shipping buys Hess tankers

Sept. 17--United States Shipping LLC has acquired Amerada Hess Corp.'s U.S. flag tanker operations. The acquisition includes six sister vessels, their management and employees, and ancillary assets for $200 million. These vessels primarily transport refined petroleum products between U.S. ports for oil companies and represent product tankers in the Jones Act trade, which was established by the U.S. Federal Government in 1920 to monitor and protect coastal trade between U.S. ports.