Standard & Poor's placed its triple-'B' corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings for Kirby Corp. on CreditWatch with negative implications. The CreditWatch listing reflects an increased debt burden that Kirby will incur as a result of its acquisition of Hollywood Marine Inc. As part of the deal, Kirby said it would name C. Berdon Lawrence, Hollywood Marine's president and principle shareholder, as chairman of Kirby and make its current chairman, George Peterkin, chairman emeritus. Kirby owns 511 barges and carries industrial chemicals, petroleum products and agricultural chemicals throughout the U.S.'s inland waterway system.