Google mystery barge floats to new US berth

Google's mystery barge arrived at a new home at a port in the California city of Stockton, AFP reports. Calm waters after a storm allowed the vessel to make the trip from a former Navy base in the San Francisco bay to Stockton in about 7.5 hours, port director Richard Aschieris told AFP. "It came up here very quickly," Aschieris said after returning from the dock serving as the barge's new home. "It is certainly a relationship with a terrific company, so we are extremely happy." The Silicon Valley-based Internet titan has said little about the barge, which is made of shipping containers and reported to be one of four floating "interactive spaces" the company is having built on US coasts. A state commission says the barge will be used to showcase technology and for marketing. The barge is at the port under a standard six-month lease, with the monthly fee expected to range from $10,000 to $12,000, depending on the official length of the vessel, according to Aschieris. "If they need to stay longer, they are welcome," he said. "If they need to leave early, that is fine too." The vessel cast off from Treasure Island, off the coast of San Francisco, after it turned out the city didn't have permits for Google or anyone else to construct a vessel at a dock there. Google is working to get the necessary approvals from the US Coast Guard for the waterborne creation.