BROWNSVILLE MARINE PRODUCTS

USDOT’s Maritime Administration Announces $9.98 Million in Grants to Small Shipyards

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $9.98 million in grants to 13 small shipyards throughout the United States to help modernize facilities, increase productivity, and help make the country’s small shipyards more competitive in the global marketplace. Over 50,000 Americans are employed by small shipyards in more than 30 states. The facilities vary in size, from family-owned businesses employing a few dozen workers to state-of-the-art facilities with hundreds of employees. “These grants will help improve our ability to build and repair ships in the United States, strengthening our economy and helping position these small businesses and shipyard workers to be better prepared to win the future,” said Secretary LaHood. The U.S Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grants Program provides money to help this vital segment of America’s maritime industry invest in production equipment, provide technical skills training for employees, and maintain and create well-paying jobs by keeping these businesses competitive. “This money will help train workers and buy new tools and equipment,” said U.S. Maritime Administrator David Matsuda.  “Having these essential needs taken care of will help these small shipyards be more productive, efficient, and able to sustain good jobs for American workers well into the future.”

Maritime Administration Awards $9.8m in Shipyard Grants

  The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration announced $9.8m in grants to 19 small shipyards in the .  The grants are part of the new Assistance to Small Shipyards program, set up under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.  “Small shipyards are vitally important for the health of the maritime industry, and for the economy of the Nation,” said Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton. 

MarAd Moves Ahead on Ship Disposal

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced four new disposal contracts for obsolete ships in its National Defense Reserve Fleet. Two of the ships are in the James River Reserve Fleet in Virginia, and two are in the Suisun Bay near San Francisco, CA. Three of the ships will be dismantled in Brownsville, TX, and one in Chesapeake, VA. “Our ship disposal policy of ‘worst first’ has worked for us,” said Deputy Maritime Administrator John Jamian

Fairmount Alpine Delivers Rig to US GOM

Fairmount Marine’s tug Fairmount Alpine has delivered the semi submergible drilling rig Ocean Yorktown safely in Brownsville, US, after a 5,400 miles tow from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fairmount Marine was contracted in July by Diamond Offshore, a leading deepwater drilling contractor headquartered in Houston, to tow the semi submersible drilling rig Ocean Yorktown to the Mexican Gulf region. At that moment Fairmount Alpine just finished a special survey in Durban, South Africa

MarAd Disposes of More Ships

Three ships will leave the James River Reserve Fleet this summer, thanks to domestic ship dismantling contracts announced today by U.S. Maritime Administrator Captain William G. Schubert. Marine Metals of Brownsville, TX, has been awarded three contracts valued at $3.1 million to dismantle the American Banker, the Mormacmoon, and the Santa Cruz. All three ships are considered high-priority vessels for dismantling and recycling.

Five More to Leave MarAd Reserve Fleet

Five ships moored in Virginia, California, and Texas will be headed to recycling yards under contracts announced today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. Two of the ships are from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in Benicia, Calif.; two are from the Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Texas; and one is from the James River Reserve Fleet in Newport News, Va. Maritime Administrator Sean T

SeaBridge Freight - New Cargo Service

SeaBridge Freight, Inc. of Jacksonville, FL announced that it will launch its “marine highway” short sea transportation service on December 1, 2008. SeaBridge Freight will initiate its bluewater container-on-barge operation between the Port of Brownsville, TX and Port Manatee, FL. The Company’s 600 TEU capacity barge (approximately 300 truckloads) will link the large and growing Texas/Mexico and Southeastern U.S. markets.

Keppel AmFELS Delivers Second Scorpion Rig

Lady Sponsor Mrs Brenda Harvey (third from left) is accompanied by (from left) Mr CY Ho, Director of Keppel AmFELS, Mr GS Tan, President of Keppel AmFELS, Mr Michael Harvey, Director of Scorpion, Mr Jon Cole, President and CEO of Scorpion, Mrs Cole, Mr CH Tong, Chairman of Keppel AmFELS, Mr Donny Rials, Project Manager of Scorpion, Mr Oscar Lopez, Project Manager of Keppel AmFELS and Mr Gabe Padilla, Vice-President (Engineering) of Scorpion.

Keppel AmFELS Strengthens GOM Presence

In what could be construed as a sign that good times are indeed ahead for the Gulf of Mexico offshore business, Amfels Inc. was recently renamed Keppel AmFELS, Inc. leveraging the Keppel and FELS brand names in its vision to further strengthen its presence in the Gulf of Mexico. The renaming ceremony took place on November 15, 2004, at the Keppel yard in Brownsville, Texas. Guest-of-Honour, Honourable Congressman Solomon P

Keppel Signs LOI for Atwood Jackup Rig

Keppel AmFELS Inc. signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atwood Oceanic Inc. (Atwood) for the construction of a new jackup rig, due for delivery in third quarter 2008. The rig is based on the LeTourneau Super 116 design and is subject to additional modifications and final specifications in definitive agreements with Atwood. Located in Brownsville, Texas, Keppel AmFELS is one of the best-equipped offshore yards in the area