CITY OF CLEVELAND

Ground Broken on New Shipyard

As part of its continuing plans for diversification and expansion The Great Lakes Towing Company, a 106-year old tug company, now a multi-faceted marine transportation and ship and boat repair business, will construct a new $3,500,000 headquarters building and state-of-the-art shipyard complex on its present 6-acre deep waterfront property in the Old River Channel of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. Located at the foot of West 45th Street on Division Avenue, the new facilities will incorporate fabrication, welding and diesel shops to include new technologies. The 40’-high fabrication building will be equipped with a 10-ton overhead crane that will travel the entire 150’ length of the building, and its 30’ high by 40’ hanger door will permit indoor barge and tug construction and repairs. Major new yard equipment includes a specially designed service truck outfitted as a “mini-shipyard” complete with welding equipment, compressed air, generator, and a crane which is ideal for off-site vessel repairs. With completion of the office and fabrication buildings, and the construction of new dock bulkheading, including an excavated boat slip in the spring of 2006, follow-on plans call for the installation of a 500-ton travel lift to complement the Company’s drydock and to permit simultaneous repair of multiple boats and barges expanding its vessel repair and marina service capabilities.

Kvaerner To Sell Cleveland Bridge Unit

Kvaerner ASA will reportedly sell its Cleveland Bridge construction unit to the current leaders of the unit, a move that represents a probable accounting loss, but one within provisions made in the first quarter of 1999, when Kvaerner began a sweeping restructuring. Kvaerner has reportedly signed a letter of intent with the leadership of Cleveland Bridge to sell them the unit with financial backing from Bank of Scotland. A final agreement is expected to be ready by the end of the year

Cleveland Waterways Management Conference

The US Coast Guard stated that it and the Great Lakes Regional Waterways Management Forum will sponsor a waterways management conference in Cleveland on September 27 and 28. The first day of the conference will focus on ballast water management. The second day will be devoted to developing navigation technology. Source: HK Law

Two Million Pound Machine Bound for Germany

On October 17, the Port of Cleveland exported a two million pound machine manufactured by an Ohio company to Bremen, Germany for use in ArcelorMittal’s plant there. Butech Bliss, a 150-year-old company based in Salem, manufactures heavy equipment for the metals processing industry. For over a year, the company’s 230 employees have been working to manufacture the shear for ArcelorMittal, the largest steel producer in the world

Eye on the Fleet – LCS Freedom

On Nov. 13, the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) sailed toward the Cleveland Municipal Pier for a scheduled port visiting Cleveland, Ohio. Freedom will make other port calls as the ship continues to Naval Amphibious Bass Little Creek, Va. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 3rd Class Specialist Kenneth R. Hendrix. (Source: Navy News Service)

Pedestal Crane Barge for New York Power Authority

When the wicked winter weather begins to blow off Lake Erie, a shipbuilder and a crane company in Cleveland, Ohio, and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will be glad they cooperatively commissioned and built a barge-mounted pedestal crane for the Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom Operations in Buffalo, N.Y., to help reduce potential damage to hydroelectric power plants caused by Lake Erie’s inevitable ice. Building the Pedestal Crane Barge

The Great Lakes Towing Company Completes Contract

The Great Lakes Towing Company has completed a contract with American International Line to deliver six FRP tanks to Alpena, Michigan.    The tanks were shipped aboard the M/V Copenhagen which sailed from India.  The vessel arrived at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority Dock on Tuesday, October 23.  It was there that the tanks were then loaded onto a barge.  The Great Lakes Towing Company tug OHIO towed the barge from Cleveland, Ohio to Alpena

U.S. Awards $1 Million to Great Lakes Towing

Cleveland - The U.S. Maritime Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced  that it had awarded a $1,068,474 grant from the Small Shipyard Grant Program to The Great Lakes Towing Company and its Shipyard in Cleveland, Ohio. The grant from the Maritime Administration will provide Great Lakes Shipyard, which is operated by The Great Lakes Towing Company, with funds to enhance lighting and purchase a burn table, a scissor lift, welding equipment, scaffolding, air skids

Duramax Marine Establishes New Facility

Duramax Marine has opened its new plant in Hiram, Ohio, located approximately 40 miles south east of Cleveland. Consisting of approximately 65,000 sq. ft. of factory and office space, the facility will streamline the company's manufacturing operations by consolidating production and administration into one centralized location.

Gutheil Joins Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority announced the appointment of David S. Gutheil to Vice President for Maritime & Logistics. Gutheil has international and domestic experience in logistics, marketing and the transportation/shipping industries. Among his duties, Gutheil will be responsible for managing the Port of Cleveland’s maritime facilities and the implementation of marketing and trade development programs to attract new customers, carriers and cargo shippers.