COASTAL LOGISTICS

Columbia Coastal Transport Joins MARAD’s VISA Program

Columbia Coastal Transport, LLC, has been notified by Maritime Administrator, Captain William G. Schubert, that its application was approved for MARAD’s Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) program. Its acceptance into the VISA program allows Columbia Coastal to receive top-tier award priority for Department of Defense peacetime cargo. Columbia Coastal has also completed the contingency contracts for both the Military Traffic Management Command and Military Sealift Command which dictate terms and rates in the eventits vessels are utilized in time of war. “All of Columbia Coastal’s 14 barges are committed into the VISA program,” said Mr. Donovan Murray, General Manager Government Affairs at Columbia Coastal. “This means that our company stands ready to support our country’s defense transportation needs during contingencies.” Columbia Coastal’s barges range in capacity from 3,300 to over 10,000 Long Tons. Many are multipurpose vessels equipped to carry roll-on/roll-off and heavy-lift cargo, and all are fully outfitted to transport containers, including refrigerated units. “With our VISA status in place, Columbia Coastal further strengthens its commitment to handling government cargo such as USAID, Ex-Im Bank projects as well as direct military movements,” Murray added. The VISA program creates apartnership between the U.S

Bath Iron Works Team Wins Design Award for LCS

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $9 million contract to develop a preliminary design for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). With a focus on affordability, LCS will provide the Navy with the capability to defeat terrorist swarm boats, mines, and diesel submarines prevalent in coastal waters around the world. Bath Iron Works leads an international team that includes General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, General Dynamics Canada

Columbia Coastal Establishes New Division

Columbia Coastal Transport, LLC,has announced the formation of a new government/military and project division to assist companies with their cargo needs in these specialized areas. Donovan Murray will head up the newly established government/military division, and Joseph Villa will serve as general manager operations overseeing the project division. Murray has been with Columbia Coastal since August of 1993, and was named as port manager in Baltimore in August of 1995

Navy Logistics Ship Rescues 10 Iraqis

Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea Boatswain's Mate Clarence Johnson (far left) and Medical Services Officer Paul Manning (third from right) helped rescue 10 Iraqi mariners (pictured) from the sinking coastal tanker MV Nadi February 22 in the Central Arabian Gulf. Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea rescued 10 Iraqi citizens from a sinking 250-ft. coastal tanker in the Central Arabian Gulf Friday, February 22.

ACB Awarded $9.8m Coast Guard Contract

Aluminum Chambered Boats (ACB) has been awarded a $9.88m contract to provide the United States Coast Guard (USCG) with 47 rigid hull inflatable boats for their Cutter Boat-Large (CB-L) fleet. This is a five year contract with the first boat deliverable in 90 days. The ACB CB-L will replace the USCG’s aging fleet. The 24-foot CB-L is a center console vessel capable of conducting multiple missions in all weather conditions such as search and rescue (SAR), maritime law enforcement (MLE)

VT Halter Marine to Build Swath Vessel for NOAA

Photo Credit: NOAANOAA announced that VT Halter Marine Inc. of Pascagoula, Miss., will complete the final design and build of a new Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull Coastal Mapping Vessel, or SWATH CMV, for the agency. NOAA exercised a $15m option for the ship with VT Halter Marine, which also completed the vessel's preliminary design under a separate option. The primary mission of the SWATH CMV will be to map the full seafloor in coastal areas for the nation's nautical charts

GAC is ExxonMobil's logistics partner for Mid East

GAC Logistics, part of the world's largest independent shipping and logistics services provider, GAC Group, has signed a contract with ExxonMobil, to provide the petrochemical company with total logistics solution across the Middle East. With the signing of the contract, GAC's scope of services to ExxonMobil expands from the distribution of bulk lubricants in Fujairah to become a fully-fledged regional logistics operation providing ExxonMobil with seamless supply chain management

Crowley Sends ATB to Guantanamo Bay

Crowley Sends First Articulated Tug-Barge to Guantanamo Bay to Deliver Fuel at U.S. Naval Base.   Crowley Maritime Corporation’s shipping services to Cuba reached another milestone this past weekend with the first delivery of petroleum products to the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay via articulated tug-barge (ATB) tank vessel. The cargo was loaded in San Diego, Calif., and transported to Cuba aboard Crowley’s ATB Coastal Reliance / 550-4

DFDS To Sell Transport Logistics Unit

Danish shipping company DFDS, 56 percent owned by shipping and shipbuilding group J. Lauritzen reportedly is in agreement to sell its Dan Transport logistics unit to forwarding company DSV for an undisclosed sum. On September 5 DSV announced it had embarked on talks with "major transport and logistics companies, including DFDS Dan Transport."

CP Ships to Acquire ROE Logistics

CP Ships Limited and Montreal-based ROE Logistics have entered into an agreement for CP Ships to acquire ROE. As a way of leveraging our strong regional positions and adding value to our core container services, we are selectively developing logistics services in markets where it makes sense," commented CP Ships CEO Ray Miles. "Well established in one of our key regions, ROE will enable us to build on the container transport services we offer our Montreal and Vancouver Gateway customers