COASTAL SERVICE

MHI, Wärtsilä Agree on Engine Development

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Wärtsilä Corporation of Finland have signed a joint development agreement on May 15, 2008 to design and develop new small, low-speed marine diesel engines of less than 450 mm cylinder bore. The two companies see good business potential in pooling their resources and experience to develop new small marine engines of less than 450 millimetre (mm) cylinder bore. Such engines are suitable for a wide variety of small ship types, including bulk carriers, product tankers, chemical tankers, container feeder vessels, and reefer ships. Such ships are employed in worldwide trades but with the smaller types being specifically employed in short-sea and coastal services. The new engines shall meet the market needs for high efficiency, high reliability, compactness and environmental friendliness. Details of the engines to be developed under this agreement will be announced in a few months time after the initial design studies have been completed. This agreement is an extension of the strategic alliance created by MHI and Wärtsilä in September 2005. This alliance was formed on the basis of the successful joint development by the two companies of the Wärtsilä RT-flex50 and Mitsubishi UEC50LSE low-speed engine types. Wärtsilä has its own range of low-speed marine diesel engines covering the power range of 5,650 to 84,420 kW

Investigation Reveals Queensland Pilotage Safety Concerns

Systemic safety issues in Queensland coastal pilotage operations have been identified in an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation report. Coastal pilots form a key defence against a serious shipping incident in parts of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait as part of a suite of broader protective measures already in place. The ATSB began an investigation into coastal pilotage operations in December 2010 following the release of its report into the grounding of the

Kirby Buys Towboats, Barges from Coastal

Kirby Corp. signed an asset purchase agreement with Coastal Towing, Inc. to purchase from Coastal seven black oil tank barges and 13 inland towboats. The transaction, estimated at $17.1 million in cash, is being financed through Kirby's operating cash flow and available credit under Kirby's bank revolving credit agreement. Kirby and Coastal have also entered into a Barge Management Agreement whereby Kirby will serve as manager of the combined black oil tank barge fleet

NOAA Seeks Coastal Heroes

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking nominations for the 2002 Walter B. Jones Memorial and for NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management. Recipients will be recognized for their innovation, resourcefulness, and commitment to balancing the human use of America's coastal and ocean resources with the needs of the resources themselves. Nominations must be submitted by January 3, 2003.

Construction Begins on BC Ferries New Vessel

BC Ferries announced that construction has begun on the second of the company’s next generation Super C-class vessels at Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft shipyards. Coastal Inspiration is the second in a series of three new double-ended ferries that will arrive in B.C. in late 2007 and early 2008. Construction of the first vessel, Coastal Renaissance started in August 2006 and construction of a third vessel, Coastal Celebration is expected to begin in April 2007.

Patrol Coastal Ships Returned to U.S. Naval Service

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Coleman Thompson, Fleet Public Command of patrol coastal ships USS Tempest (PC 2) and USS Monsoon (PC 4) was returned to the U.S. Navy from the U.S. Coast Guard during a ceremony held at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Aug. 22. Tempest has been on loan to the Coast Guard since December 2005, and Monsoon was on loan since October 2004. Both ships were transferred back to naval control during a ceremony that exemplified the interoperability of the

Columbia Group Announces Two New Companies

The ownership of Columbia Coastal Transport, a container barge operator on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts, announced the addition of two new companies to its Columbia Group of Companies. Palmer Industries, Inc., a logistics company in Port Newark, has been acquired and will be named Columbia Container Services at a grand opening ceremony to take place on July 1, 2003. Also added to the Columbia Group of companies is Columbia Intermodal, a full container trucking company based in Port Newark

Columbia Coastal Container Super-Barge

Pictured is Columbia Coastal Transport’s newest barge, Columbia Boston, just after its launching at VT Halter Marine’s facility in Pascagoula, Miss. Columbia Coastal Transport, LLC, a container feeder barge operator, announced the arrival of its newest container super-barge, Columbia Boston, into service this month. The 912-TEU barge is sister to Columbia Elizabeth, which was put into service four years ago and is one of the largest container barges ever built

Columbia Coastal Security Plan Approved

Columbia Coastal Transport, an East Coast container barge operator, said that its Vessel Security Plan was approved by the US Coast Guard.. This approval remains valid for five years, and insures the company’s compliance with the final Maritime security requirements mandated by the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002. “Columbia Coastal is among the first companies to date that have had their Vessel Security Plans approved by the US Coast Guard,” said Bruce Fenimore

Coastal Properties Managing Diamond Teague

Coastal Properties Management (CPM) added a new facility to its management group with a contract awarded by Washington D.C. to manage the newly opened $8m marine terminal at Nationals Park named Diamond Teague Marine Terminal & Park.  Operations at the Diamond Teague Terminal, which commenced in September, include water taxi and commercial vessel service from National Harbor Marina in Md., and Old Town Alexandria, Va. for all Nationals home games and concerts at National Park