SETTOON TOWING

Sneed Shipbuilding: An (Extended) Family Affair

When Martin M. Sneed embarked in the business of building for the demanding workboat market in the mid-60s, he likely did not imagine that four decades later, his son Clyde (pictured) and business partner and co-owner Mitch Jones would be at the helm of a highly successful boat building company, crafting finely appointed custom boats for some of the industry’s most discriminating owners. Sneed Shipbuilding was founded by Martin M. Sneed in 1965, and many of the principles upon which it was founded: quality, integrity and efficiency, are as valid today as ever. Today Sneed is co-owned and operated by Clyde Sneed (Martin’s son) and Mitch Jones, a partnership that relies on the quality creed of the past while looking toward future expansion from its towboat and barge roots to the burgeoning offshore market and beyond.  It was just three years ago, in June 2009, that Clyde’s father Martin sold the business to Clyde and Mitch, and the move has paid off handsomely, with the company growing from 30 employees in 2009 to about 180 employees today. Today the company operates out of its main facility, nearly 40 acres in Channelview, TX, about 15 minutes due east of Houston, as well as a smaller yard (about three acres) in Orange, TX and the recently acquired Central Gulf Shipyard, LLC, in New Iberia, LA

GofM Pipeline Fire Update

Personnel from T&T Salvage aboard the Todd Michael spud barge are on scene for cooling operations of the tank barge. Response operations continue for a tug and barge that allided with a pipeline near Bayou Perot 30 miles south of New Orleans Thursday. Personnel from T&T Salvage aboard the Todd Michael spud barge are on scene for cooling operations of the tank barge. The fire remains stabilized. The Coast Guard has placed temporary flight restrictions over the airspace near the

Kulluk Due 'Piggy-back' Ride to Asian Shipyard

Owners Shell confirm that 'Kulluk' safe to tow from Kiluda Bay to Dutch Harbor & await arrival of heavy-lift semi submersible vessel for the 'dry tow'. The Unified Command has been stood down. “Agency representatives will return to their normal roles and responsibilities," said Capt. Paul Mehler III, the Coast Guard Federal On-Scene Coordinator. “The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the activities involved in prepping the Kulluk for movement and I will lift the

Towing Safety Committee to Meet

TSAC – meeting Two working groups of the Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC), sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, will meet in Arlington, Virginia to discuss issues related to towing vessel safety. The Regulatory Review Working Group will meet on April 27 to discuss travel time for towing vessel officers. The Maritime Security Working Group will meet on April 28 to discuss implementation of security plan regulations and development of timely feedback to the Coast Guard. 69 Fed

McAllister Adds Associate To Ocean Towing Division

Rachel Smith has joined McAllister Towing as a sales associate in the company's ocean towing division. Smith, who previously was with Smith Maritime, will draw upon her extensive experience in contract towing, marketing McAllister tugs and barges on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, as well as the Caribbean to South America.

CG Reopens Intracoastal Waterway

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur reopened the Intracoastal Waterway after the towing vessel Caroline was refloated Monday. The waterway was closed following a collision between the towing vessel Caroline and the towing vessel Miss Stacie at mile marker 312 on the Intracoastal Waterway early this morning.  No injuries were sustained during the collision. A Unified Command comprised of Canal Barge Company, Texas General Land Office

Sea Tow Reports High Activity Levels

Sea Tow Services International Inc., released their statistics this morning on the company’s activity level for the Memorial Day weekend. Capt. Joseph Frohnhoefer III, Sea Tow’s vice president of operations credits the spike in boating activity to the beautiful weather conditions throughout the country, particularly in the Northeast where Memorial Day has come to mark the beginning of the boating season. “There was a significant amount of activity this weekend

USCG Issues Fire Protection Equipment Requirements

All towing vessels except those in restricted services are required to comply with new requirements for fire protection equipment and procedures under an interim rule issued by the USCG. The rule is the first step in a two-pronged approach to implementing the requirements of the 1996 USCG Authorization Act, which directed the USCG to promulgate regulations requiring fire suppression systems or other measures to control fires on towing vessels.

New Marine Hydrawrap Distributor

HydraTech Engineered Products of Cincinnati, Ohio has selected the Great Lakes Group and Puerto Rico Towing as exclusive distributors of Marine HydraWrap. The Great Lakes Group, located in Cleveland, Ohio, operates a full service shipyard and specializes in all types of marine repair services. Puerto Rico Towing and Barge Company located in San Juan, Puerto Rico provides towing services and vessel assistance to commercial vessels and barges throughout the Caribbean

JK Fabrication’s Emergency Towing Reel

You’ve got an emergency towing wire. Of course you do. It’s rusted beyond belief, probably retired from primary service two years ago when it developed that kink and those nasty fishhooks. And, it’s deployed where it should be; out on deck, in the open and exposed to the elements. Will it perform when you need it most? Probably not. It doesn’t have to be that way. According to JK Fabrication, the current system of storing wire on a front splash plate insures that the