VESSEL MANAGEMENT SERVICES

VMS Christens New ATB

Vessel Management Services, Inc., a Crowley Maritime Corporation subsidiary, on April 25 christened the first of four Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) tank vessels that the company will take delivery of this year. The vessels christened were the 9,280-hp tug Sea Reliance and 155,000-barrel barge 550-1. At ceremonies held on the Riverwalk at the New Orleans Hilton, Christine Sande Crowley, wife of Tom Crowley Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Crowley Maritime, christened the Sea Reliance, and her mother, Linda Engle Sande, christened barge 550-1. Intrepid Ship Management, a subsidiary of Marine Transport Lines, will charter the Halter Marine-built ATB from Vessel Management Services and operate it. Marine Transport is a Crowley subsidiary and part of its contract services segment. "We are pleased to be the first company to build a petroleum barge under the ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) SafeHull program," said Crowley. "Under this program ABS puts the vessel design through an exhaustive review process, which examines in finite detail the areas of the structure subjected to stress under dynamic conditions. The design is then modified to strengthen areas found to be less than adequate. This up front engineering results in fewer out of service delays for the life of the vessel." "Not only have we built a double hulled petroleum barge, but we've also built a double sided tug for maximum safety and environmental protection," he said

Tug/Barge Units Establish VMS as ATB Leader

The 9,280 hp Ocean Relience is the first of two tugs built by Marinette Marine Corp. for Vessel Management Services (VMS), a Crowley Maritime Co. The vessel is intended to operate as a tug/barge unit in conjunction with the 155,000-barrel tank barge 550-3. Construction engineering for the barge was also accomplished by Schuller & Allan LLC. The connection device is an Intercon Coupling system. Earlier this year, Vessel Management Services, Inc

Crowley takes lead with “Reliance”

The 9,280 horsepower Ocean Reliance is the first of two tugs built by Marinette Marine Corp. for Vessel Management Services, a Crowley Maritime Co. The vessel is intended to operate as a tug/barge unit in conjunction with the 155,000-barrel tank barge 550-3. Construction engineering for the barge was also accomplished by Schuller & Allan LLC. The connection device is an Intercon Coupling system. Earlier this year, Vessel Management Services, Inc

Crowley Receives Last Of Tractor Tug Series

Crowley Marine Services has accepted the final vessel in a series of six new Harbor-Class tractor tugs from the company's subsidiary, Vessel Management Services, Inc. (VMS). The vessel, known as Chief, will be deployed in Puget Sound for ship assist and escort work. Designed by Seattle-based Guido Perla and Associates and constructed by Nichols Brother Boat Builders, for VMS, each of the six Harbor Class tugs features Voith Schneider twin cycloidal propulsion.

Crowley Builds DH Petroleum Barges for Alaska

Preparing to take environmental protection of Western Alaska waters to a whole new level, Crowley Maritime Corporation christened two new double-hulled petroleum tank barges, the 165-1 and 165-2, May 7 during a small ceremony at Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash. The vessels, which are the first double-hulled, environmentally friendly barges of their kind to operate in Western Alaska waters, will join Crowley's 180-1, a double-hull barge that has serviced Alaska since 2005.

Halter Marine Wins NOAA Research Vessel Contract

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., (FGH) vessel construction business unit, Halter Marine, has been informed by the offices of Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) and Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) that it has been awarded a contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce for the detailed design and construction of the first of four Fisheries Research Vessels- designated the FRV-40 class

Crowley Takes Delivery of PRT Tug

Crowley Marine Services recently accepted the delivery of Alert - the first of a trio of new 140 ft. 10,192-hp Prevention and Rescue Response Tugs (PRT's) under contract with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company for use in both Valdez Harbor and Prince William Sound, Alaska. The general purpose PRT's are powered by twin Caterpillar 3612B engines generating the combined 10,192-hp driving two Kamewa Aquamaster azimuthing thrusters

Crowley Christens 185,000-Barrel ATB

Crowley Maritime Corporation recently christened the third of ten new 185,000-barrel Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) tank vessels that the company will take delivery of by the end of 2010. The vessels christened were the 9,280 HP-tug Resolve and barge 650-3. During ceremonies held at the Mobile Convention Center on South Water Street, Nancy Schlueter, wife of Ed Schlueter, vice president of Crowley's Vessel Management Services (VMS) christened the Resolve, while Alison Haber-Djuve

The Petroleum Connection

Building of ATBs Has Become Big Business For Gulf Coast and Great Lakes Shipyards All of the growth markets in the commercial marine marketplace have something to do with petroleum. Supply and crew/supply boats directly support drilling activity and Articulated Tug Barges (ATB) distributes crude, refined or an oil byproduct to refiners or distributors. The ATB represents a big advance in transporting these oil products over a pushboat pushing a tow of petroleum barges

New Warming Device Chosen for Crowley Tugs

Crowley Maritime is sending the second of its big new 10,192 hp Prince William Sound class tanker escort tugs, Tan'erliq, north to Alaska this month. It will be following in the wake of the first boat, Nanuq, which went north earlier this year. Both vessels have been designed with cold weather and rough seas in mind, and each features an innovative new deck heating system. "We were looking for new and innovative technology," said Maynard Willms, vice-president of Vessel Management Services