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Construction Barge News

22 Feb 2023

Lack of Spotter Led to Crane Toppling Off Barge -NTSB

(Image: NTSB)

An incident involving a crane toppling off a barge in Virginia could have been avoided if a spotter was present to notice the crane being driven too far aft, and the cable system securing the crane to the barge failed, according to a recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).While working on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion project near Norfolk on February 8, 2022, an onboard crawler crane fell off the construction barge Carolyn Skaves and into Willoughby Bay. The crane was later recovered and declared an insurance loss of nearly $2 million.

12 Nov 2020

Weld Failure Led to Barge Allision -NTSB

The damaged James T. Wilson fishing pier with debris on the deck of the barge is depicted in this photo taken Nov. 17, 2019. (Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

A failed weld ultimately led to a barge breaking loose from its mooring and heavily damaging a pier, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.Investigators determined a weld on a shackle that connected a construction barge to a mooring chain failed, allowing the deck barge YD71 to break free from its mooring in stormy weather and drift about two miles to the south before it contacted and damaged an entertainment pier and grounded on a beach just north of a fishing pier in Hampton…

08 Mar 2019

Morrison Acquires Pipelay and Diving Fleet

The provider of  comprehensive services to oil and maritime companies,  Chet Morrison Contractors (Morrison) has acquired two pipelay/construction barges and a saturation diving system from an undisclosed seller in a move to double the size of its pipelay barge fleet.Louisiana based energy services company said in a press release that the first asset it acquired is LB Super Chief, a 265 ft x 72 ft ABS-classed pipelay barge with accommodations for 93 personnel. It is outfitted with a 100 KIP pipe tensioner, is U.S. flagged and provides extended capabilities for pipe size and water depth lay and recovery.It also acquired DLB Subsea Vision, a 415 ft x 100 ft ABS-classed pipelay and construction barge with accommodations for up to 140 personnel.

10 Nov 2017

Metal Trades Delivers Construction Barge

Photo courtesy of Metal Trades

Shipbuilder and Heavy Steel Fabricator Metal Trades, Inc., located on Yonges Island, SC has announced the launch of its largest ever built new construction barge. This barge is 370’ x 59’ x 14’. It is designed to hold a total of 18- 60 foot rail cars capable of carrying cargo for up to 2298 Long Tons for New York New Jersey Rail, LLC (NYNJR), a short line railroad and wholly-owned entity of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Metal Trades, Inc. is contracted to build a total of two of these barges and the first of these barges is to be delivered next week.

20 Oct 2016

Sea Trucks Wins IMR Work in West Africa

Jascon 55 (Photo: Sea Trucks Group)

Netherlands-based Sea Trucks Group (STG) said it has secured a contract award from an oil major in West Africa. STG was awarded an inspection, maintenance and repair contract for anoil major in West Africa with commencement during Q4 2016. Graeme Pennycook, Sea Trucks Group’s Managing Director, commented, “We are delighted that, in the present difficult market, Sea Trucks has been awarded this significant contract. This award demonstrates our ability to offer clients a tailored project solution based around the client’s requirement and utilization of our unique marine assets.

30 May 2016

Mermaid Maritime Bags Subsea Contracts, Delays Newbuilding

Thailand’s Mermaid Maritime said it has been awarded a number of subsea contracts in the Middle East with a total worth of $11million. It has also reached an agreement with builder China Merchants Industry Holdings to postpone the delivery dates for its new assets currently under construction. Off Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Mermaid's western hemisphere business unit won seven subsea projects with an estimated aggregate value of US$11 million. The subsea projects involve survey, inspection, repair and maintenance and light construction in various offshore fields including Manifa, Safaniya, Zuluf and Tanajib in Saudi Arabia. Most projects will be completed by the end of August, Mermaid said.

04 Apr 2016

ACK Marine & General Contracting Launched

Photo: ACK Marine & General Contracting

Kim Shaughnessy, longtime chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Cashman Equipment Corp., officially announced the opening of ACK Marine & General Contracting, LLC, a global marine construction and contracting company based in Quincy, Mass. The firm is certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) at the national level. “I literally have grown up in the marine construction and services industry, working with clients around the world, and know it represents a huge untapped market for female entrepreneurs…

14 Apr 2014

Drummond Construction Barge Sinking Flags Pollution Concern

A barge carrying construction materials for U.S.-based Drummond Co Inc, Colombia's second biggest coal miner, was shipwrecked at the company's port late last week, the company said on Sunday, causing leakage of some diesel fuel into the sea. Drummond only recently reopened the port in northern Colombia after the government had shut down operations until the miner completed an upgrade to meet new environmental legislation. It missed the January deadline for finishing work. RCN Radio said the vessel was carrying 60 gallons (227 liters) of diesel oil. A Drummond statement confirmed the incident and said the crew was rescued but did not mention the amount of fuel that leaked into the sea.

28 Aug 2013

Update on Acta Marine's 'Shoalbuster' Fleet Deployment

Shoalbusters: Photo courtesy of Acta Marine

Shallow water offshore support services operator Acta Marine gives an update on the worldwide deployment of its specialized vessels. In Asia the Coastal Victory is engaged upon offshore support activities with a shallow draft pipe lay vessel in Korea and Taiwan. This 50TBP Multi-purpose Anchor Handling vessel is well positioned to support new maritime infrastructure projects in this growing region. In the Middle East, the Coastal Ranger and Coastal Rambler are involved in the construction of artificial energy islands.

16 Mar 2010

USCG Investigates Bridge Allision on Potomac

Photo courtesy USCG

The Coast Guard is investigating an allision caused by flood conditions between an 80-ft construction barge and the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C, around March 15. A 25-ft Response Boat-Small crew from Coast Guard Station Washington, D.C., along with boatcrews from D.C., Police Department and D.C., Fire Department were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, the Coast Guard conducted an initial assessment and found no apparent significant damage to the bridge or the barge. The Coast Guard is working with the barge owners in an effort to remove the barge.

20 Jul 2009

Laborde Delivers Engines to Tugboat

An expert in ocean and coastal towing, Smith Maritime, needed dependable diesel power when its 90 ft Elsbeth III was in need of repowering prior to towing the 520 ft USS Hoyt S. Vandenberg to the Florida Keys. The Vandenberg was sunk six miles offshore, becoming Florida's largest artificial reef. The company turned to Laborde Products, who had previously supplied Smith Maritime with Mitsubishi heavy-duty marine propulsion engines and ordered three new 1,180 hp Mitsubishi S12R-Y1MPTA engines. "We're 100% satisfied with these engines," said Capt. Latham Smith, Smith Maritime founder.

16 Oct 2001

Senesco Signs Contracts

Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Corporation announced that it has signed contracts for the construction of three barges and pier floats that have an estimated value of approximately $3 million. The first contract is for the Hughes Marine out of New Jersey. The contract calls for the construction of a 160 ft. deck barge. This project, the fourth such project Senesco has handled for Hughes, is expected to take eight weeks. The second contract with Cashman Equipment of Boston is for the construction of two identical deck barges that are 180 ft. in length and have heavy dek loading capabilities. The vessel wil be used as a construction barge and will be able to hold 4,000 lbs. per sq. foot, while most industry vessels are capable of supporting 2,000 lbs. per sq. foot.

11 Jan 2002

SENESCO — The People’s Shipyard

In the fall of 1990, the Berlin Wall came down, thus unifying Germany into one nation — and marking the end of the Cold War. One year following the fall of the Iron Curtain, U.S. President George Bush and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev signed the START treaty, which stated that both nations would agree to dismantle all nuclear weapons. How do these events half way around the world effect U.S. builders of boats and barges? Significantly, as it turns out. It appears that the fall in nuclear submarine production has given rise to one of the country’s fast growing barge building companies. The middle to late 1980s was a watershed of sorts for the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

11 Jan 2001

SENESCO Wins Barge Contract

The Southeastern New England Shipbuilding Corporation (SENESCO) will build a 180-ft. barge at Quonset Point, R.I., for John P. Picone Inc., a general contractor from Lawrence, N.Y. This is the ninth barge order SENESCO has received since it began operations in November 1999. In addition, SENESCO has manufactured a number of barge-like structures or "floats" used in marinas for passenger, gambling and other craft in Lynn and Boston, Mass. The Picone Vessel will be used as a construction barge in the New York area. All five vessels built so far at SENESCO are deck barges and have the capability of carrying heavy crawler cranes.

08 Feb 2001

Bender Granted Conversion Contract From Cal Dive

Bender Shipbuilding & Repair of Mobile, Ala., has been awarded the conversion of the 400 x 102 ft. (121.9 x 31 m) Sea Sorceress. The barge, which will be converted from a manned fuel barge to a DP-II construction barge for Cal Dive International of Houston, Texas, will receive eight 850 kW retractable Z drives. These drives will be powered by four Wärtsilä generators providing 6.6kV of power. A new engine room on the dynamically positioned barge will be used for the vessel's main source of power, as well as ancillary equipment. A 31 x 102 ft. (9.4 x 31 m) stern piece will be removed and replaced by a new stern housing for four of the thrusters - the other four will be positioned forward in the bow.

08 Mar 2001

Bender To Start Conversion of Barge and MMA Training Ship

Bender Shipbuilding & Repair of Mobile, Ala., has been awarded the conversion of the 400 x 102 ft. Sea Sorceress. The barge, which will be converted from a manned fuel barge to a DP-II construction barge for Cal Dive International of Houston, Texas, will receive eight 850 kW retractable Z drives. These drives will be powered by four Wärtsilä generators providing 6.6kV of power. A new engine room on the dynamically positioned barge will be used for the vessel's main source of power, as well as ancillary equipment. A 31 x 102 ft. (9.4 x 31 m) stern piece will be removed and replaced by a new stern housing for four of the thrusters - the other four will be positioned forward in the bow.

08 Nov 2007

Garware Offshore to Acquire Barge for $25M

Diversifying services from its core business of leasing out ships for oil and gas exploration, Garware Offshore Services Ltd. is acquiring a construction barge from a Chinese manufacturer for $25m. According to a company official, the deal details have been discussed and the order would be finalized sometime this week. The barge, to be delivered by the second quarter of 2009, is being acquired through 100 per cent financing via its Singapore subsidiary on a bareboat charter basis. The deal gives Garware an option for a second order, too. The name of the Chinese company was not disclosed. These barges are required for the maintenance of oil and gas exploration platforms and have an earning potential of $25,000 per day in India, in fair weather conditions.

26 Jul 2007

NTSB Issues Report on Construction Barge Fire

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued the report of its investigation into the fatal explosion and fire on an uninspected construction barge on October 12, 2006 on West Cote Blanche Bay, La. The incident resulted from the unexpected release of a mooring spud. Two construction barges were being pushed by a towboat across the bay. One of the raised mooring spuds on one of the barges suddenly dropped (possibly due to a failure of the winch brake mechanism). The spud struck a submerged high-pressure natural gas pipeline, rupturing the pipeline and causing an explosion and fire that engulfed the towing vessel and both barges. The master and four barge workers were killed, two crewmembers survived, and one crewmember is missing.

22 Oct 2007

Dolphin Offshore Lines up Investments

Dolphin Offshore Enterprises (India) Ltd., an offshore construction and ship repair company for the oil and gas industry, has lined up investments worth Rs 1,000 crore over the next 5-6 years, a senior company official said. Dolphin has already invested $35m in the initial expansion plans like acquiring ships. Offshore construction being its main focus, Dolphin is looking at moving up the value chain with bigger contracts and would invest Rs 200 crore for expansion in this field. The company, which currently owns 12 ships, has ordered two more work boats and an offshore construction barge. Dolphin is currently bidding for the $32m barge bumper contract floated by ONGC. It is also registered with Saudi Aramco and is in the final stages of talks with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.