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Gulf Coast News

01 Mar 2024

US Gulf Coast Fuel Oil Imports Hit Five-year Low

© scandamerican / Adobe Stock

Imports of fuel oil bound for the U.S. Gulf Coast fell to a five-year low last month as refiners ran more cheap, heavy Canadian crude and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pressured fuel oil flows.Fuel oil deliveries to the Gulf Coast dwindled in February to just 318,000 barrels per day (bpd), a 20% drop from the prior month and marking their lowest level since February 2019, data from tanker tracking firm, Kpler showed.Heavy fuel oil feedstocks like high sulfur fuel oil…

01 Mar 2024

Texas A&M to Reduce Tuition For Merchant Mariner License Students

(Photo: Texas A&M University at Galveston)

Texas A&M University at Galveston said it will reduce fees for current and future out-of-state students seeking a merchant mariner license from the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, in an effort that aims to help the maritime industry fill worsening labor gaps.Texas A&M Maritime Academy students earn their U.S. Coast Guard license while completing one of several license-option four-year bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M at Galveston.Effective September 1, under a new three-tiered fee structure approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents…

22 Feb 2024

Callan Marine Christens New Dredge General Arnold

General Arnold (Photo: Callan Marine)

Galveston, Texas based dredging contractor Callan Marine announced it has christened its newest cutter suction dredge (CSD), General Arnold, built by C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse, La.The 32-inch CSD was ceremoniously christened in Corpus Christi, Texas, on February 20, 2024, and will immediately begin work on Phase Four of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project. The project will beneficially reuse 100%of the dredged material removed from the channel deepening and widening.The General Arnold is the newest, largest, and most environmentally friendly dredge in the U.S.

06 Feb 2024

Austal USA Plans New Facility and Shiplift in Mobile

(Image: Austal USA)

Shipbuilder Austal USA announced it is planning to boost capacity at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard with the addition of a new manufacturing facility.The infrastructure expansion, which will be to the south of Austal USA’s current waterfront facility, will include a new assembly building, waterfront improvements, and a new Pearlson-designed shiplift system. Start of construction on the project is planned for summer 2024.The construction of this new building and waterfront support area continues the expansion Austal USA began in March 2021 with the groundbreaking of the steel panel line.

24 Jan 2024

Seaside LNG Performs US Gulf Coast's First Ship-to-ship LNG Bunkering

Seaside LNG's bunkering barge Clean Jacksonville is now operating in Galveston, Texas. (Photo: Seaside LNG)

Seaside LNG announced its liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering barge Clean Jacksonville delivered fuel to Carnival cruise ship Carnival Jubilee in Galveston, Texas, marking the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering delivery along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The bunkering operation took place on December 30, 2023, after months of careful coordination with all parties involved, including the Port of Galveston, Seaside LNG said.The 2,200 cubic meter bunkering barge Clean Jacksonville, previously stationed in Florida…

22 Jan 2024

American Cruise Lines Christens New Coastal Cat American Glory

(Photo: American Cruise Lines)

American Glory, the second Coastal Cat in American Cruise Lines’ new series of 100-passenger ships, was christened in Key West, Fla. on Sunday. The ceremony took place at Mallory Square where the ship docks when visiting Key West along the company’s newest U.S. itinerary—Florida Gulf Coast & Keys cruises, operating roundtrip from St. Petersburg.Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines, gave remarks and introduced American Glory’s Godmother, the Honorable Teri Johnston, Mayor of Key West.

10 Jan 2024

Surging VLCC Rates Impact US Crude Oil Shipments to Asia

© Andriy Sharpilo / Adobe Stock

The economic incentive to import oil from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia has closed as the cost of booking supertankers on the route has surged amid a jump in bookings for the vessels, traders said this week.With the arbitrage for U.S. shipments closed, Asian refiners may make up some of the difference with similar Middle Eastern crude oil after top regional producer Saudi Arabia cut their sales prices for February, which is expected to carry over to other regional crudes. The spur…

05 Jan 2024

NOAA Hosts GOM Hiring Events for Research Ship Jobs

Professional mariners deploy equipment used for shark research on NOAA Ship Oregon II. (NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations/ENS Justin Weeks)

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold two hiring events in the Gulf Coast region to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The first event will be in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 23 and the second is in New Orleans on Jan. 25.NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world. The ships are run by a combination of NOAA commissioned officers…

26 Dec 2023

Crowley's All-electric Tug eWolf Starts Sea Trials

Video screen capture from video shared by Crowley on social media.

The first all-electric tugboat built in the United States, Crowley's eWolf, has started sea trials along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The 82-foot ship assist tug, built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders, is expected to enter service at the Port of San Diego in 2024. Video footage of the vessel on sea trials was shared by Crowley on social media.The eWolf is designed to operate on full electric power, producing zero carbon emissions and expected 70 ton bollard pull strength.

18 Dec 2023

Record Output, Tax Dodge Pushes Up Crude Exports from US Gulf Coast

© scandamerican / Adobe Stock

Oil is flooding out of Texas in the final weeks of 2023, as traders find outlets abroad for record U.S. production and dodge a hefty year-end tax bill on their inventories.U.S. crude exports, nearly all of which leave from the U.S. Gulf coast, averaged about 4 million barrels per day (bpd) so far this year, according to U.S. government data, about 500,000 more than last year's record as oil production climbed to 13.2 million barrels per day.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude's wider discount to the global benchmark Brent , currently at about $4.50 per barrel, is making U.S.

11 Dec 2023

Panama Canal Woes to Delay Grain Ships well into '24

Copyright searagen/AdobeStock

Bulk grain shippers hauling crops from the U.S. Gulf Coast export hub to Asia are sailing longer routes and paying higher freight costs to avoid vessel congestion and record-high transit fees in the drought-hit Panama Canal, traders and analysts said.The shipping snarl through one of the world's main maritime trade routes comes at the peak season for U.S. crop exports, and the higher costs are threatening to dent demand for U.S. corn and soy suppliers that have already ceded market share to Brazil in recent years.

30 Nov 2023

Bay-Houston Towing Orders New Tugs from Sterling Shipyard

(Image: Bay Houston Towing)

Bay-Houston Towing has inked a deal with Port Neches, Texas shipbuilder Sterling Shipyard to build multiple new tugs to serve the Texas Gulf Coast region.The new vessels will be Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAstar 3200-W ASD ship handling and escort tugs for berthing/unberthing large ships and providing escort and emergency response in exposed coastal areas with demanding sea states.“The addition of the RAstar 3200-W further diversifies our fleet and provides an extremely powerful…

15 Nov 2023

US Appeals Court Orders Gulf Lease Auction Within 37 Days

Source: Earthjustice, Credit: NOAA

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday ordered that a postponed federal auction of drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico be held within 37 days, a setback for environmentalists seeking expanded protections for the endangered Rice's whale.According to court papers, the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit dismissed an effort by four green groups to block an expansion of the sale ordered by a lower court judge in September.The judges said the groups lacked standing to challenge the September decision.

13 Nov 2023

American Glory Completes Sea Trials

American Glory (Photo: American Cruise Lines)

American Cruise Lines’ newest Coastal Cat, American Glory, completed sea trials and has been delivered from Chesapeake Shipbuilding on-time as scheduled.The the 100-passenger small ship is the newest ship in American’s ongoing series of 12 new Coastal Cats for exploring U.S. waterways. Additional ships in the series are already under construction, with the next two scheduled for delivery in 2024. American Glory will sail its inaugural cruise on November 28 from Maryland to Florida…

08 Nov 2023

Seaside LNG and Carnival Corporation Partner to Fuel LNG-Powered Cruise Ship in Galveston

Credit:HenSti/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Seaside LNG and Carnival Corporation have entered into a term bunkering agreement to fuel the Carnival Jubilee, the first LNG-propelled cruise ship to call Galveston, Texas, its homeport.Seaside’s barge, the Clean Jacksonville, will move from Jacksonville, Florida, to operate out of Galveston and serve the Texas Gulf Coast with its first LNG delivery to the Carnival Jubilee in December 2023. With the assistance of the Port of Galveston, Seaside aligned all stakeholders to ensure the proper infrastructure is in place to begin the operation this winter.Initially…

27 Oct 2023

U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Sale Expansion, Pending Appeal

Credit: donvictori0/AdobeStock

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday temporarily paused a federal judge's order last month that had required the Biden administration to expand a planned offshore oil and gas auction in the Gulf of Mexico by 6 million acres (2.4 million hectares).The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit stayed the September decision pending an appeal, according to a court document. Oral arguments are scheduled for Nov. 13 in New Orleans.The order was the latest in a legal fight over offshore drilling and federal protection of an endangered species of whale.

25 Oct 2023

Proman Stena Bulk Names Methanol-fueled Tanker

Stena Pro Marine (Photo: Proman Stena Bulk)

Proman Stena Bulk, the joint venture between tanker company Stena Bulk and methanol producer Proman, formally christened its methanol-fueled tanker Stena Pro Marine during a ceremony at the Port of New Orleans.Delivered in mid-2022, the newbuild is a 49,990 DWT dual-fuel mid-range (MR) tanker constructed at Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd (GSI) in China. The ship has been in full-time operation since its delivery and consumes 12,500 tonnes of methanol annually.Burning methanol onboard eliminates local pollutants like SOx and particulate matter (PM)…

24 Oct 2023

Schneider Named Engineering Director at Bollinger Mississippi Shipyard

Nathan Schneider (Photo: Bollinger Shipyards)

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has hired Nathan Schneider as Director of Engineering for its Bollinger Mississippi Shipyard (BMS). As Director of Engineering, Schneider will be responsible for leading the BMS Engineering Department in support of various Department of Defense and commercial new construction programs.“As we continue to grow and expand to meet the changing needs of our customers, it’s important that the leadership team and broader organization evolve to meet those demands and provide the highest levels of quality…

23 Oct 2023

US Gulf Coast Oil Patch Gets Lucky, So Far, in Busy Hurricane Season

© Michael Rolands / Adobe Stock

A very active Atlantic hurricane season so far this year has not sent storms across U.S. oil and natural gas fields in the northern Gulf of Mexico, sparing energy companies billions of dollars of losses and consumers higher fuel costs.The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has been another in a string with above average activity producing three major hurricanes with winds above 111 mph (179 kph) out of six hurricanes among 20 named tropical storms.So far this year, only one storm, Tropical Storm Harold, on Aug.

05 Oct 2023

How Serious is Russia's Fuel Export Ban and Who Will be Hit?

Credit: borissos/AdobeStock

Russia said on Sept. 21 that it had temporarily banned gasoline and diesel exports to all but four ex-Soviet states in response to domestic shortages, a move that will disrupt global trade that has already had to adjust to Western sanctions on Russian fuel exports.Russia eased some of the restrictions on Sept. 25, saying it would allow the export of bunkering fuel for some vessels and diesel with high sulphur content. The government has yet to give a timeline for any further easing…

03 Oct 2023

Austal USA Cuts Aluminum on Final USN EPF

Image courtesy Austal USA

Members of Austal USA’s EPF team and representatives of the Navy’s Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast were present in Austal’s module manufacturing facility to watch the router begin cutting aluminum for the U.S. Navy’s final Expeditionary Fast Transport, EPF 16. This is the third EPF Flight II ship built by Austal USA in Mobile, and the 16th EPF contracted to Austal USA by the Navy. EPF Flight II provides a Role 2E (enhanced) medical capability which includes, among other capabilities…

02 Oct 2023

Biden Angers All Sides with Scaled Back Offshore Oil Drilling Plan

Credit: Lukasz Z/AdobeStock

The Biden administration's plan to slash offshore oil and gas leasing drew fire from both the fossil fuel industry and environmentalists on Friday, with energy companies saying it will raise fuel prices and greens saying it undermines efforts to stop global warming. The criticism from both sides reflects the difficulty Biden's White House has had in dealing with U.S. oil extraction policies, as it seeks to balance national energy security with the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change.

29 Sep 2023

Mississippi River Near Historic Lows, Grain Exports at Risk

(Photo: Eric Haun)

A key stretch of the lower Mississippi River dropped this week to within inches of its lowest-ever level and is expected to remain near historic lows just as the busiest U.S. grain export season gets underway, according to the National Weather Service.Low water has slowed hauling of export-bound corn and soybean barges over recent weeks as shippers lightened loads to prevent vessels from running aground and reduced the number of barges they haul at one time to navigate a narrower shipping channel.The water woes come at the worst possible time for U.S.

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