Suisun Bay
Plan to Clean Up Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet
U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John D. Porcari announced that the Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) will begin to clean up and recycle obsolete vessels at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet (SBRF). MARAD has awarded the first contracts for the removal and recycling of two WWII-era cargo ships currently moored in Suisun Bay, Calif. – the first ships to be disposed from the fleet since January 2007. “The Obama Administration is committed to good environmental stewardship, and these deteriorating vessels pose a risk to the marine ecosystem in Suisun Bay,” said Deputy Secretary Porcari. “We can maintain our national defense sealift assets at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet with a much smaller footprint on the surrounding environment. The DOT has prioritized obsolete ships in the worst condition for proper cleaning and will work as quickly as possible to bring the fleet in line with our national goals for a safe and clean environment.” The Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet is one of three anchorages maintained by the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration for national defense and national emergency purposes. There are currently 84 non-retention ships moored in the Reserve Fleet, of which 57 are located in Suisun Bay. MARAD Acting Administrator David Matsuda added, “The Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet is an important national security site
Maritime Administration Surpasses All Ship Disposal Goals for Suisun Bay
Today's Departure Marks 26 Obsolete Vessels Removed From Bay Area Site With the departure of the Sperry, the 26th obsolete vessel removed from Suisun Bay, the U.S. Maritime Administration has surpassed by six ships the number of obsolete vessels it agreed in 2009 to remove, Maritime Administrator David Matsuda announced today. The disposal schedule called for 20 ships to be permanently removed from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet and a total of 25 ships to be cleaned in dry dock by
MARAD Awards Moose Boats with Patrol Boat Contract
Moose Boats, an aluminum boat manufacturer, has been awarded a contract from the Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (MARAD), for the construction of two Moose 340C Catamaran Patrol Boats. These patrol boats will be assigned to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet located in Benicia, California. The Suisun Bay Fleet consists of dry cargo ships, tankers, military auxiliaries and other types of reserve ships in the custody of the Maritime Administration.
MarAd Announces More Disposal Contracts
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) has signed contracts for the disposal of four ships from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet at Benicia, CA, bringing to nine the number that have left the facility for recycling since October 2005. The four ships are World War II-vintage Victory ships: Hannibal Victory, the Barnard Victory, the Occidental Victory and the Sioux Falls Victory. When ships are no longer considered useful for defense or aid missions
Chesapeake Firm to Recycle Ships
Two government ships, currently moored at a shipyard near Baltimore, Md., will be recycled at the Bay Bridge Enterprises facility in Chesapeake, Va., under the terms of contracts announced today by the Maritime Administration. Both are World War II-era ships, formerly anchored in the James River Reserve Fleet in Newport News, Va. Bay Bridge will receive $95,000 to dismantle the Hoist, and $695,000 to dismantle the Sphinx
Crowley Completes Tow of the Ex-USS Iowa
Crowley Marine Services completed its third tow of an historic U.S. Naval battleship April 21, when the company's tug Sea Victory finished the 6,500-mile tow of the USS Iowa from Newport, R.I., to Suisun Bay, Calif. The Sea Victory's tow plan took the Iowa from Narragansett Bay, through the Crooked and Windward Passages to Cristobal, Panama. She then continued Northwest along the coast of Central America toward California
MarAd Resumes Ship Disposal for James River Fleet
The federal government will resume disposing of ships from the James River Reserve Fleet, Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton announced. The announcement follows a February 2007 decision by the agency to suspend ship disposal until regulatory discrepancies among federal and various state agencies had been resolved. “Fast and favorable action by the Commonwealth of Virginia allows us to move forward with disposing of these vessels in an environmentally sensitive manner
Heightened Scrutiny On Ship Scrapping
Ever since two enterprising reporters for the Baltimore Sun decided, in 1997, to take a closer look at ship scrapping, first at a Baltimore shipyard dismantling a Navy ship, and subsequently an in depth review of scrapping conditions in Alang, India, the light of public attention has been shining on this oldest of maritime practices. With this scrutiny, the world of scrapping ships will be forever changed — hopefully for the better. Background
Ship Disposal Encounters Enviro, Political Hurdles
By Joan M. Bondareff and Charles T. Blocksidge In 2001, Congress directed the Maritime Administration (MarAd) to dispose of all obsolete vessels in its inventory by September 30, 2006, and to do so "in the manner that provides the best value to the Government." At present, MarAd has 104 non-retention ships not under contract in three locations around the country-James River Reserve Fleet in Virginia, Beaumont Reserve Fleet in Texas, and Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California
Chandler to VP Operations, Bay Diesel
Bay Diesel & Generator announced the promotion of Lynn Chandler to the position of Executive Vice President of Operations. Chandler will oversee the operations of Bay Diesel’s parts department, service division and administrative functions. Chandler has been with Bay Diesel since February of 1990. In his time with Bay Diesel, Chandler has participated in nearly every aspect of the business, including service coordination, payroll and accounting
Duma Looks Deep Down for Energy
US's Duma Energy Corp. says it has received new 3D seismic data in its search for deeper oil reserves in its Galveston Bay producing fields. This new data, which covers three of Duma's fields in Galveston Bay, is part of a broader effort by several other large independent oil companies to
Maersk Floats First Tripple-E
A milestone was reached with the semi-launch of the first Triple-E at the shipyard in Okpo, Korea. To make room for completing the next ships, the drydock was filled with water and the partially completed hull towed into the bay. A bulkhead wall sealed off the end to keep this half ship dry
Two Vessels Grounded off Scotland Coast
Two ships ran aground Tuesday off the west coast of Scotland, according to Herald Scotland. The first vessel, the 87-meter passenger cruise vessel Serenissima, was lodged on sand and gravel at a spot known as the Corran Ledge in Oban Bay Tuesday night as it made its way from Ireland to the port
Passenger Ship Grounded off Scotland Coast
The passenger ship 'Serenissima' grounded Monday night in Oban Bay, was refloated the next day & awaits underwater inspection. The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency reported that the Stornoway Coastguard was alerted and was told that the ship had ran aground on sand and gravel
Coast Guard Patrols with New RB-S II Vessel
Most people who encounter the Coast Guard near shore will get a good look at a Response Boat-Small (RB-S). With more than 400 boats in operation, the RB-S is the largest vessel class in the Coast Guard’s fleet. The boats are in constant use
MOL Completes Containership Collision Drills
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced the completion of a tabletop drill done in cooperation with the fifth Regional Coast Guard Headquarters. The scenario entailed a containership operated by MOL Liner Division (Hong Kong) and managed by an MOL Group ship management company (Hong Kong)
Escort Tugs in San Francisco Bay
Providing Tugs For the Intricate Escort Regulations Of SF Bay Responding to the oil spills of the Exxon Valdez in 1989 and the American Trader in 1990, California enacted the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act (OPA 90)
Subsea 7 Wins GofM Pemex Contract
Subsea 7 S.A. announce a contract award by Pemex to its Mexican joint venture valued at approximately US$90-million. The contract comprises the engineering, fabrication and installation of an 8km pipeline, related risers, two slug catchers (a slug catcher is a storage vessel used to separate oil
Great Lakes Shipyard Contracted for USCG Cutter Repairs
Great Lakes Shipyard hauled out the United States Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay (WTGB-105) using its 770-ton capacity Travelift. The repair contract, awarded to the Shipyard in early March, includes routine drydocking and underwater hull maintenance such as inspection and testing of propulsion
MARAD Deputy Matsuda Resigns
David Matsuda, the U.S. Maritime Administrator, announced that he is stepping down. In a statement released by Marad spokesperson Kim Strong, Matsuda's career highlights and accomplishments were also listed. The statement reads as follows:
Russia's Gazprom to Step Up Arctic Drilling
Under increasing pressure from competitors & the authorities, the Russian gas major is stepping up exploration & drilling in Arctic waters. A total of four wells were drilled and 3000 square km of 3D seismic mapping was conducted in the years 2011-2012 resulting in an increase in
Logistics in Action: Keeping Cargo Moving
Although much of the country is welcoming spring and the warm weather that comes with it, many of the Great Lakes waterways are still laden with ice. Coast Guard icebreaking tugs continue to work on the lakes to keep critical shipping lanes clear for merchant vessels
Somali Pirates to Face Trial for American Murders
On June 3, 2013 the United States begins a capital murder trial against three alleged Somali pirates, accused of killing four Americans at sea. If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to death. While more pirates are being convicted in courts around the world
This Day in U.S. Naval History: May 1
This Day in Naval History - May 1 1898 - Battle of Manila Bay, Adm Dewey defeats Spanish at Manila, Philippines Before dawn on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey's flagship Olympia led seven U.S. Navy cruisers and gunboats into Manila Bay
DuraPoly Delivers Plastic Workboat to Back Bay Marine
DuraPoly Boats delivered a 10'x32', 100% plastic powerhouse workboat to Back Bay Marine Service. It features a tunnel hull design, a 5,000 crane, is powered by twin 200 Yamaha motors, attains a top speed of 40mph and can run in 12 inches of water.