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Barges News

18 Mar 2024

First Tow Through Lock 2 Kicks Off Navigation Season on the Mississippi

The first tow of 2024 goes through Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, Minn., on March 17. (Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The first towboat of 2024 passed through Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, Minn. on Sunday, signaling the start of this year's navigation season on the Mississippi River.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Paul District said it considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the unofficial start of the Mississippi River navigation season, because it means all of its locks are accessible to commercial and recreational vessels.On Sunday, Marquette Transportation Company's Joseph Patrick Eckstein traveled through the lock with 12 barges en route to St.

14 Mar 2024

Conrad to Build Another US Navy Berthing Barge

(File photo: Conrad Shipyard)

U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has exercised an option with Conrad Shipyard to build another Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) barge.The award is a $18,484,619 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction and  includes exercise of a design changes option.Work will be performed in Amelia, La., and is expected to be completed by June 2025. The new barge will be delivered to Norfolk, Va.The YRBM barge is an ABS A1 Accommodation Barge with a 151’-4” x 49’-4” x 14’ footprint.

07 Mar 2024

Oil Leak from Capsized Barge Off Tobago Stopped After a Month

(Photo: Office of the Chief Secretary)

An oil leak from a barge carrying up to 35,000 barrels of fuel oil that capsized in early February off the Caribbean island of Tobago has stopped, said the twin islands' government on Thursday.The spill, which was first spotted off the coast of Tobago's Atlantic coast on Feb. 7, damaged some of the island's mangrove and threatened its tourism and fishing sector. The spill also entered the Caribbean Sea, threatening nearby Venezuela and Caribbean islands, including Bonaire."The hydrocarbon discharge emanating from the overturned vessel located off the coast of Tobago has stopped…

29 Feb 2024

Barge Fuel Exports Help Russia Negotiate Tanker Shortage

© Yulia / Adobe Stock

Russia exported more than 700,000 metric tons of oil products from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk in 2023 using small river barges because of a lack of bigger tankers owing to EU sanctions and price cap limitations, market sources said and LSEG data showed.Some ship owners have avoided Russian ports since the EU embargo and price cap on Russian refined oil products went into effect in February last year, forcing shippers to turn to a so-called shadow fleet of ageing tankers.The shadow fleet has supported the flow of Russian barrels…

26 Feb 2024

Herculaneum Port Site Cleared for Redevelopment as Intermodal Hub

(Photo: St. Louis Regional Freightway)

A 300-acre property along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, Missouri recently received Port District zoning making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park.Located on the shipping lanes of the Mississippi River, the site has been utilized since the 1700s as a port. With its easy access for barge loading and offloading and the site’s proximity to early lead mines in adjacent Washington County, under early French ownership the port was utilized to ship lead cannonballs and shot to Europe to support Napolean’s army.

22 Feb 2024

Five Killed After Barge Hits Bridge Near China's Guangzhou

(Photo: social media)

Five people were killed after a barge collided with a bridge over a waterway in China's Pearl River Delta near Guangzhou city, causing part of the bridge to break off, plunging vehicles into the water, Chinese state media reported on Thursday.The barge was travelling from Foshan city to a southern district of Guangzhou when it crashed into the bridge at 5:30 a.m. (2130 GMT) on the Hongqili Waterway, the Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration said in a statement.Images on state…

20 Feb 2024

Trinidad Government Hires Salvors to Recover Sunken Oil Barge

(Photo: Office of the Chief Secretary)

Trinidad and Tobago has hired two remediation and salvage firms to help clean up an ongoing oil spill off Tobago and salvage the leaking barge, the country's Ministry of Energy said on Tuesday.It has been almost two weeks since the oil spill was first discovered off Tobago's Atlantic coast after a barge ran aground on a reef. The spill has entered the Caribbean Sea, threatening nearby Venezuela and Grenada."An international partnership comprised of T&T Salvage LLC and QT Environmental Inc…

20 Feb 2024

Manor Marine Delivers Cargo-carrying Pontoon

(Photo: Manor Marine)

U.K. shipbuilder Manor Marine, an OEG group company, announced it has built a new cargo-carrying pontoon for the Ascension Island Government.Construction commenced in February 2023, and the pontoon has been delivered on schedule.The 17-meter self-propelled barge is commissioned for shipping to and use in the Ascension Island waters.Previous pontoons fabricated for the Ascension Island Government at the Manor Marine shipyard were also commissioned for the same purpose, the builder said.

08 Feb 2024

Pilot Miscue Caused Barging Collision on the Mississippi River -NTSB

Hopper barge IN065432 (left) from the Carol McManus tow, and tank barge
FMT1052 (right) from the Big D tow, post-casualty. (Source: Ingram Barge Company, courtesy NTSB)

A towing vessel pilot incorrectly recalling the agreed-upon passing arrangement led to tows colliding last year in the Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.According to the Inland Navigation Rules, when two vessels are meeting or crossing, each vessel shall signal its maneuvering intentions by using the vessel’s whistle or VHF radio. About 20 minutes before the 19-barge Big D tow and 42-barge Carol McManus tow met at the bend near Fort Adams…

08 Feb 2024

Hydrogen-powered Vessel H2 Barge 2 Delivered

(Image: Holland Shipyards Group)

Holland Shipyards Group announced it has delivered H2 Barge 2, the second hydrogen-powered vessel for Future Proof Shipping.The vessel has undergone a complete retrofit from traditional internal combustion technology to cutting-edge hydrogen fuel technology. The project involved removing the main engine and reduction gearbox, replacing the diesel engine driving the bow thruster and diesel generators with a new modular propulsion system. This system includes electric motors, hydrogen tanks…

06 Feb 2024

Gunderson Marine to Open Trades Skills Training Center

(Photo: Gunderson Marine)

Portland, Ore. shipbuilder Gunderson Marine announced plans to open a new training center aimed at addressing a demand for skilled trades workers. For many shipyards across the U.S., hiring and retaining a skilled workforce has become a major challenge.Gunderson's new training center, scheduled to open this spring, will serve as a central hub for trades skills development, offering paid training programs in areas such as in basic metals fitting, industrial safety practices and various welding techniques, the company said.

04 Feb 2024

Ingram Forms Material Handling and Supply Chain Subsidiary

© steheap / Adobe Stock

Nashville-based Ingram Barge Company announced it has formed a new material handling and supply chain solutions subsidiary, Ingram Infrastructure Group.The move, fueled by the company's acquisitions of Inland River Transport Holdings (SCF) and NexStar Solutions, is intended to enhance Ingram's end-to-end supply chain solutions capabilities.Ingram acquired integrated river transportation and logistics services provider SCF from SEACOR Holdings following the signing of a purchase agreement last October.Ingram currently operates across more than 4,500 miles of the U.S.

21 Dec 2023

ACBL Names Schappell SVP of Logistics & Network Operations

Steve Schappell (Photo: ACBL)

Jeffersonville, Ind. based marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) announced Steve Schappell has been appointed Senior Vice President of Logistics and Network Operations after entering the role on an interim basis in September.Schappell, who joined ACBL in July 2021 as Vice President of Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement, was selected for the position over several external candidates, the company said.Reporting directly to ACBL CEO Mike Ellis, Schappell is responsible for ACBL's Fleets, Terminals, and Interchange business unit.

18 Dec 2023

Bollinger Delivers US Navy Berthing Barge

(Photo: Bollinger Shipyards)

Last week, Bollinger Shipyards delivered the first Bollinger-built Auxiliary Personnel Lighter–Small (APL(S)) Class berthing and messing barge (APL 71) to the U.S. Navy. APL 71 is the fifth vessel of its class to be delivered to the Navy and the third to be homeported in Norfolk, Va.The previous four APLs were built and delivered by VT Halter Marine, which Bollinger acquired in late 2022. Halter received the initial contract in 2018.APLs are used by the Navy to house crewmembers when ships are in port for availabilities and Inter-Deployment Training Cycles.

30 Nov 2023

EBDG Power Barge to Feature Wärtsilä Dual-fuel Methanol Engine

Joel Thigpen, General Manager, New Build, Wärtsilä and Michael Complita, Principal in Charge & VP Strategic Expansion, Elliot Bay Design Group (Photo: Wärtsilä)

Wärtsilä announced it is teaming up with Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) to advance EBDG’s Clean Harbor Alternative Mobile Power (CHAMP) Barge design.This partnership introduces a cost-effective solution to reduce emissions from large vessels in situations where traditional shore power is not available and features Wärtsilä's dual fuel methanol engine technology, the partners said.The floating mobile platform offers a power range of 6 to 16 Megawatts, utilizing green methanol as its source.

27 Nov 2023

Stowaways Found on Barge in Puerto Rico

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

Twelve stowaways were found on a barge in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan received notification from a Coast Guard Station San Juan boat crew at 8:34 a.m., Saturday, of a possible stowaway sighting aboard the barge that was being towed by the U.S.-registered tugboat Sarah Dann.Coast Guard Sector San Juan’s Boarding Team responded to the report and found nine stowaways aboard the barge, including one who was unresponsive. The unresponsive stowaway was reported to be breathing and have vital signs.

17 Nov 2023

BMS Unveils Pipe Mill Barge Concept Design

(Image: Baker Marine Solutions)

Covington, La. based marine engineering and services firm Baker Marine Solutions (BMS) has unveiled a new pipe mill barge concept design targeting uptake in the U.S. offshore wind industry.BMS describes its new 1888 Mobile Pipe Mill Barge concept as an answer to the industry's monopile availability challenges and lack of sufficient yard space for fabrication.The BMS 1888 provides a mobile pipe mill facility that can be scaled to meet the requirements of any specific project, anywhere on the coast…

06 Nov 2023

Navigating Sustainability: Charting a Way Forward

© Aaron Kohr / Adobe Stock

You can feel it in the air, and increasingly on the water: a steady increase in momentum toward a global economy that prioritizes sustainability. Government stakeholders at all levels, and shipping customers across industries, are setting ambitious goals and high expectations for environmental performance, and that includes the transportation of U.S. and global commerce on the waterways.For the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, which moves nearly 700 million tons of cargo on America’s rivers, coastal waters and Great Lakes annually, it’s both an exciting and challenging time.

03 Nov 2023

Breakaway Barge Retrieved After Striking Pier in Seattle

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

A fully loaded container barge that broke loose and struck a pier in downtown Seattle has been towed to safety.The U.S. Coast Guard said it was notified at 1:25 p.m. on Thursday that the barge had broken loose from Terminal 18 and went adrift in Elliot Bay.The barge, owned by Lyden's Alaska Marine Lines, was drifting toward the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium when it was intercepted by a King County Water Taxi vessel, Doc Maynard, which used its bow to push the barge north in an attempt to prevent an allision.The barge eventually struck Pier 66, causing landside damage.

02 Nov 2023

NYC Exploring Ways to Move More Freight Via Waterways

© batman6794 / Adobe Stock

New York City is looking at ways to help shift freight transportation off of its busy roads and onto the waterways.The city's Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on Wednesday jointly released a Request for Information and Expressions of Interest (RFEI) seeking private sector feedback to help it gauge industry challenges and opportunities, and explore ways to implement and support businesses to engage in waterfront freight operations.The initiative is part of NYC's "Blue Highways" program, launched under the city's previous mayor, Bill de Blasio.

25 Oct 2023

SEACOR Sells Its Inland River Business to Ingram

© Danita Delimont / Adobe Stock

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. based SEACOR Holdings Inc. announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its inland river transportation and logistics business to Ingram Barge Company LLC, a division of Nashville-based Ingram Marine Group.Part of the SEACOR family of businesses for over two decades, Inland River Transport Holdings LLC (SCF) includes more than 1,000 covered dry cargo hopper barges, eight 6,000-plus horsepower towboats and a network of terminal and fleeting infrastructure along the Mississippi River.“I am extremely pleased to enter this transaction with Ingram…

24 Oct 2023

LNG Bunker Barge Clean Everglades Christened

Clean Everglades (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipbuilder Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) held a christening ceremony for recently constructed liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge Clean Everglades.The vessel is the sister ship to the LNG barge, Clean Canaveral, which was delivered by FBS two years ago and has made more than 65 successful LNG bunker deliveries. Similar in design and appearance, the articulated tug barge (ATB) will hold 5,500 cubic meters of LNG.“The previous FBS-built LNG barge was delivered on schedule during the global pandemic…

22 Oct 2023

Fire Breaks Out on Scrap Barge in New Jersey

Commercial salvage excavators work to overhaul scrap metal that caught fire aboard a barge in the Newark Harbor on Oct. 22 2023. Coast Guard pollution responders supervise the operation to limit the opportunity of pollution entering the water. (Photo courtesy of Ken's Marine)

A fire has broken out aboard a scrap barge in Jersey City, N.J., the U.S. Coast Guard said on Sunday.The agency said its watchstanders at USCG Sector New York received an initial call of a fire aboard a scrap metal barge moored at Sims Metal;s recycling facility in Jersey City at 11:30 a.m.A Coast Guard Station New York response boat crew, along with Sector New York prevention and response teams, joined multiple area agencies, including the Jersey City Fire Department, two New…

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