Bar Harbor News

Gothenberg, Sweden based Humphree was founded in 2002 by a team of engineers that sought to leverage their expertise in high-speed marine propulsion – or more specifically, hydrodynamics, electronics and digital controls – to create vessel stabilization packages that would be easy to install and use. And thus, Humphree’s interceptors were created.The compact and robust transom-mounted units feature an adjustable blade that activates vertically into the water stream beneath the hull to create a lift force.

A newly built multi-functional 30m catamaran passenger vessel, Coastal Explorer, has been delivered for a whale watching excursion operator in Bar Harbor, Maine.Built by Gulf Craft in Franklin, La., the vessel closely follows two predecessors delivered in 2018, Acadia Explorer and Schoodic Explorer and brings the operator’s number of Incat-Crowther-designed  vessels to five total.Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co will use the USCG Subchapter T certified vessel for whale watching excursions…

Humphree makes inroads in North American markets with vessel stabilization technology.If you haven’t yet heard of Humphree – the Sweden-based supplier of vessel stabilization systems – then, more than likely, that’s about to change. The firm’s penetration into the North American commercial and leisure marine market has seen its equipment on several vessels, including high-profile deployments like the new Seastreak high-speed commuting ferry.Founded in 2002 by a team of hydrodynamic and marine engineers…

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska medevaced a woman from a cruise ship near Ketchikan, according to an official press release.A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Ketchikan medevaced the 71-year-old passenger displaying stroke symptoms and brought her to awaiting EMS in Bar Harbor, Ketchikan.Coast Guard watchstanders in the Sector Juneau command center received the request for the medevac from the cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam at about 9 p.m.The Coast Guard boat crew met up with the cruise ship in Revillagigado Channel where the patient, her husband and a medical attendant were brought aboard and transported…

A pair of multifunctional 29-meter catamaran passenger vessels, Acadia Explorer and Schoodic Explorer, have been delivered on the U.S. East Coast.Designed by Incat Crowther and built by Gulf Craft in Franklin, La. for Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co, the USCG Subchapter T certified vessels will be used for whale watching excursions, nature cruises and light house tours in the Acadia National Park and surrounding areas as well for providing tender services to cruise ships which frequent picturesque Bar Harbor…

Passengers and crew on Acadia Explorer, the new passenger boat just commissioned by Bar Harbor Whale Watching Co. in Maine, will experience a smooth and stable ride, thanks to interceptors and Active Ride Control supplied by Humphree USA.Acadia Explorer is a 98-ft. catamaran that carries up to 149 passengers. The boat was designed by Incat Crowther and built by Gulf Craft in Franklin, La. It will be used as a passenger tender for visiting cruise ships and also for lighthouse and…

Salvage and marine firefighting are complex response efforts often undertaken in adverse weather and sea conditions. While no two oil spill responses are the same, the diversity of variation between any two oil spill responses is not near as great as the diversity of any two salvage and marine firefighting responses. As a result, salvage and marine firefighting response providers must plan for and anticipate a wide range of variation in what will be required to address their portion of a marine casualty. The U.S.

U.S. cruise company American Cruise Lines said it is expanding its fleet with the addition of three new cruise ships now under construction Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Md. The first of the tree new vessels, American Constellation, will have capacity for 170 passengers and is scheduled to begin cruising in May of 2017. Construction is currently nine weeks ahead of schedule and the ship is now being outfitted with passenger details including marbled tile bathrooms and large sliding glass doors in each stateroom.

IMTRA, the leading manufacturer and importer of quality marine products, announced today the addition of Prentice Weathers to its sales team. Focusing on business development efforts for the big boat segment, Weathers has joined Imtra in a Custom Product Sales position. In his new role, Weathers is dedicated to providing excellent customer service, product support and follow-through to key clients. Working closely with product manufacturers, engineers and the sales team, Weathers will evaluate proposed system designs to ensure proper performance and installation, and will provide technical sales support and product recommendations. With a mastery of IMTRA product and integration detail…

Press Release -- The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Enforcement & Training Committee voted to expand its Patrol Edition Boat Program to include additional models by Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP). Designed by law enforcement for law enforcement, the NASBLA Patrol Edition vessels are selected by the committee to meet the demands of maritime first responders and boating safety officers. Originally launched at last year's annual NASBLA conference in Bar Harbor, Maine, the first vessel in the program was a 21-foot Boston Whaler Guardian model, which was delivered to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, Bureau of Marine Patrol.

The “World’s Best” Crystal Cruises is introducing a new expedition-style  voyage traversing the Arctic Ocean via the legendary Northwest Passage – one so mysterious and remote (500 miles north of the Arctic Circle), that explorers spent centuries seeking the passage, until it was first completed successfully by Roald Amundsen just over 100 years ago. Crystal will be the first luxury cruise line to ever navigate the route, maneuvering through 900 miles of majestic waterways lined with spectacular glaciers, towering fjords, and vast unspoiled landscapes away from mainstream civilization and tourism, north of mainland Canada. Beginning August 16, 2016 in Anchorage/Seward, Alaska, the award-winning Crystal Serenity will sail for 32 days from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean/New York City.

Crystal Cruises says it is introducing a new expedition-style voyage traversing the Arctic Ocean via the Northwest Passage (500 miles north of the Arctic Circle) that explorers spent centuries seeking, until it was first completed successfully by Roald Amundsen just over 100 years ago. Crystal claims to be the first luxury cruise line to ever navigate the route, maneuvering through 900 miles of majestic waterways lined with spectacular glaciers, towering fjords, and vast unspoiled landscapes away from mainstream civilization and tourism, north of mainland Canada. Beginning August 16, 2016 in Anchorage/Seward, Alaska, the award-winning Crystal Serenity will sail for 32 days from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean/New York City.

Holland America Line is returning to the pink sands and pastel-colored skyline of Bermuda on seven-day cruises aboard ms Veendam. Sailing roundtrip from Boston, Mass., six departures will sail in May, June and July, and feature three days and nights at Hamilton, the country’s capital known for its gorgeous beaches and abundance of golf courses. Carrying 1,350 guests, Veendam offers a mid-size ship experience in Bermuda that enables the vessel to dock at Hamilton in the center of town. The seven-day voyages spend a day at sea after departing Boston and arrive at Hamilton mid-day with enough time for guests to go ashore and enjoy the town. The ship then spends three nights alongside, where guests can experience local nightlife and dine ashore, if desired.

Pearl Sea Cruises' 'Pearl Mist', now in final outfitting, will cruise the Great Lakes/St. The brand-new, 210 passenger capacity Pearl Mist has arrived in Maryland for final outfitting before going into service in 2014. to operate various 7, 10 and 11-night North American cruises. The operators say that the Pearl Mist defines a new style of Luxury Adventure ™ small-ship cruising, offering the most beautiful getaways on a brand-new luxury ship, which combines the latest and highest standards in comfort, safety, technology and communication.

A large number of North Atlantic right whales have been seen in the Gulf of Maine, leading right whale researchers at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center to believe they have identified a wintering ground and potentially a breeding ground for this endangered species. The NEFSC’s aerial survey team saw 44 individual right whales on Dec. 3 in the Jordan Basin area, located about 70 miles south of Bar Harbor, Maine. Weather permitting, the team regularly surveys the waters from Maine to Long Island and offshore 150 miles to the Hague Line (the U.S.-Canadian border)…

The 442 passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it’s hailing port of Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Monday, July 21, 2003. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Florida during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 kW generators supplying the ships service power.

The 442-passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it's hailing port of Portsmouth, NH, recently. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Fla., during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 Kw generators supplying the ships service power. The vessel is equipped with (4) Hamilton Jets HM651 Series and SeaState Ride Control enabling the vessel to sail heavy seas. Full load service maximum speed is 35 knots. The vessel was designed by Crowther Multihulls of Australia and is the first large, high-speed catamaran built at the shipyard.

With the tragic deaths of three Massachusetts fishermen last weekend still resonating throughout the community, the Coast Guard continues to enforce boating safety regulations and, when necessary, force vessels to return to port to correct hazardous conditions. Two Bar Harbor, Maine-based fishing vessels, and one Scituate, Mass., based fishing vessel were boarded and consequently escorted back to their respective ports Tuesday after Coast Guard boarding teams discovered multiple safety violations. "We don't terminate fishing voyages because we're trying to make life difficult for the fishermen," said Ted Harrington, the First Coast Guard District's commercial fishing vessel safety specialist. "We terminate the voyages because we're concerned about the safety of the crew.

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding signed a contract with a B.B.O., LLC of Portsmouth, New Hampshire for the construction of a 124 ft. Whale Watch Catamaran for operation in Bar Harbor, Maine. The vessel designed by Crowther Multihulls of Sydney, Australia will operate both seasonal whale watch tours and high-speed commuter service. The 124 ft. x 36 ft. catamaran designed with a main, mid and upper deck will accommodate 444 passengers at a loaded operating speed of 40 knots. The vessel’s structure will be designed to DNV Rules and Regulations for the classification of high-speed light craft and built to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter K Rules and Regulations.

The various segments of the passenger vessel industry have undergone significant transformation in the last 12 months. It looks stronger as we head into the last six months of the year with ferries and charter yachts leading the way. Frankly, a year ago the passenger vessel industry was in some disarray faced with developing a security plan to meet the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 passed in Congress in wake of terrorism threats. Developing such a comprehensive plan by the end of 2003 proved to be an almost impossible task for an industry made up of mostly small boat owners. Coming to the rescue was the industry's trade association the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA). They developed the PVA Industry Standard for Security of Passenger Vessels and Small Passenger Vessels.

Bay State Cruise Co. ordered a 149-passenger high-speed ferry from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding for service between Boston and Provincetown, Mass., due for delivery in June. The new, all-aluminum ferry, designed by Incat Designs is 98 ft. (29.8 m) long, 29.5 ft. (9.1 m) at the beam, and draws 6 ft. (1.8 m). It will be powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38M2 diesel engines, each delivering 1,350 bhp at 1,950 rpm. The engines will turn twin Brutons five-blade nickel-aluminum-bronze propellers via ZF2550 reverse-reduction gearboxes. The ferry's top speed is expected to reach 30 knots. The new catamaran's more modern and rounded bows are Incat's latest development in hull design.

Bay State Cruise Company ordered a 149-passenger high-speed ferry from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, for service between Boston and Provincetown, Mass. The vessel has a June delivery date. The new vessel replaces Friendship IV, built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 1994, and under charter to Bay State for its Provincetown run in the summer and service in the British Virgin Islands in the winter. According to shipyard officials, the vessel will continue service in south Florida and the islands. The new, all-aluminum ferry, designed by Incat Designs is 98 ft. (29.8 m) long, 29.5 ft. (9.1 m) at the beam, and draws 6 ft. (1.8 m). It will be powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38M2 diesel engines, each delivering 1,350 bhp at 1,950 rpm.

Bay State Cruise Company ordered a 149 passenger high-speed ferry from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, for service between Boston and Provincetown, Massachusetts. The vessel has a June delivery date. The new vessel replaces Friendship IV, built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 1994, and under charter to Bay State for its Provincetown run in the summer and service in the British Virgin Islands in the winter. According to shipyard officials, the vessel will continue service in south Florida and the islands.