Bollinger Delivers Fast Response Cutter David Duren
Bollinger Shipyards recently delivered the USCGC David Duren to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 182nd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 56th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.âWeâre incredibly proud to deliver the USCGC David Duren, the first of three Fast Response Cutters to be homeported in Astoria, Oregon,â said Bollinger President & CEO Ben Bordelon. âWeâre confident that pound for poundâŠ
Bollinger Delivers USCGC Melvin Bell to the US Coast Guard
Bollinger Shipyards on Thursday announced it has delivered the USCGC Melvin Bell to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 181st vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 55th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.âWeâre incredibly proud to deliver the USCGC Melvin Bell, the final of six Fast Response Cutters to be homeported in Boston, the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard,â said Bollinger president and CEO, Ben Bordelon.
AAPA Urges Swift Adoption of Stauber Amendment
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has voiced strong support of Representative Pete Stauberâs (R-Minn.) amendment to the Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill which, if implemented, would restore funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).âThe Feds have made a serious, laudable, bipartisan down payment on port infrastructure modernization with $1.45 billion awarded through PIDP so far. Donât stop now, Congress,â said Cary Davis, AAPA President and CEO.
14th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium to be Held Nov. 14-16 at SUNY Maritime
The 2023 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) will be held Nov. 14-16, 2023, as an in-person event, hosted by Maritime College, State University of New York (SUNY) at the Maritime Academic Center. The theme of the 14th annual event is âManaging Impacts of Supply Chain Disruptors, Renewable Energy, Emerging Technology on the Maritime Transportation System (MTS)â with a focus on offshore infrastructure risk and disruptors. Founded in 1874, Maritime College is the oldest maritime college in the United States, providing mariner training for 150 years.
Bollinger Delivers USCGC William Sparling
Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC William Sparling to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 180th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 54th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.The USCGC William Sparling will be the fifth of six FRCs to be homeported in Sector Boston, which is known as "The Birthplace of the Coast Guard." The sector is responsible for coastal safety, security, and environmental protection from the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border southward to PlymouthâŠ
Fire on Italian-Flagged Ship at Port of Newark Leaves Two Firefighters Dead
Two firefighters died in a tragic incident at the Port of Newark, New Jersey, in an attempt to extinguish a fire that broke out 9:30 pm, (EST) on the ro/ro vessel Grande Costa dâAvorio, operated by Grimaldi Deep Sea, a subsidiary of the Grimaldi Group. The Italian-flagged ship was engaged in the loading operations of various rolling units, such as vans, cars, and trucks, when the fire started on deck number 10, which was attended by local stevedores and crew members.According to GrimaldiâŠ
Doyle Returns to Lead Dredging Contractors of America
The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) announced William P. Doyle will return to lead the trade association as chief executive officer and executive director.Doyle, a well-known figure in the U.S. maritime industry, most recently served nearly three years as the executive director of Maryland Port Administration, overseeing the six state-owned marine terminals at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. He resigned from the position on June 16.Doyle previously served as CEO for the DCA, and two terms as a U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner, twice unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Bollinger Delivers USCGC Maurice Jester
Bollinger Shipyards announced it has delivered the USCGC Maurice Jester to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla.. This is the 178th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 52nd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.Measuring in at 154-feet, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art C4ISR suite (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26-footâŠ
Maritime Risk Symposium: Full Program Released
The 2022 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS), scheduled to be held Nov. 15-17, 2022, hosted by Argonne National Laboratory at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois, recently unveiled the full conference program, packed with experts with insights on the challenges facing the inland waterway systems.Click here to read the fulll program for MRS 2022MRS is an annual international event focused on risks involving the global maritime transportation system (MTS). For the MRS, the U.S. Coast Guard partners with the sponsorâŠ
MRS 2022: Supply Chain Challenges to the Maritime Transportation System
Inland maritime transportation systems (MTS) play major roles in domestic and international supply chains, with unique challenges related to upstream and downstream sources disruption, accessibility and shifts in commodities, as well as demand and supply imbalances. With a 20% on-time arrival statistic, the U.S. east coast serves as an example for the increasing appeal of inland waterways as a cost-effective, alternative, with Port of Cleveland traffic reportedly increasing 70% between 2020 and 2021.
Maritime Risk Symposium 2022: The Importance of Inland Systems to the MTS
The 2022 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) is scheduled to be held Nov. 15-17, 2022, hosted by Argonne National Laboratory at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois. MRS is an annual international event focused on risks involving the global maritime transportation system (MTS). For the MRS, the U.S. Coast Guard partners with the sponsor, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and the hosting agency. MRS began in 2011 and has grown in size, scope and interest. The MRS event will be followed by the U.S.
Keeping the Inland Waterways Open: Balancing Maintenance and Operational Requirements
Inland waterways, sometimes called ânatureâs superhighwaysâ provide a strategic advantage related to security, economics, and trade for any nation whose geography, topography, and climate enable this natural infrastructure. Economic benefits are realized in small rural areas through large urban communities that utilize the system for efficient transportation and improved markets. However, deliberate operational, resource, and policy efforts, along with broad stakeholder integration, are required to maintain and operate such a system.
Bollinger Delivers 50th Fast Response Cutter to the USCG
Louisiana shipbuilding group Bollinger Shipyards has been humming along building Fast Response Cutters for the U.S. Coat Guard, and this week marked a milestone with its 50th FRC delivery, the USCGC William Chadwick, officially handed over on Thursday in Key West, Fla.âItâs incredibly meaningful that we could deliver the 50th FRC, the USCGC William Chadwick, on the Coast Guardâs 232nd birthday and that sheâll be homeported in Sector Boston, the Birthplace of the Coast Guard,â said Bollinger president and CEO. Ben Bordelon.
US Names New Members to Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg this week announced the appointment of 25 new members to the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). The MTSNAC Charter will advise the Secretary, through the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator, on ways to identify and address impediments hindering the effective use of short sea transportation. The MTSNACâs counsel comes as the Biden-Harris Administration takes aim at tackling inflation and reducing the cost of goods in the countryâŠ
Maritime Risk Symposium 2022: The Importance of Inland Systems to the MTS
The theme of Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) 2022 is âThe Importance of Inland Systems to the MTS.â The global MTS consists of numerous inland networks that connect the major transnational and inland ports. The United States has more than 25,000 miles of navigable waters, which can carry around 630 million tons of cargo annually. Barges carry the bulk of the commodities on the inland river networks while freighters carry the commodities on the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway. About 60 percent of the U.S. farm exports travel through inland waterways.
Suggestions for Making Americaâs Marine Highway Program More Effective
The Americaâs Marine Highways Program is one of several grant programs administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to promote more effective use of the nationâs navigable waterways. This particular program was established by Congress in 2007 to provide grants for projects that would promote water-borne alternatives to available landside transportation services, especially for freight carried by trucks.Consistent with this specific goal, the programâs statutory authorityâŠ
Coast Guard Receives Proposal for Bridge Project Over Port of Portland
The Commander of the 13th Coast Guard District has received a request for a preliminary navigation clearance determination (PNCD) from the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, aka Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, Wash., I-5 twin bridge (LLNR 11258).A PNCD is a first step in the U.S. Coast Guard Bridge permitting process. At the request of the Coast Guard the IBR team has prepared a navigation impact report (NIR) for the proposed new IBR Bridge. Based off an analysis of the NIRâŠ
Waterways Commerce Cutter: It's Time for an Upgrade
In the last week of April, with little fanfare, the U.S. Coast Guard released a much-anticipated opportunity to build up to 27 Waterways Commerce Cutters. After the detailed design and construction contract is awarded in Spring of 2022, a lucky shipbuilder will begin replacing the Coast Guardâs eclectic fleet of 18 venerable river buoy tenders (WLR) and 13 inland construction tenders (WLIC).The Coast Guardâs inland waterways maintenance fleet has been ignored for far too long.
Impact of Dredging on Maritime Law
In 1875, the General Moultrie was the first suction dredge built in the United States and was used in the Charleston River â until it sank within a year. During the same era, the city of Houston and other port towns formed companies like the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company to build special-purpose vessels to clear and connect waterways for commercial vessel traffic. Toward the end of the 19th century, the cutter suction dredge made its appearance and effectively dug and maintained water channels.
Government Update: Coast Guard Authorization Act
On January 1, 2021, in an unusual New Yearâs Day session, the Senate (following similar action by the House) overrode President Trumpâs veto and enacted into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 6395). In addition to the provisions relating to the Department of Defense, the bill contains numerous maritime sections, including Authorization Acts for the Coast Guard (USCG), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).Coast GuardThe Coast Guard Authorization Act allows for acquisition of an additional National Security CutterâŠ
Op/ed: Investing in Americaâs Critical Maritime Infrastructure
Congress recently made a major, if little noticed, new investment in American infrastructure. As part of the year-end budget deal, lawmakers released $10 billion that had been locked away in the Harbor Maintenance Tax Trust Fund to be used for its intended purpose: dredging U.S. harbors to keep our ports open and support U.S. economic and national security.Maritime infrastructure is an indispensable national asset, which is why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognizes the Maritime Transportation System (MTS) as one of the seven critical subsectors within the transportation system.
US Maritime Industry Seeks $3.5 Billion in COVID-19 Relief
In a joint plea to Congressional leadership and Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin this week a host of maritime transportation entities asked that $3.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding be made available for the U.S. maritime transportation sector, citing âsignificant hardshipsâ and âunique and unexpected challengesâ posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.The letters ask Congress and the Administration to take immediate action to provide the whole of the maritime transportation systemâŠ
Working Out the Electionâs Impact on the US Workboat Industry
By the time this article is published, voting will have concluded in the 2020 United States presidential election. Based on the possibility of legal challenges to the election, however, it may be some time before we know who will be occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20, 2021. Additional uncertainty may linger with regard to control of the Senate. However, beyond the general spectacle of American politics, an important question remains: What does this election mean for the U.S.