Arco Marine News

BMT Group subsidiary, BMT Nigel Gee, contracted to design two 25-metre Fast Crew Boats for Penguin International Ltd. Penguin Shipyard International, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-based crewboat builder and operator, Penguin International Limited. Penguin is building the two BV classed, 70-passenger Fast Crew Boats for ARCO Marine and Oilfield Services for deployment in Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas industry. Delivery of the vessels is expected in the fourth quarter of 2013.

CASTINE, Maine -- Maine Maritime Academy students, officers, and crew will visit Mediterranean ports this spring as part of the college’s annual two-month training cruise to foreign and domestic ports-of-call. This year’s training cruise itinerary includes Norfolk, Va., May 6- 9; Valetta, Malta, May 25- 28; Civitavecchia, Italy, May 31- June 3; Cobh, Ireland, June 12- June 15; Portland, Maine, June 25-26. The ship will host a family day sail on the return leg from Portland to Castine. Under the command of Captain Leslie B.

Representing an important milestone for U.S. commercial shipbuilding, the delivery of the 141,740-dwt Polar Endeavour signaled the unfolding of a major new chapter of investment in the fleet dedicated to coastwise transportation of Alaskan crude oil. Giving first form to the Millennium concept, the tanker has been purpose-designed for trade in the world's most environmentally-sensitive waters. While Polar Tankers' main requirement of the Millennium-class is to ship crude to Puget Sound from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at Valdez, the series is also suited to the needs of the traffic to California and Hawaii. The program had been implemented in 1997…

Representing an important milestone for U.S. commercial shipbuilding, the delivery of the 141,740-dwt Polar Endeavour signaled the unfolding of a major new chapter of investment in the fleet dedicated to coastwise transportation of Alaskan crude oil. Giving first form to the Millennium concept, the tanker has been purpose-designed for trade in the world's most environmentally-sensitive waters. While Polar Tankers' main requirement of the Millennium-class is to ship crude to Puget Sound from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at Valdez, the series is also suited to the needs of the traffic to California and Hawaii. The program had been implemented in 1997…

Captain Victor Y. Goldberg will join Crowley Maritime Corporation’s subsidiary Marine Transport Corporation in Weehawken, N.J., as vice president, ship management effective April 2. He will report to Rockwell Smith, senior vice president and general manager of Marine Transport. Marine Transport is the tanker operating and ship management subsidiary of Crowley and is part of Crowley’s Contract Services segment. As vice president, ship management, Goldberg will manage contract operations, fleet operations, engineering and environmental safety and quality assurance. “We are pleased to welcome Vic to Marine Transport and the Crowley organization,” Smith said.

Crowley Petroleum Transport, Inc., a Long Beach, Calif.-based subsidiary of Crowley Maritime Corporation, is now operating the tanker Prudhoe Bay chartered to ARCO Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BP Amoco. The Prudhoe Bay, formerly the Arco Prudhoe Bay, is a 70,000 DWT steam tanker with a capacity of 478,000 barrels. There are 13 epoxy-coated cargo tanks on the ship, which is 810 ft. long with a 105 ft. beam and a maximum draft of 44 fet. Prudhoe Bay is currently trading on the West Coast, primarily in Puget Sound. Crowley, the largest independent operator of petroleum barges and tankers on the West Coast, also owns and operates the 40,000 dwt tankers Coast Range and Blue Ridge. Each offers 300,000 barrels of capacity.

To characterize the business of carrying oil aboard tankers of any size or route as stable — would be foolhardy at best. But as curious as the market's undulations may appear to those on the outside, it is in fact the market's instability that serves as stability. Owning and operating a fleet of petroleum carrying tankers has undoubtedly become a much more scrutinized and legislated endeavor than any time past. The eyes of the world, individual nations and even specific "environmentally sensitive" regions are on constant watch, prepared to strike with the broad sword of legal action in the unlikely event of an incident or catastrophe. The heightened sense of legal responsibility has undoubtedly changed, and will continue to shape the tanker business.

Hornblower Marine Services has elected Marc C. Cruder as director of Vessel Construction, Compliance and Safety. Cruder recently retired from the U.S. Coast Guard after 21 years of service of field experience, particularly in Marine Inspection. It was in his capacity as a traveling inspector that he was first involved with Hornblower Marine Services during the construction of Sassacus and Tatobam, the first U.S. Flag high-speed ferries built to the IMO High Speed Craft Code. In addition to his experience with the IMO High Speed Craft Code, Cruder was involved in the selection and participation of the Coast Guard's Merchant Marine Industry Training Program where he did a one-year internship with then ARCO Marine Inc., a major west coast shipping company.

Crowley Marine Services christened the fifth of its new Harbor-Class tractor tugs in Long Beach, Calif. Stephanie Goldberg, wife of Arco Marine executive Victor Goldberg, performed the tradition of christening Scout. The vessel was designed by Guido Perla and Associates, and constructed by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash., for Vessel Management Services, Inc. Each tug features Voith Schneider twin cycloidal propulsion and a hydrofoil-shaped skeg that provides greatly improved steering, control and seakeeping ability. In addition, the unique hydrodynamics of the hull result in increased tons of indirect steering and braking forces, which are available to assist or control a vessel at higher speeds.

The States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force presented its first Legacy Awards for Oil Spill Prevention at its 1999 Annual Meeting, in Valdez, Alaska. The winners included: ARCO Marine, Inc.; Alyeska SERVS; Captain Herbert S. "Chip" Sharpe, USCG; The Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council; The High Velocity Current Study Project Team, sponsored by the California State Lands Commission, David Pearce and John Kloman, recipients; Stan Stephens of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council; David Usher of the Marine Pollution Control Association. The new Legacy Awards Program advances the Task Force's spill prevention objective "to develop and support implementation of model spill prevention programs…

The boards of directors of Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) and Avondale Industries have approved a definitive agreement to combine the two companies. The transaction creates a leading, broad-based shipbuilding company with estimated 1999 revenues of $2.6 billion and nearly 24,000 employees. The combined company will be known as Newport News Avondale Industries. "The combination of Newport News and Avondale brings together two highly skilled and tremendously capable shipbuilding companies,'' said William P. Fricks, chairman and CEO of Newport News. Albert L. Bossier, Jr., chairman and CEO of Avondale, said, "This merger is about building a stronger combined company.

ARCO Marine, Inc. unveiled its first state-of-the-art Millennium Class tanker at a christening ceremony at Litton Avondale Industries in metro New Orleans. The 125,000 dwt crude oil tankers are setting the standard for safety at sea, with double hulls, twin engine rooms, twin propellers, twin rudders and a sophisticated navigation and control system, which allows the control of the ship from a single joystick. The sponsor is Teresa Sullivan, wife of John Sullivan, vice-president engineering, ARCO Marine. She christened ARCO Endeavour with the traditional champagne bottle. The Millennium Class "next generation" tankers measure 895 ft. (272.7 m) in length, with a beam of 152 ft.(46.3 m) and a depth of 83 ft.

ARCO Marine, Inc. unveiled its first state-of-the-art Millennium Class tanker at a christening ceremony at Litton Avondale Industries in metro New Orleans. The 125,000 dwt crude oil tankers are setting the standard for safety at sea, with double hulls, twin engine rooms, twin propellers, twin rudders and a sophisticated navigation and control system, which allows the control of the ship from a single joystick. The sponsor is Teresa Sullivan, wife of John Sullivan, vice-president engineering, ARCO Marine. She christened ARCO Endeavour with the traditional champagne bottle. The Millennium Class "next generation" tankers measure 895 ft. in length, with a beam of 152 ft. and a depth of 83 ft.