Atchafalaya Bay News

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Thursday announced the receipt of five dredging contracts totaling $173.7 million. The projects are in Texas, New Jersey, Florida and Louisiana.The Sabine-Neches Waterway Channel Improvement Project-Phase 1 (Capital, Texas, $62.8 million) includes dredging for channel deepening along the Sabine-Neches Waterway from Sabine Bank Channel to Sabine Pass Channel. The construction of the Sabine-Neches Waterway will generate widespread economic benefits for Southeast Texas…

An ailing mariner was medevaced from a U.S.-flagged tug approximately 18 miles southwest of Atchafalaya Bay, off Louisiana, on Wednesday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector New Orleans received a call via VHF-FM radio channel 16 from the 78-foot tug boat Lady Loren stating a 35-year-old crewmember was reportedly suffering chest pains and shallow breathing.Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist…

The Coast Guard rescued six people from grounded vessels in Atchafalaya Bay, Louisiana, Saturday. At 2:35 p.m. watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from a private helicopter of a 17-foot johnboat with three people on board that was taking on water in the Atchafalaya Bay, Louisiana. Watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans to assist the people. The mariners reported that their de-watering pump was keeping up with the flooding and requested a tow, and one member requested to be removed. The aircrew arrived on scene at 3:46 p.m. and provided the boat with a radio, blankets and transported one person to Berwick Boat Landing in Berwick, Louisiana, then refueled in Patterson, Louisiana.

RLB Contracting, Inc, Port Lavaca, Texas was awarded on July, 17, 2009 a $ 9,670,148 firm-fixed-price contract to Freeport Harbor, Texas, Inner Harbor and turning basin in Brazoria County, Texas, Levee construction and dredging. The work consist of raising dredged placement levee by truck haul, replacing drop-outlets structures, dredging of material and depositing it in a placement are. Work is to be performed on Freeport, Brazoria County, Texas with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2010. Twenty bids were solicited with five bids received. USA Engineer District, Galveston, Texas is the contracting activity (W912HY-09-C-0014).

Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Wash. reported that the Estates of TransCoastal Marine Services of Houston, Texas have sold the 4-point mooring vessel Sea Level 21 to Professional Divers, Inc. of New Orleans, La. The 175- x 38-ft., ABS-classed former supply boat was originally built in 1980 by Universal Iron Works and was converted several years ago to support hydrostatic pipe testing and commissioning, jetting, diving, and coring service. Professional Divers has renamed her 4 Point Pony, and with assistance from Bollinger's Lockport shipyard, are refurbishing the vessel and expect to have her ready for service by early March.

M/V Isabella sank two miles west of Ft. Pierce, Fla. USCG Group Miami dispatched a Coast Guard Station (CGSTA) Fort Pierce utility boat (UTB). The crew was removed by the UTB prior to the vessel sinking. Passenger vessel Monarch of the Seas went aground in Saint Philipsburg, Dutch Saint Maarten. The P/V was returning to port because its pumps could not keep up with the flooding after hitting a reef during its departure from port. The National Response Center received a report of a tug pushing three barges that ran aground along the Lower Mississippi River near Helena, Ark. The lead barge experienced damage resulting in the release of 1,700 barrels of unleaded gasoline. The remaining product was removed and the barge was floated off the rocks.