Atmospheric Agency News

This year, despite innumerable challenges and setbacks, a great number of new U.S.-flagged vessels made their way into service. In addition to Maid of the Mist's new electric tour boats James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla featured Wednesday, the newbuilds highlighted below are some of the most noteworthy to come out of U.S. shipyards in 2020.DredgerU.S. dredging contractors have been adding tonnage in a big way. This Spring, Callan Marine added a significant piece to the U.S. fleet with its new Jones Act cutterhead suction dredge (CSD) General MacArthur.

Shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) said it has launched an aluminum catamaran built to patrol Texas state and federal waters for the law enforcement division of Texas Parks and Wildlife. The 80’ x 27’ (OAL) Captain Murchison features twin CAT C18 ACERT D Engines, with Hamilton Jet HM 521 waterjets and is built to USCG Subchapter T standards. It is also the first vessel in North America to feature Hamilton Jet’s innovative Advanced Vessel Control (AVX) system. The new AVX features include both a station keeping and a JETanchor positioning system.

All American Marine (AAM), together with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD), has announced the signing of a contract for the construction of an 80’x 27’ aluminum catamaran for operation in Texas State waters as well as offshore capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico. This vessel will be constructed at All American Marine’s new state-of-the-art 57,000 square foot facility on Bellingham Bay. TPWD selected industry leaders AAM and Teknicraft Design, widely acknowledged for designing and building high quality and fuel-efficient aluminum vessel designs at a great value.

Commercial tugs come to the assistance of the M/V Kent Reliant, aground outside the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Panamanian-flagged freighter ran aground while approaching the channel entrance early in the morning Sept. 18 . None of the 17 crewmembers aboard were injured, and no pollution has been observed from the vessel. Coast Guard personnel from Marine Safety Office San Juan are onboard monitoring the safety of the vessel and its crew, as well as investigating the cause of the grounding. San Juan Harbor remains open.

Congress has appointed money for the National and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) to dramatically increase its survey and charting program. Under the Appropriations bill, NOAA’s navigation services will receive $120.2 million for Fiscal Year 2001, representing a total increase of $24 million over Fiscal Year 2001. The increased funding is in part due to the hard work of a coalition of maritime interests including AWO. A section of the bill which specifically drew focused attention from AWO and its members is the appropriation of $4.3 million for Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC). This allows NOAA to move forward with what the agency describes as “the next-generation navigational tool.” This is the first time there has been specific funding provided by Congress for ENC development.

A Coast Guard H-60 helicopter sighted a trawler allegedly fishing for groundfish in the Rockfish Conservation Area on February 6. A National Oceanographic Atmospheric Agency Fisheries Special Agent aboard the helicopter spotted the fishing vessel Astoria, Ore.-based Sara Frances using bottom trawl gear in this conservation area. Beginning January 1 of this year, fishing for groundfish in this area with bottom trawl gear is prohibited. The Coast Guard pilot contacted the vessel captain and confirmed its position inside the restricted zone. With this information, NOAA Fisheries special agents met the 67-foot fishing vessel when it returned to Warrenton, Ore. Friday. The agents seized approximately 20,000 lbs. of groundfish from the Sara Frances.

The Pilots' Association for the Bay and River Delaware operates one of the few private vessel traffic and information services (VTIS) in the world. The approach to the Delaware Bay consists of three traffic separation schemes (TSS), and an unofficial offshore anchorage. The bottom's natural contours allow vessels with drafts up to 55 ft. to enter the Bay. The dredged channel leading to the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia can handle ships with drafts up to 40 ft. Overall, the navigable channels continue upriver for over 100 miles. The port ranks seventh in the nation in terms of ship arrivals, and is the number one tanker port on the East Coast. Oil refineries, heavy industry, recreational interests, and wildlife sanctuaries share the coastline.