Z-Drive Collaboration on the Inland Waterways Expands
American Commercial Barge Line’s leadership and early adoption of ZF Marine’s z-drive propulsion technology underscores a growing trend on the inland waterways. American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has been around a long time – since 1915, to be exact – and along the way has developed into one of the dominant players in the inland marine transportation industry. With a passion for safety and a green footprint, ACBL has always embraced technology and innovation. That point was obvious when it made the decision to outfit at least 15 of its towboats with ZF Marine’s Z-drive systems. The Z-Drive installations are but a small part of a $500 million fleet and equipment investment that ACBL has undertaken over the course of the last five years.
WRDA to the Wise
May 15, 2013 was a very good day for the nation’s barge and towing operators, as well as shippers of grain, coal, chemicals, petroleum products, aggregate materials, and agri-input products. It was also a good day for our nation’s economy and for its consumers. The Senate passed, by a vote of 83-14, a long-overdue Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), last reauthorized in 2007. Six years may not seem like a long time to await action on Capitol Hill. But since 57% of the locks and dams on the nation’s inland waterways system have exceeded their economic design life expectancy of 50 years…
Navy's First JHSV Visits St. Petersburg
Military Sealift Command's (MSC) joint high-speed vessel, USNS 'Spearhead' visits the Port of St. Petersburg, FLA. U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, Mayor Bill Foster and other distinguished visitors from St. Petersburg joined Navy Chief of Information Rear Adm. John Kirby, Capt. Sam Norton, commander, MSC Atlantic, and Capt. Doug Casavant, the ship's civil service master, during an arrival ceremony in honor of the ship, its crew and the Navy. The three-day port call is primarily a working visit and an opportunity for senior officials and military personnel from U.S. Central Command and U.S.
Cat Covers it All
Exhibitions are traditional launching points for major equipment makers, and Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is no exception. Last month at the International Workboat Show in New Orleans the ubiquitous marine power company made announcements regarding it progression toward US EPA Tier 3 Regulations. In addition, it brought to the show an interesting repower presentation from its recent work on OCEARCH’s ‘Shark Wranglers’ vessel. Caterpillar in New Orleans highlighted its array of U.S.
Cat Marine Engines Chosen
American Commercial Lines (ACL) has selected Cat C280 marine engines for repowering six of their towboats. Bill Foster, ACL vice president Boat Maintenance, commented, "We are making significant investments in our fleet to improve reliability and performance. All six vessels are scheduled to be repowered in 2012. The first vessels being repowered are the MV J. Russel Flowers and the MV Thurston B. Morton. Cat dealer Whayne Power Systems is assisting with the repower project. ACL is investing in operational improvement initiatives to revitalize ACL as the flagship of the river transportation industry. ACL has been operating three of its higher horsepower towboats since 1998 powered with Cat 3612 engines.
Cat Marine Engines to Re-Power Six Tugboats
American Commercial Lines (ACL) select Cat® C280 marine engines for repowering six of their towboats. The first vessels being repowered are the MV J. Russel Flowers and the MV Thurston B. Morton. Cat dealer Whayne Power Systems is assisting with the repower project. ACL has been operating three of its higher horsepower towboats since 1998 powered with Cat 3612 engines. The Cat 3612 engine, the predecessor to the C280, has proven to be reliable and durable. After 21 years of operating with the Cat 3612 marine engines, ACL’s MV Carol P.
The Coast Guard Foundation Hosts 19th Annual Tribute
St. Petersburg Event To Honor New Coast Guard Cutter And The Memory of William Flores. The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today its 19th Annual Tribute to the United States Coast Guard’s Seventh District will take place on Friday, November 2, 2012. At this year’s event, the Foundation has partnered with the Commissioning Committee for the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter William Flores.
ACL Appoints New Executives
American Commercial Lines (ACL) has relocated Bill Braman, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Transportation Services, to Harahan, LA, where he will lead the field implementation of ACL’S new operating plan and scheduled service platform. Braman joined the company in February 2009 as Vice President and General Manager – Transportation Services. He will continue to report to the President and CEO. ACL has also made two appointments. Mario Munoz will take up the position of Vice President Business Development and Marketing…
SNAME’s Annual Meeting Paper Names & Abstracts
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers will hold its 2010 Annual Meeting in Bellevue/Seattle Washington, November 3-5. A core part of the SNAME Annual Meeting continues to be the Technical Program. Technical papers to be presented, authors, and abstracts recently announced by SNAME. • Operational Evaluation of the USCGC Bertholf Stern Boat Deployment System, Rubin Sheinberg and Frank W. • Concept Development, Detailed Design and Construction of the THREE FORTY THREE – North America's Most Powerful Fireboat, Robert G. • Implications of Performing Tugboat Stability Analysis with Fixed Trim Assumptions, Bill Foster and T. Abstracts are available online (http://www.sname.org/SNAME/AM/AMAuthorsAbstracts).
ACL Realigns Transportation Services Division
American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) announced it is realigning its Transportation Services Division to reduce costs, improve efficiencies, and streamline communication. The company will be moving leaders in operations management to field locations, closer to its employees and customers. Headquartered in Jeffersonville, Ind., ACL operates a fleet of more than 2,600 barges and approximately 130 towboats on a network of more than 12,000 miles of U.S. inland waterways. It also operates terminals, as well as fleeting, shifting, cleaning, and barge and boat repair services throughout its network. The company is realigning its Transportation Services business into two regional divisions.
