Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Charleston News

06 Mar 2024

Austal USA Delivers Future USS Kingsville

Source: Austal USA

Austal USA delivered the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) to the U.S. Navy March 1, 2024. Kingsville is the 18th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) delivered by the company and the first U.S. Navy vessel to be named after the Texas city home to Naval Air Station Kingsville and directly tied to the historic King Ranch.Delivery documents were signed on board the ship and followed the successful completion of acceptance trials at the end of January during which the ship’s major systems and equipment were tested to demonstrate mission readiness.

22 Jan 2024

Detyens Wins Contract for USNS William Mclean Overhaul

USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) (Photo: Westin Warburton / U.S. Air Force)

Detyens Shipyards has been awarded a contract for a 62-calendar day shipyard availability for a regular overhaul of Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet ordnance and dry cargo USNS William Mclean (T-AKE 12).The $8,035,948 firm, fixed-price contract includes a base period and two unexercised options which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative value of this contract to $8,137,348.Work will be performed in North Charleston, S.C., beginning March 15, 2024, and is expected to be completed by May 16…

04 Dec 2023

AUKUS Defense Ministers Agree to Bolster Security

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, United States Secretary of Defence, the Hon Lloyd J. Austin III, and United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps.

AUKUS defense ministers have reaffirmed their resolve to bolster security and stability and ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains a region free from coercion and aggression.A statement was released after Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia, and Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom, at the Defense Innovation Unit Headquarters in California on December 1.AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific region between Australia…

21 Nov 2023

New USCG Cutter Departs Ingalls

(Photo: HII)

The U.S. Coast Guard’s newest Legend-class national security cutter, Calhoun (WMSL 759), departed from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Sunday, November 19.“We congratulate the NSC team of shipbuilders on a job well done,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding NSC Program Manager Amanda Whitaker. “Watching Calhoun sail away is a proud moment for us all and we look forward to watching this highly capable national security cutter serve for decades to come.”Calhoun is scheduled for commissioning in 2024 and will be homeported in Charleston…

17 Nov 2023

Seaspan Takes Delivery of New 15,500 TEU Vessel

(Photo: Seaspan Corporation)

Seaspan Corporation has taken delivery of Maersk Cleveland, the second of six new SAVER 15,500 TEU series vessels.The ship was delivered from China's Jiangnan Shipyard on November 15.Seaspan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Corp., announced contracts to build the six ships in March 2021 as part of a raft of new shipbuilding orders.Upon completion, each vessel will enter long-term charters with global liner customers.The series' first vessel, Maersk Charleston, was delivered earlier this year. The series' remaining ships are scheduled for delivery through mid-2024.

30 Aug 2023

Kinder Morgan Says Idalia Caused Minimal Damage to Florida Terminals

(Image: NOAA)

Kinder Morgan KMI.N on Wednesday said its Port Manatee, Port Sutton and Tampaplex terminals in Florida sustained minimal damage due to Hurricane Idalia, and that it was also planning to shut its Charleston area terminals later in the day.The U.S. energy company said it was planning to reopen the terminals on Thursday, while its Tampa facilities including the Tampa refined products terminal and Central Florida Pipeline system have resumed normal operations.The Port Manatee, Port Sutton and Tampaplex terminals handle commodities such as fertilizers…

28 Aug 2023

American Cruise Lines’ First New Coastal Cat Enters Service

(Photo: American Cruise Lines)

American Cruise Lines introduced its first new Coastal Cat, American Eagle, during a christening ceremony in at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy campus on Buzzards Bay last week.Carol Robertson, wife of American Cruise Lines’ founder the late Charles A. Robertson, served as godmother for the ship and christened the 100-passenger American Eagle with one of her handmade, ribbon-wrapped champagne bottles. The American Eagle is named after the first American Cruise Lines’ ship, which the couple launched in the 1970s.The ceremony began with remarks from Robertson…

23 Aug 2023

Silver Ships Delivers First Vessel Under NSW SSC Contract

(Photo: Silver Ships)

Silver Ships recently completed the first deliveries under the Naval Sea Systems Command of seven 11-meter Open Center Console (OCC) vessels and two 8-meter Open Center Console (OCC) vessels, under the Naval Special Warfare Surface Support Craft Contract. The U.S. Navy has also conducted Pre-Delivery Inspection and Testing (PDIT) of three vessel variants included in the contract.The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Surface Support Craft (SSC) contract entails construction of five different vessel variants of the Ambar series rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB).

14 Aug 2023

US Coast Guard, Navy Rescue Four Missing Divers off North Carolina

A Coast Guard Station Oak Island 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew arrives at Station Oak Island, North Carolina on Aug. 14, 2023 after rescuing four missing divers 46 miles southeast of Cape Fear River, N.C. (Photo: Eric Tucker / U.S. Coast Guard)

Four divers that went missing off the U.S. East Coast on Sunday were rescued Monday 46 miles southeast of Cape Fear River, N.C.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector North Carolina initially received a notification Sunday from Coast Guard Sector Charleston stating four men were diving from the pleasure craft Big Bill’s, approximately 63 miles east of Myrtle Beach, S.C. near noon, and had not resurfaced. Sectors Charleston and North Carolina coordinated a multi-asset…

10 Aug 2023

Towing Vessel Sinks Off South Carolina

(Photo: North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad)

A towing vessel sank Tuesday night approximately 3 miles off North Myrtle Beach, S.C.Horry County Fire Rescue personnel rescued the three crew members aboard the vessel, identified as the 59-foot-long Jacqueline A—a U.S.-registered pusher tug built in 1981. No injuries have been reported.The vessel is currently in 30 feet of water, and has approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board, the U.S. Coast Guard said. There are no reports of shoreline impacts, and the vessel’s owner…

18 Jul 2023

Birdon Announces Subcontracts for Waterways Commerce Cutter Builds

(Image: Birdon America, Inc.)

Birdon America, Inc. on Tuesday announced it has awarded the first wave of major subcontracts in support of its $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) for the U.S. Coast Guard. This announcement follows a successful initial Program Management Review (PMR), the first major milestone of the WCC program.The subcontracts range in value from $10 million to $50 million and are firm-fixed price (FFP), indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) for design, development, manufacturing and delivery.

18 Jul 2023

USACE Awarded a Slew of Dredging Work in the First Half of 2023

(Photo: Dredging Contractors of America)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is snapping back from the doldrums of COVID-19, wrapping up a strong first half of 2023 with a slew of awarded dredging work.“The federal government is no different from state and local governments, nor the private sector when it comes to COVID-19 work related recovery and USACE is not an exception,” said William P. Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America. “The Army Corps has been steadily issuing contract awards since February, and that’s on the award side.

26 Jun 2023

Global Container Freight Stuck in Doldrums

© sandsun / Adobe Stock

Global trade remained in the doldrums during the second quarter as China’s post-lockdown rebound proved slower than expected and was offset by continued weakness in North America and Europe.Seasonally-adjusted trade volumes were no higher in the three months from February to April 2023 than they had been 17 months earlier in the three months from September to November 2021.Volumes were down in three of the first four months of 2023 compared with a year earlier, according to the Netherlands Bureau of Economic Policy Analysis (“World trade monitor”…

03 May 2023

MARAD Awards $20.8 Million in Grants to Small Shipyards

(Photo: All American Marine)

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Wednesday announced $20.8 million in grant awards to 27 small shipyards in 20 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local job opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.“Small shipyards strengthen America’s commercial fleet, bolster our economic security, and generate good jobs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are proud to support these shipyards reinforce their vital role in the U.S.

18 Oct 2023

Insights: Robert Schluter, e1 Marine

Robert Schluter, managing director, e1 Marine (Image: e1 Marine)

Robert Schluter served as an officer as part of the marine engineering team on board the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Mahan DDG-42 out of Charleston before transitioning to the business world and “general, corporate type work”. Today he serves as managing director at the third startup he’s helped build, e1 Marine.The company, a joint venture between Louisiana-based marine equipment lessor Maritime Partners, Irish tanker owner Ardmore Shipping and Schluter’s second startup…

09 Feb 2023

US Coast Guard Enforces Safety Zone for Historic Crane Import

The U.S. Coast Guard will enforce a temporary safety zone in the Savannah River on Thursday for the import of the largest gauge ship-to-shore cranes in U.S. history.The Coast Guard said its captain of the Port Savannah would establish a safety zone during the import of the cranes to ensure the safety and security of the public and all vessels in the channel. The safety zone is expected to take place from 12:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., Feb. 9.No Vessel Permitted in Safety Zone"Vessels are not permitted to enter into, transit through, moor, or anchor within 1,500 feet of the motor vessel Biglift Baffin. No vessels will be permitted in the safety zone 30 minutes prior to…

27 Dec 2022

Detyens Awarded US Navy Oiler Repair Job

USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) (Photo: Bill Mesta / U.S. Navy)

North Charleston, S.C. ship repair yard Detyens Shipyards has been awarded a contract for a 75-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203). The $10,051,547 firm-fixed-price contract, a small business set-aside, includes a base period and three options which, if exercised would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $10,606,947. Detyens, which services a wide range of vessel types…

05 Dec 2022

Charleston has Deepest Harbor on US East Coast

(Image: SC Ports)

Charleston Harbor is now the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet.At 52 feet, the biggest ships calling the East Coast can access South Carolina Ports’ terminals any time, any tide. Ships filled with record imports and heavy exports can seamlessly sail through Charleston Harbor to SC Ports’ terminals.This depth makes SC Ports more competitive, helping to attract new ship services, first-in-calls and more cargo to South Carolina.Governor Henry McMaster and other state elected leaders…

16 Nov 2022

US Container Freight is Shrinking

© BKP / Adobe Stock

Container freight volumes at the largest U.S. ports were down 3.8% in September compared with the same month a year earlier, confirming the slackening of merchandise trade and downturn in the business cycle.The ports of New York-New Jersey, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Savannah, Houston, Norfolk, Charleston, Seattle and Oakland account for the overwhelming majority of container ocean freight into and out of the United States.The total volume of loaded containers handled by these nine ports amounted to 2.67 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September 2022…

10 Nov 2022

Detyens Scores $21 Million MSC Oiler Overhaul Job

(Photo: Joshua D. Petrosino / U.S. Navy)

North Charleston, S.C. ship repair yard Detyens Shipyards has been awarded a $21,007,304 contract for a 91-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul/dry-docking availability of Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196).The firm-fixed-price contract includes a base period and four options which, if exercised would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $22,090,004. The contract was a small business set-aside with proposals solicited via the Government Point of Entry website and three offers received.Work will begin May 18…

07 Nov 2022

US Coast Guard Officer Permanently Relieved After Cutter Grounding

(File photo: Melissa Leake / U.S. Coast Guard)

The commanding officer of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter has been permanently relieved of duties following a grounding incident in August.On August 26, Capt. Marc Brandt had been temporarily relieved as commanding officer of USCGC James (WMSL 754) pending the results of an investigation into an onboard mishap. The investigation found that on August 8, James ran aground while underway causing damage to the cutter. No personnel were injured.The Coast Guard announced Monday that Vice Adm.

12 Oct 2022

Great Lakes Announced $143.5 Million in Dredging Contracts

(Photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation, the largest provider of dredging services in the United States, on Wednesday announced the receipt of several major dredging awards totaling $143.5 million with open options pending award of $102.9 million.The awarded work includes:South Atlantic Division Regional Harbor Dredging 2023 Project (Maintenance, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, $26.6 million)Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point, Contract 2 Project (Coastal Protection, New York…

12 Oct 2022

Marine Travelift Delivers New Boat Lift to Stevens Towing

(Photo: Marine Travelift)

The recent delivery of a Marine Travelift 820CII (820 metric ton/1,804,000 lbs. capacity) Mobile Boat Hoist to the Stevens Towing Company, Inc. shipyard located on Yonges Island in South Carolina will transform marine services by alleviating overwhelmed dry dock schedules in the region.Founded in the late 1800s as Stevens Brothers with a single boat, Joseph Stanyarne Stevens and William Yates Stevens transported produce and supplies from Edisto Island to Charleston and many points in between.