Dave Smith News

Partnership represents the start of LNG adoption as a marine fuel in the United States. Pivotal LNG, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources Inc., and WesPac Midstream LLC have signed a long-term agreement with TOTE, Inc. to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel the company’s two new state-of-the-art containerships. Pivotal LNG and WesPac are constructing a new natural gas liquefaction facility in Jacksonville, Fla., addressing the growing demand for LNG in the southeast.

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Air Station San Francisco rescued two boaters and a 12-year-old from their disabled and sinking 32-foot vessel approximately two miles off Big Sur, Calif., Tuesday afternoon. USCG Sector San Francisco command center received a distress call from the vessel's passengers stating they had become disabled and were taking on water from the 10- to 15-foot seas. The rescue aircrew was immediately deployed, but once on scene difficulties in the rescue arose due to the vessel's rigging and snag hazards. To successfully conduct the rescue, the aircrew lowered their rescue swimmer attached to the aircraft's hoist cable and directed the survivors to enter the water one at a time. The aircrew then recovered each person into the aircraft.

The ability of ship repair yards to quickly, efficiently and effectively get ships in and out in the least possible amount of time is cornerstone to their very existence. Southwest Marine in San Diego has recently adopted an advanced, automated floating dry dock control system, which promises to ensure these lofty goals are met. In May 1999, Randy Jaeger a project manager at Southwest Marine (SWM) in San Diego, Calif., contacted IDAC West to discuss retroffitting their floating dry dock with a new automatic control system. SWM's 22,000-ton Floating Dry Dock, known as "Pride of San Diego" that is typically used for Naval Ship repair, had an existing control system that had become outdated and difficult to maintain.