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Fernstrum News

26 Feb 2024

Crossing Death's Door Daily

© Derek Victor / Adobe Stock

Washington Island Ferry Line (WIFL) has been the essential link between the residents, business and visitors of Washington Island and Wisconsin's Door Peninsula for more than eight decades.Picturesque and peaceful Door County isn't named for some intrepid settlers named Door. The name has a more ominous meaning. It's derived from the treacherous passage between the peninsula and Washington Island that mariners called Porte des Mortes, or Death's Door.A unique combination of environmental…

28 Nov 2022

Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022

Mark W. Barker (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

14 Feb 2022

New Push Boat Delivered to Plimsoll Marine

(Photo: Plimsoll Marine)

Push boat operator Plimsoll Marine announced it has taken delivery of the fourth vessel in a series of newbuilds from Master Marine, Inc. “Plimsoll Marine strives to provide the Lower Mississippi River with premier push boat services utilizing the industry’s most modern and capable fleet of vessels. The delivery of the Steel Skipper marks another milestone in that effort,” said Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith. “Our ongoing investment in building and maintaining…

22 Nov 2021

Marine News' Top Boats of 2021

Sea Change (Photo: All America Marine)

Sea Change - America’s first hydrogen powered ferrySWITCH Maritime’s new 70-foot passenger ferry Sea Change is navigating uncharted waters as the United States’ first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry.The pioneering aluminum newbuild, constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), has been completed and was launched this summer, though permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels is still being worked out with the U.S. Coast Guard.“Legislation and laws for passenger safety did not exist yet for this type of vessel.

24 Mar 2021

Blakeley BoatWorks Delivers Towboat to CMT

Gretchen V. Cooper (Photo: Cooper/T. Smith)

The U.S.’ first linehaul towing vessel powered by Tier 4 Caterpillar high-speed engines with selective catalytic reduction( SCR) was built by Blakeley BoatWorks (BBW) and is now operated by Cooper Marine and Timberlands (CMT).In March 2021, Blakeley BoatWorks completed construction of M/V Gretchen V. Cooper, a state-of-the-art, Tier-4 inland linehaul tow boat. This 3,400-horsepower vessel is 110-feet long, 33-feet wide, and expands CMT’s fleet to 20 vessels.Currently, Tier-4 diesel engine standards are the strictest U.S.

16 Mar 2021

Tech File: Engineered Cooling Solutions Help Improve Environmental Footprint

R.W. Fernstrum & Company has been engineering and manufacturing GRIDCOOLER Keel Coolers for the marine industry since 1949. (Image: R.W. Fernstrum & Company)

As owners and operators work to achieve dramatic new emission reductions, vessels’ cooling solutions should not be overlooked.A  wave of green initiatives is sweeping through the maritime market as owners and operators seek ways to reduce emissions from their vessels. One company supporting this drive is R.W. Fernstrum, a global leader in engineering and manufacturing keel cooling technologies.Sean Fernstrum, the company’s president, sees a mix of power and propulsion solutions—each with its own list of pros and cons—combining to help reduce the industry’s environmental footprint. And R.W.

05 Mar 2021

Plimsoll Marine Takes Delivery of Pushboat Rock Solid

(Photo:  Plimsoll Marine)

Bayou La Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Master Marine, Inc. (MMI) has delivered the 67’ x 28’ pushboat Rock Solid to Plimsoll Marine. The Rock Solid is the third of four vessels that MMI is scheduled to deliver to the Lower Mississippi River push boat operator.“The delivery of the Rock Solid marks another milestone in our effort to build and maintain our industry’s most modern and capable fleet of push boats,” said Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith. “Our team prides itself…

01 Oct 2020

Icebreaking Tug Delivered to NY Power Authority

Breaker II (Photo: New York Power Authority)

A new icebreaking tugboat built by Blount Boats in Rhode Island has been delivered to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to work in the Niagara River to help alleviate shoreline flooding and reduce the likelihood of ice limiting the power production at large hydro plants along the Niagara River. The Breaker II joins a fleet of three boats that work every winter to install the Lake Erie—Niagara River Ice Boom—a series of 22 spans of steel pontoons that straddle the mouth of the…

10 Sep 2020

Master Marine Delivers Towboat to Plimsoll Marine

Iron Lady (Photo: Plimsoll Marine)

Master Marine, Inc. (MMI) has delivered the 67- by 28-foot Iron Lady, the first of four new push boats it is building for Lower Mississippi River operator Plimsoll Marine.The four vessels are designed by Entech Designs, LLC. and are fully compliant with all U.S. Coast Guard regulatory requirements.Towboat Iron Lady is powered by two Laborde Products, Inc. Mitsubishi 803 HP Tier III diesel marine engines operating at 1,400 RPM and coupled to Twin Disc 5321 gears. Laborde Products…

01 May 2020

Osage Takes Towboat Delivery from Master Marine

(Photo: Master Marine)

Master Marine, Inc. has delivered a second towboat for Osage Marine Services, Inc. The newly built M/V Frank Mellor, like its sister ship, is a 67’ x 28’ vessel designed by Entech Designs, LLC. All USCG certificates for their Sub M compliance have been obtained.The towboat is powered by a pair of Laborde Products, S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP Tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc 5321 gears. Laborde Products, Inc. is also providing electrical power with two Northern Lights M65C13.2S 65KW Tier III electronic controlled generators with RW Fernstrum…

25 Mar 2020

EPA Tier 4: Difficult and Contentious, 12 Years and Counting

© JinnaritT / Adobe Stock

When it comes to complying with EPA’s Tier 4 emissions regulations, there’s no shortage of creativity emerging from America’s maritime engineering firms. Companies such as Hug Engineering are offering flexible, customized aftertreatment-based control systems that can assemble almost in modular like fashion. Other companies, such as ABB Group, offer battery-hybrid power sources to complement combustion power and avoid threshold diesel emissions. Engine manufacturers, such as Cummins…

10 Dec 2019

INSIGHTS: Sean Fernstrum, President, R.W. Fernstrum

Sean Fernstrum, President and a third-generation owner of R.W Fernstrum & Company

This month, listen in as Sean Fernstrum weighs in on how his firm arrived at its enviable market position, what comes next, and why.Sean Fernstrum is a third-generation owner of R.W Fernstrum & Company. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Scientific and Technical Communications. After college, he came home to Menominee, Michigan and began working as a Technical Writer at R.W. Fernstrum & Company. He has been President of the company for the last 8 years.

03 Sep 2019

MN100: R.W. Fernstrum & Company

R.W. Fernstrum CEO & President Sean Fernstrum

The 2019 version of the MarineNews MN100 edition - our annual look at the very best individuals and firms in the shallow draft, brown water and workboat sectors - has come and gone. Anchoring that prestigious list, as always, is R.W. Fernstrum & Company. That's no surprise to MarineNews readers.THE COMPANY:R.W. Fernstrum & Company set the standard in marine heat exchangers over 70 years ago, building a reputation focused on innovation. Today, its commitment is to continual improvement, ensuring customers have quality, reliability, and the latest in cooling technologies.

15 Jan 2019

Gladding-Hearn’s Refitted Launch Ready for 14 More Years on Delaware Bay

The pilot boat Brandywine underway (CREDIT: Gladding Hearn)

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered a retrofitted pilot boat to the Delaware Bay pilots association. Brandywine, one of the shipyard’s early 53’ Chesapeake class launches built in 2004, is one of nine pilot boats built for the pilots since they took delivery of their first boat from the Mass. shipyard in 1957.Along with installing new shafts and Brunton propellers, the yard replaced the twin Daewoo 650 Bhp diesel engines with a pair of Volvo D16 EPA Tier-3-compliant 650 Bhp diesel engines…

20 Nov 2018

Master Marine Delivers M/V Rick Pemberton

Master Marine announced that it has delivered the Entech Designs 67’ x 28’ M/V Rick Pemberton to Waterfront Services.The boat is powered by a pair of Laborde Products, Inc. S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc MG 5321, 5:1 gears, E300 electronic controls with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers. Laborde Products, Inc. also provided electrical power with (2) Two Northern Lights M65C13.2S 65KW Tier III electronic controlled generators with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers. A pair of Sound Propeller Services, Inc.

09 Nov 2018

Master Marine Signs Six Towboats

Master Marine, Inc. has signed Six (6) towboats and has laid the keels for the first two vessels. All Six (6) vessels will be 67’ x 28’ Entech Designs, LLC Sub. M compliant towboats. The first two will be working for Osage Marine Services, Inc., St. Louis, MO. with the rest operating in the lower Mississippi River system for an undisclosed customer. We are very happy to be teaming up with these companies to provide them and their customers the latest towboats and equipment available along with meeting Subchapter M requirements. The first two vessels will be delivered and placed into service, by the summer of 2019 with the additional Four (4) vessels to follow in close succession.Each boat will be powered by a pair of Laborde Products…

25 May 2018

R.W. Fernstrum Achieves ISO 9001:2015 Certification

Photo: R.W. Fernstrum

R.W. Fernstrum & Company, a leading manufacturer in marine heat exchangers, received ISO 9001:2015 certification following an audit performed by Verisys Registrars in May. The scope of Fernstrum's registration includes the engineering, design, manufacturing, and sales of heat exchangers for marine and industrial applications. Published by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized quality management system based on a set…

15 May 2018

Master Marine Delivers Towboat to Waterfront Services

Sam P. Hise (Photo: Master Marine)

Alabama shipbuilder Master Marine has delivered Sam P. Hise, the third towboat in a series of four newbuilds for Illinois-based inland operator Waterfront Services Co.The 67’ x 28’ boat is set up with 10,400 gallons of fuel, 4,359 gallons of potable water and 9,500 gallons of ballast water along with providing a maximum 7’ 9” working draft.Each vessel will be powered by a pair of Laborde Products, Inc. S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc MG 5321, 5:1 gears, E300 electronic controls with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers.

09 Apr 2018

Boatbuilding 101: Keep It Simple

In an era of increasingly complicated regulations and sophisticated technologies disrupting the workboat sector, one piece of the equipment – the Keel Cooler – remains as possibly the most important and at the same time, the simplest piece of hardware on the water. Likewise, much the same way as it was more than 70 years ago, Fernstrum remains the standard. For today’s workboat sector, the most pressing issue facing operators is arguably comprised of meeting and paying for the advent of so-called ‘Tier’ emissions standards. The American subset of 5,500 towboats additionally faces the subchapter M towboat rules and new requirements for hardware installation and physical construction. The one thing they shouldn’t have to worry about is engine cooling solutions.

27 Mar 2018

Gladding-Hearn Delivers Ferry for NYC's Circle Line

(Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, delivered again for New York City-based Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Inc., this the sixth 165-ft., 599-passenger sightseeing vessels. Designed by DeJong and Lebet, N.A. and builf from steel, the 165 x 34 x 12.8 ft. vessel has a top speed of 14 knots powered by twin Cummins QSK-38M1 diesel engines delivering a total of 2600 hp and connected to ZF W3355 gear boxes, spinning 60-inch, 5-bladed bronze propellers. For dockside maneuvering, the vessel is equipped with a 125 hp Wesmar bow thruster, powered by an electric motor.

16 Mar 2017

Marine News Boat of the Month: March 2017

Image: AAM

All American Marine (AAM) in February announced a deal for the construction of a new hybrid electric, 600 passenger aluminum monohull vessel to be delivered to the Red and White Fleet of San Francisco, Calif. AAM’s latest contract follows an earlier announcement made by the company regarding a construction agreement for a 500 passenger aluminum monohull tour boat for Argosy Cruises of Seattle, Wash. Both operators were originally pursuing construction contracts for steel monohulls…

10 Oct 2017

Master Marine Delivers for Waterfront Services

M/V Miss Deborah (Master Marine)

Master Marine has delivered the first of four 67’ x 28’ fleet boats to Waterfront Services Co. Each boat will be powered by a pair of Laborde Products, Inc. S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc MG 5321, 5:1 gears, E300 electronic controls with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers. Electrical power was also provided by Laborde Products, Inc. with two Northern Lights M65C13.2S 65KW Tier III electronic controlled generators with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers. A pair of Sound Propeller Services, Inc.

01 Feb 2018

New Fleet Boat for Waterfront Services

M/V Tom Torretti (Photo: Master Marine)

Alabama shipbuilder Master Marine said it has delivered the newly built M/V Tom Torretti to Waterfront Services Co. The 67’ x 28’ fleet boat is powered by a pair of Laborde Products, Inc. S6R2-Y3MPTAW Mitsubishi 803 HP tier III diesel marine engines to be operated at 1,400 RPM coupled to Twin Disc MG 5321, 5:1 gears, E300 electronic controls with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers. Electrical power was also provided by Laborde Products, Inc. with two Northern Lights M65C13.2S 65KW Tier III electronic controlled generators with RW Fernstrum, Inc. keel coolers.