Gulfport News

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.

Three boaters were rescued Wednesday after their yacht collided with a tug near Bay St. Louis, Miss.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Mobile received a report Wednesday of a 53-foot yacht and a tug vessel pulling two barges were involved in a collision. Sector Mobile watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Station Gulfport 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boatcrew to assist.The response boatcrew arrived on scene, embarked the three boaters from the yacht and transported them to Bay St.

A new seminar is the first maritime autonomy training program to allow the federal workforce to train on state-of-the-art, commercial, off-the-shelf autonomous technologies.Sea Machines Robotics’ in partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise in Gulfport, Miss. has developed the Maritime Autonomy Operational Seminar through USM's Center of Higher Learning at the John C. Stennis Space Center.Participants plan missions that transform USM's R/V Ken Barbor…

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…

Timothy Hunt has been named president and Bryant Bernhard, PE, chief technology officer of boatbuilder United States Marine, Inc. (USMI).Hunt has more than 24 years of experience in the marine industry and 12 years with USMI. “Tim has my support, and that of the USMI employees, as he assumes this important role of leadership at USMI,” said John Dane, III, USMI chairman and CEO.To facilitate Hunt’s appointment, Bernhard will assume the new position of innovations efforts as the CTO. This change will ensure continued innovation at USMI, the company said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Thursday that Donny Dorsey has been named vice president of operations at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss. Dorsey, formerly ship program manager for all DDG waterfront efforts at Ingalls Shipbuilding, replaces George Jones, who will retire April 1 after 37 years of service.“George’s expertise in shipbuilding has influenced generations of shipbuilders and the capabilities of the shipyard,” said Kari Wilkinson, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding.

The Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) Board of Commissioners has named Jon Nass the new CEO and executive director of the Port of Gulfport, following a national search led by Tim McNamara, head of Odgers Berndtson’s Transportation and Infrastructure Practice in Washington, D.C. His tentative start date is June 1.“After nearly an eight-month process, the MSPA Commission is very pleased to announce we have selected a new executive director to lead the Port of Gulfport team,” said MSPA President E.J. Roberts.

American shipyards form an important economic engine, supporting nearly 400,000 jobs, $25.1 billion of labor income and $37.3 billion in gross domestic product (GDP), according to figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).It’s a good thing, then, that U.S. shipyards were deemed essential businesses amid COVID-19 and have remained up and running throughout the pandemic. And it’s even better that most yards have been able to keep their workers employed despite less than stable market conditions…

Geophysical seismic surveys and port security may appear to have little in-common. However, it turns out that managing complex marine seismic operations, where 10km-long seismic streamers have to be deployed harmoniously alongside other offshore marine assets, isn’t that dissimilar to managing – and protecting – port facilities.It's an area that ION Geophysical, more known for seismic data acquisition technology, has recently been proving its expertise in, using its Marlin system for marine operations management.

Damen Shipyards Group has been awarded a contract to design a new offshore terminal tug for Edison Chouest Offshore. Chouest will initially build two ASD Tugs 5016 at its Gulf Ship yard in Gulfport, Miss., for completion by May 2022.Damen said it has designed the 50-meter ASD Tug 5016 to provide escort, hold-back, hose-handling and maintenance duties offshore Guyana. The tug will deliver 120 tons of static bollard pull delivered by twin C-280 engines. It will also have a hybrid system that will be engaged when loitering.

Energy companies, ports and refiners raced on Monday to shut down as Hurricane Sally grew stronger while lumbering toward the central U.S. Gulf Coast, the second significant hurricane to shutter oil and gas activity over the last month.The hurricane is disrupting oil imports and exports as the nation's sole offshore terminal, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), stopped loading tanker ships on Sunday, while the port of New Orleans closed on Monday.The U.S. government said 21%…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group said it has delivered the second of two 80-foot, 5,100-horsepower Z-drive tugs for Bisso Offshore, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son of New Orleans, La.Following delivery on June 11, the newbuild ship-handling tug A. Thomas Higgins completed its bollard pull testing witnessed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and received its USCG Sub-M Certificate of Inspection (COI). In addition to  A. Thomas Higgins, E.N. Bisso has taken delivery of five previous modern Z-drive ship assist tugs from Eastern from 2007, including Josephine Anne, Beverly B, Elizabeth B, Archie T.

Barry Dreyfus Jr., CEO of United States Marine Inc. (USMI), doesn’t keep the recipe to his company’s success a secret. In fact, it’s displayed plainly for all to see on the homepage of USMI’s website: family, integrity and quality. These have been cornerstones of the 36-year-old firm, today regarded as one of the nation’s premier military small craft builders.Headquartered in Gulfport, Miss., with a maintenance/repair facility in Chesapeake, Va., USMI is a fully integrated manufacturer of military, patrol and special warfare boats available in lengths from 21 feet to 90 feet.

Port of Gulfport (Mississippi) executive director Jonathan Daniels will move east and take the top spot as the Chief Executive & Port Director at Port Everglades, as announed by Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry. Broward’s seaport is a gateway for cargo, cruise and petroleum that is undergoing a $1.6 billion port expansion effort. Daniels comes to Port Everglades from the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi where he has been the executive director since 2013.In addition to his maritime experience in Gulfport…

United States Marine, Inc. (USMI) has been awarded a $108 million contract to produce vessels for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).The Gulfport, Miss. based shipbuilder will use the five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contact to build combatant craft assault vessels to support the USSOCOM missions around the world.USMI Chief Executive Office Barry Dreyfus, Jr., indicated the contract would allow the company to retain and possibly expand its workforce.“USMI looks forward to continuing our work on behalf of the warfighter and we appreciate the confidence the United States Special Operations Command continues to have in us. We are also proud to work with the tremendous members and Staff of the Mississippi delegation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced that it has awarded more than $280 million in discretionary grant funding through the new Port Infrastructure Development Program. This funding is designed to improve port facilities at or near coastal seaports.The Port Infrastructure Development Program supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve facility and freight infrastructure to ensure our nation’s freight transportation needs, present and future, are met.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has launched the second of two 80’ 5,100 HP Z-Drive tugs for Bisso Offshore, LLC, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son, Inc. The A. Thomas Higgins, currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility, was launched on January 31, 2020.The RAL RApport 2400 Z-Drive ship-handling tug design was provided by Robert Allan Ltd located in Vancouver, Canada. The C.D. White, the first vessel of the series, delivered in January of this year.Long-term customer E.N.

America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday for its new Shipbuilder Academy site in Gulfport.Shipbuilder Academy was established in 2016 at Ingalls’ Maritime Training Academy with a mission to provide enrolled students with a strong foundation in the maritime industry and fill the current industry skills gap.Through a partnership with the Gulfport School District, Ingalls is expanding the program to a new site inside the repurposed Gaston Point Elementary School.“Ingalls has been a cornerstone of the Gulf Coast for more than 80 years, and we want to provide paths for hiring local talent,” said Brian Cuccias, president of Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Spanning 35 exciting years, USMI’s core values of Family, Integrity and Quality have served the firm and its military customers well. The next 35 promise to be just as compelling.Little more than one month ago, on April 16, 2019, Gulfport, MS-based United States Marine Inc. (USMI) celebrated its 35th anniversary of continuous Department of Defense production, with hopes of many more years to come. According to CEO and President Barry Dreyfus, Jr., they’ll do just that by exceeding customer expectations by adhering to USMI’s core values of Family, Integrity and, of course, Quality. Over three and one-half decades, the firm has thrived, primarily by evolving into one of the nation’s premier military small craft builders.RootsThe company originally built World Class racing sailboats.

More than $20 million in grant funding has been awarded to support capital improvement projects at 29 small shipyards in 22 states across the U.S.The funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grant Program, supports capital improvements that foster increased efficiency and economic growth.“These grants are an investment in our country’s small shipyards and will help create good jobs for America’s workers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L.

New Orleans based E.N. BISSO & SON, INC. announced it has acquired fellow harbor tug serves provider PETCHEM, INC. of Port Canaveral, Fla., effective June 27, 2018.PETCHEM’s business at Port Canaveral, which includes three tugs and has been active since 1984, will continue to operate as PETCHEM, INC. with all staffing, personnel, equipment and service commitments unchanged.E.N. BISSO has a fleet of 16 tugs and provides ship assist tug service at New Orleans/Lower Mississippi River and Gulfport, Miss.“We are excited about this expansion opportunity as we believe PETCHEM, INC.

GE Marine’s LM2500 gas turbines now power the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS CINCINNATI (LCS 20), which was commissioned into the United States Navy’s fleet on October 5 in Gulfport, Mississippi. “GE’s skilled and diverse workforce built the LM2500 marine gas turbines used to power this sophisticated surface combatant at GE Aviation’s manufacturing facility in Evendale, Ohio, a few minutes-drive from downtown Cincinnati,” said GE’s Kris Shepherd, Vice President, General Manager, Marine Operations.

Waves began to batter parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast on Tuesday as the region felt the first hit of Tropical Storm Gordon, which is expected to become a hurricane before it comes ashore with high winds and heavy rain, forecasters said.The storm also caused a jump in global oil prices after the evacuation of two oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.Gordon was due to come ashore late on Tuesday near the border between Louisiana and Mississippi, and drop as much as 12 inches (30 cm) of rain in areas still recovering from last year's hurricanes…