J Brennan News

Maersk Tankers announced it has acquired U.S. pool operator Penfield Marine, creating a large-scale crude and product tanker company with around 240 vessels under its management.Maersk Tankers’ CEO, Tina Revsbech, said, “Penfield Marine has over the years built a solid position and presence in the industry and is a perfect match to Maersk Tankers. Our combined commercial and operational expertise will allow us to grow our presence as a commercial manager and extend our service…

NOAA has selected Mike Brennan, Ph.D., to serve as the next director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, as preparations continue ahead of the 2023 hurricane season. He will assume this new role effective today, April 10, 2023.“The NHC director is one of the most visible and important jobs in the nation, and Mike possesses the right combination of experience, leadership and personal traits to prepare and guide us through major storms,” said Rick Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator.

Specialty marine contractor J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. announced it has finalized a deal to acquire the assets of Infrastructure Alternatives, Inc.'s (IAI) dredging and dewatering division, effective February 1, 2023.La Crosse, Wis.-headquartered Brennan said environmental services account for 50% of Brennan’s work, and that the purchase brings dewatering, water treatment and treatability testing services into the organization for the first time.“We are excited for IAI’s specialists to join the Brennan family,” said Greg Smith, Brennan’s vice president of environmental services.

La Crosse, Wis. based marine construction firm J.F. Brennan Co. Inc. has secured a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for work at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Rockdale, Ill.The company was the sole bidder for the $23,484,700 firm-fixed-price contract, which will see it install a miter gate installation and replace machinery at the site. Work is estimated to be completed by January 19, 2024.The Brandon Road Lock and Dam is a lock and dam complex along the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois.

Specialty construction firm J.F. Brennan Company announced it has acquired California-based Harbor Offshore, Inc (HOI), a specialist in commercial diving, marine construction, maritime security barriers and submarine cable installation.The acquisition bring submarine cabling and maritime security barrier expertise to Brennan, and it expands Brennan's operations geographically, the company said. With the addition of licensing along the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska, Brennan is now operable in all 50 states."This acquisition opens new geographies…

Students from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) are set to resume at sea training with new safety measures in place following a temporary pause due to sexual assault and harassment concerns. The U.S. federal maritime academy’s Sea Year training program, which typically consists of a sailing period during a cadet’s sophomore year and a longer sailing period during a cadet’s junior year, was put on hold in early November as lawmakers and the U.S. Department of Transportation…

Maine Maritime Academy’s Board of Trustees announced that Jerald S. “Jerry” Paul has been named as the college’s 15th President. Paul, current President of Capitol Access and a 1989 graduate of the institution, will take office this spring.Paul will succeed President William J. Brennan, who steps down from the position at the end of April following 12 years of transformative leadership at MMA. “I am gratified that the Board has selected such a fine individual to lead this wonderful college when I step down next spring,” says President Brennan.

Tanker operator Penfield Marine and Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets division announced the execution of Penfield’s first carbon-neutral voyage in a collaboration that will enable Penfield Marine to offer environmentally differentiated freight products to its customers.The structure achieves carbon-neutral freight by retiring carbon offsets sufficient to cover the carbon footprint of an entire voyage, including emissions associated with the vessel’s ballast leg, positioning the vessel to perform the voyage, the laden passage and all in port load and discharge operations.

William J. Brennan, president of Maine Maritime Academy, announced he will retire after the upcoming school year, capping off 12 years of service to the institution.“It is an exciting moment for me, but I really do have mixed emotions about the announcement,” Brennan said. “This is truly the best job I have ever had. MMA’s mission, our students and our staff and faculty, they all mean the world to me. Still, I feel this is the right decision for me and for the academy.”In a letter announcing his decision to Earle Cianchette…

La Crosse, Wis.-based dredging, diving and marine construction company J.F. Brennan Company said it established a permanent Mid-South Region presence in Paducah, Ky., and will provide all Brennan services, including above and below-water construction and environmental remediation services.The Mid-South team consists of locals in the area and is under the leadership of Robert "Bob" Wheeler, who recently joined Brennan from Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. and most notably worked on the Olmsted Lock & Dam and the LaGrange Lock & Dam Major Rehabilitation projects, both operated by the U.S.

CWind, a provider of project services and crew transfer vessels (CTV) to the offshore wind industry, reports it has completed the sale of its CTV Endeavour to Wood Marine, a port services operator based in Suffolk, U.K.According to CWind, part of the Global Marine Group (GMG), the sale the 18.5-meter catamaran with a maximum speed of 27 knots, is part of the company’s plan to remodel its CTV fleet.“We continuously review the composition of our fleet of over 20 CTVs, to actively divest tonnage and upgrade our fleet to suit market requirements.” Joshua Brennan, operations director at CWind.

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) hired alumnus Captain Gordon ‘Mac’ MacArthur to serve as master aboard the Training Ship State of Maine.With more than 30 years of experience in the maritime field, MacArthur served most recently as a Senior Dynamic Positioning Officer for Diamond Offshore Drilling, where he monitored environmental conditions, assisted in incident investigation and analysis, maintained and tested equipment, and managed personnel aboard offshore drilling vessels. Prior to joining Diamond, MacArthur served as Chief Mate and Master with Seadrill.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority last week finalized acquisition of the Duluth Lake Port dock on Rice’s Point.Located immediately northwest of the Port Authority’s First Clure Terminal Expansion, but separated from it by the Azcon Metals recycling property, the 7.5-acre Duluth Lake Port dock and 3.5-acre slip date back to the 1880s, when Duluth Imperial Mill built the site’s initial flour mill and grain elevators. The facility was last used for grain in 2015. TN LLC purchased the site in 2017. The Port Authority acquired it from TN LLC in a $950,000 deal that closed Dec. 1, 2020.

Remote monitoring and reporting platforms provider Reygar says it is working with offshore renewables services company CWind to develop a new communication safety feature within its BareFLEET fleet monitoring system.In an effort to simplify communications between the bridge and shore team while the vessel is in transit, the companies have partnered to test and deploy an upgrade to BareFLEET that alerts the master to record their presence on the bridge at regular intervals. BridgeWatch…

Oceanco’s newest project, the 105-meter (345 ft) diesel-electric driven Esquel has been conceived and designed to explore new territories.Oceanco created Esquel in collaboration with Timur Bozca Design, stylist Gina Brennan, Lateral Naval Architects and Engineering and Pelorus—an experiential and yacht expedition travel company.Sporting a displacement hull with a plumb bow, Esquel has been designed for extensive cruising to remote regions extending from the North Pole to the South Pole and everywhere in between.A blend between an expedition vessel and a superyacht…

Survitec opened a new service and distribution hub in Singapore.The complex in Singapore’s Sembawang district covers a 7,153 cu. m. area, of which 1308 cu. m. is outdoors. With more than 200 personnel, it is Survitec’s largest service and distribution center globally, housing three distinct business units: WH Brennan & Co Pte Ltd, Survitec Safety Solutions Pte Ltd and Survitec Fire Solutions Pte Ltd.The Survitec products and services supplied by the Singapore facility include…

The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) is proud to announce the formation of its Diversity Committee. A member-driven project created as a next step after the #METOO campaign, the WISTA Diversity Committee will focus on providing practical solutions to increase opportunities for gender diversity in the maritime industry. The committee works as part of WISTA International’s 2018 theme: The Women Who Move the World. “WISTA has always advocated for increased gender diversity in the maritime industry. Over the years our members and National WISTA Associations have taken significant steps in increasing the opportunities, support, and roles for women in our industry,” said WISTA International president Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou.

The digitalisation of ports and terminal operations offers ways to realise a “fourth industrial revolution”, bringing with it safety, operational, and environmental benefits, delegates heard at the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) annual general meeting, which was held in the Spanish port city of Bilbao. Digitalisation themes that were explored during presentations included artificial intelligence, data management, cyber-physical systems, and interoperability between layers of IoT platforms – all of which are emerging as ways to improve container throughput at ports and terminals. Keynote speakers Lamia Kerdjoudj-Belkaid, secretary general of ports body FEPORT, and Capt.

The Honorable Sean J. Stackley assumed the responsibilities of acting secretary of the Navy Jan. 20 at noon. Stackley, who served as the assistant secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) for more than eight years, will carry out the day-to-day responsibilities of the secretary of the Navy until the incoming Trump administration nominates, and Congress confirms, a replacement for Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. The Honorable Thomas W. Hicks, deputy undersecretary of the Navy (Management), will also perform the duties of under secretary of the Navy until a replacement for the Honorable Janine Davidson is nominated and confirmed. The Honorable Allison F. Stiller will perform the duties of assistant secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition).

The SENER engineering and technology group signed a contract last year with the U.S. based shipbuilder Fincantieri Marine Group for the license to use SENER’s FORAN System. FORAN is currently in use at one of the company’s shipyards, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS), located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. The scope of the contract included the installation, setup, training and support for the three main FORAN disciplines: Hull Structure, Machinery & Outfitting, and Electrical Design.

Christopher J. Wiernicki, chairman, president and CEO of ABS, addressed graduating students, their families and faculty members at Maine Maritime Academy's (MMA) Commencement on May 2. "It is an honor to speak with the young people who represent the next generation of maritime leaders," Wiernicki told the 248 students who received academic degrees. MMA president Dr. William J. Brennan said, "ABS has invested so much toward the success of our students. Brennan presented Wiernicki an honorary Doctor of Science degree to recognize his contributions to the global maritime industry.

The United States Senate confirmed William P. Doyle to another term in office as a Federal Maritime Commissioner on the evening of March 23, 2015. The vote was a unanimous 89 in favor, 0 opposed, and 11 senators not voting. Upon confirmation, Commissioner Doyle said, “I would like to thank President Obama for his confidence in me, and I would also like to thank the U.S. Senate for taking up my nomination today. William Doyle was originally confirmed by the Senate on January 1, 2013 to fill the unexpired term of former Commissioner Joseph Brennan.

New facility and positive customer response spur inventory growth in hydraulic and instrumentation product lines. Brennan Industries, Inc., an international supplier of hydraulic fittings and adapters, announced it is more than doubling its inventory in Canada at its distribution facility, located in Mississauga, Ontario. “We’re in the process of bulking up our product inventory in Mississauga,” said Bill Jarrell, vice president of marketing and operations at Brennan Industries. Brennan is primarily increasing its inventory of hydraulic and instrumentation product lines.