Marine Transportation Service News

When a 9,280hp workboat returned to service following extensive repairs at the James Marine Paducah River Service yard in Kentucky, U.S.A., it marked the first application of Thordon’s new seal-embedded bearing to an articulating rudder, Thordon Bearings said Monday. Articulating rudders are unlike conventional rudders and can be more costly to repair when things go wrong. They are more susceptible to wear and tear, due to the higher operating pressures and abrasives, and as a result…

Jeffersonville, Ind.-based barging company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) said it has been cleared of any fault related to the 2008 Mel Oliver collision and resulting oil spill on the Mississippi River.The announcement comes after more than 13 years of legal proceedings and is the result of a settlement agreement reached on November 18, 2021, with the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Louisiana regarding the case.It was determined that fault for the collision and resulting oil spill belongs to Harvey…

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA), Port of Baltimore, officially joined the Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS), a national unified safety voice for the dredging and marine construction industry.The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest seaports in the United States, handling every type of cargo at its public and private terminals. Currently, Baltimore is in the execution phase of more than $200 million in marine construction, dredging and infrastructure upgrades at Seagirt, Dundalk and Locust Point Marine Terminals.

Choosing the year’s ‘top stories’ is always a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, each dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way.The Infrastructure Battle ContinuesThe EXECUTIVE SUMMARY H.R. 2396, the “Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act”, will ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used for its intended purpose – maintaining Federally-authorized harbors. The legislation would allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to dredge all Federal harbors to their constructed widths and depths. Unfortunately, Washington continues in chaos with another continuing resolution on the budget; the next one expires on December 20th.

Open to all OMSA Members, the Committee Seeks to Further the Domestic Offshore Wind Industry and the Jones Act.New Orleans, LA – Today, the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) announced the formation of the OMSA Wind Committee and announced that membership on the Committee is now open to all OMSA members.OMSA President, Aaron Smith said, “Over the past 46 years, OMSA has done a tremendous job in promoting public policy that benefits the vessels, operators, and mariners engaged in the offshore oil and gas industry.

A vastly modernized U.S. offshore support fleet awaits the opportunity to perform Jones Act work in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Foreign operators, already here, predict disaster if a cabotage rule change takes effect. A change proposed by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in its Customs Bulletin & Decision newsletter promises reversal of a 40-year practice that, until now, allowed the use of non-coastwise-qualified vessels in the transportation of pipeline repair material; anodes; pipeline connectors; wellhead equipment; valves and valve guards; damaged pipelines; platform repair material; and similar cargo from one domestic point to another. The proposed change gave all interested parties until April 18th to make comment, a deadline which has now come and gone.

As the Executive Director for the Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA), Aaron Smith is charged with managing the day-to-day operation of the Authority. Along with the OSVDPA Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Council (TAC), Aaron has helped to craft the Authority’s dynamic positioning operator (DPO) certification program. This includes ensuring that the program is ultimately accepted by the offshore energy industry, and its many international and domestic counterparts.

Norwegian Marine Transportation Service Company I.M. Skaugen SE reported interim losses but cautiously positive and expecting a gradual recovery of trading opportunities for long routes the petrochemical market. The gas carrier owner reported profit before and after tax of minus $ 5.1 million (loss) in Q2 2016. The same quarter a year ago profit before and after tax minus $ 0.5 million. Freight revenues amounted to $ 18.5 million in this year's 2nd quarter, against 15.7 million in last year. I.M. Skaugen SE’s (IMSK) core business is liquefied gas transportation. The fleet of 15 advanced gas carriers is operated in a revenue sharing pool managed by Norgas Carriers Pte Ltd.

Marine transportation service company American Commercial Lines (ACL) announced it has acquired commercial inland barge company AEP River Operations from American Electric Power (AEP). AEP River Operations is based in Chesterfield, Mo., with operations in Paducah, Ky.; and Convent, Algiers and Belle Chasse, La., and delivers approximately 45 million tons of products annually. Mark Knoy, president and CEO of Jeffersonville, Ind. based ACL, had previously run AEP River Operations for a decade before joining ACL in 2011.

American Commercial Lines presented Marine Environmental Stewardship Awards on Wednesday, July 16 in Houston, Texas, recognizing 35 customers for safe handling of chemicals, petroleum products and other liquid cargos. The customers recognized by ACL safely handled over two billion gallons of chemicals, petroleum products and other liquid cargoes with the barge transportation company in 2013. Recipients of the award are: Axiall Corporation; BASF Corporation; Bayer Corporation; Bunge North America…

American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL), a U.S. marine transportation service company, was presented with Environmental Achievement Awards by the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) at a reception held Wednesday, November 13 in Washington, D.C. A total of 74 of ACL’s fleet of 100 towboats were recognized by CSA for their environmental records. CSA represents U.S.-based companies that own, operate or charter ocean-going tankers, containers ships, or dry bulk vessels in domestic or international trades. The organization has been presenting Environmental Achievement Awards since 2004 to recognize vessel and shore-side personnel for good stewardship of the marine environment and to increase public awareness of the marine transportation industry’s excellent record of environmental accomplishment.

A tumultuous three years for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, starting with the disastrous Macondo Oil Spill in April of 2010, has come full circle, arriving at a buoyant period for Gulf Cost boat builders, oil & gas developers and the maritime professionals who make it all happen. At the center of all of it is the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) and its President and CEO, Jim Adams. OMSA bills itself as the leading national association of, and spokesman for, the offshore marine transportation service industry. As a central tenet of its existence, OMSA vigorously defends the cabotage laws of the United States and encourages and promotes high standards of safety training and environmental protection.

Since January 8, 2009, United States (U.S.) and foreign flagged ships operating in the waters of the U.S. have been subject to MARPOL Annex VI. The Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted amendments to Annex VI and the nitrogen oxides (NOx) Technical Code, collectively referred to as Annex VI (Revised). Annex VI (Revised) entered into force on July 1, 2010. These amendments include significant and progressive limits for sulfur oxide (SOx) and NOx emissions from marine engines and for the first time addressed emissions of Particulate Matter (PM). The amendments replaced the SOx Emissions Control Areas (SECA) by introducing the concept of Emission Control Areas (ECA) for SOx, NOx, and PM.

Sharon R. Duggan has been appointed to the board of Marine Atlantic Inc. by the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Marine Atlantic Inc. is a federal Crown corporation that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. The corporation provides a constitutionally mandated passenger and commercial marine transportation service between the Island of Newfoundland and the Province of Nova Scotia. Its mission is to provide a safe, environmentally responsible and quality ferry service in a reliable and cost-effective manner. "I am pleased that Ms. Duggan has agreed to serve on the board of Marine Atlantic," said Minister Lebel. Ms.

American Commercial Lines Will Transport Petroleum Products by Inland Barge for SeaRiver Maritime Inc. American Commercial Lines (ACL) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with SeaRiver Maritime Inc., a marine affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, to provide petroleum barge transportation services on the U.S. inland waterways. As of January 1, 2013, ACL has entered into a multi-year agreement with SeaRiver to transport liquid cargoes via its mainline service and in unit tows. "We look forward to partnering with SeaRiver to transport ExxonMobil cargoes on the inland waterways," Mark Knoy, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACL, stated.

American Commercial Lines (ACL) is pleased to announce that it will begin transporting crude oil by barge on the U.S. inland waterways for MEG Energy (U.S.) Inc. (MEG Energy), a subsidiary of the Canadian oil company MEG Energy Corp. Crude oil will arrive primarily via pipeline and will be transferred to barges at storage terminals located on the inland waterways for transport by ACL to the Gulf Coast. ACL is dedicating new tank barges built by its manufacturing division Jeffboat into service for MEG Energy, as well as towboats newly repowered and refurbished for maximum efficiency and reliability. "We are committed to providing MEG Energy with the highest quality equipment and the highest level of service by our team of experienced and dedicated maritime professionals…

American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL), one of the largest and most diversified inland marine transportation and service companies in the United States, announced today the appointments of Mark Knoy as President and Chief Executive Officer and David Huls as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Industry veteran Mark Knoy, 52, is joining ACL following a seventeen year career at AEP River Operations, LLC, a subsidiary of American Electric Power Co., Inc., where he spent the last ten years serving as President. Under Mr. Knoy's leadership AEP River Operations grew to become one of the nation's largest and most successful barge lines. "Mark brings to ACL many years of profitable growth on the inland waterways," said Bryan Kelln, President of Portfolio Operations at Platinum Equity.

Marine transportation services provider, Chuan Hup Holdings Limited (“Chuan Hup” or “Group”), announced that its subsidiary, ACIS Holdings Limited (“ACIS”) has disposed of its entire 10 percent stake in Dredging International Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (“DIAP”) for S$15.2 million. Chuan Hup estimates the net profit before tax attributable to this sale to be S$5.5 million. The cash sale of 6.3 million ordinary DIAP shares, representing 10 percent of the total issued share capital of DIAP, was made to Tideway B.V. (“Tideway”) of the Netherlands. The remaining 90 percent of DIAP is owned by Pacific Dredging Corporation B.V. (“Pacific Dredging”).