Courts Rule on Lost Profits
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that a ship owner whose vessel was damaged due to negligence is entitled to recover lost profits for the period the vessel was out of service if the vessel was active in a market ready for its services. In the instant case, plaintiff's barge grounded in the Pascagoula channel. The trial court found the government to be partially negligent because the channel as marked was inconsistent with the channel as dredged. The appellate court ruled that it is not necessary for a ship owner to show that it lost particular charters in order to recover lost profits. Maritrans Operating Partners, LP v. Port of Pascagoula Source: HK Law
Maritrans' Double Hull Process Receives Patent
Maritrans Operating Partners L.P., a subsidiary of Maritrans Inc., has obtained a patent on its proprietary process for rebuilding single hull tank vessels with internal double hulls. Together with M. Daniel Jones of the Houston-based naval architecture firm Schuller & Allan, Maritrans developed an innovative double-hull manufacturing process to rebuild single-hulled tank vessels with the double hulls required by the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The unique process utilizes computer-assisted design for fabricating modular internal hull sections. In 1998, Maritrans used the process to complete the rebuilding of the 10,549 gross-ton tank barge Maritrans 192 (formerly Ocean 192), which marked the first large single hull tank vessel to be rebuilt with a double hull to meet OPA's mandate.
Innovative Double Hull Re-Build
Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Company was recently chosen by Maritrans Operating Partners L.P., a subsidiary of Maritrans, Inc., to retro-fit the company's second single-hull vessel, Ocean 244, to meet the requirements of OPA 90, through double-hull conversion. Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Company will utilize the same Maritrans innovative CAD and manufacturing process (patent pending by Maritrans) used on Tampa's first conversion of Maritrans 192 (former Ocean 192). "We've earned the importance of internal measurement [since the first conversion]," says Tom Hagner, double hull program manager for Maritrans. "As a result, we'lll be pre-fabricating modules in October…
Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Enters Agreement With Maritrans
Tampa Bay Shipbuilding & Repair Company has been chosen by Maritrans Operating Partners, a subsidiary of Maritrans, Inc. to retro-fit its second single-hull vessel, Ocean 244, in order to comply with the requirements of OPA 1990, via double-hull conversion. Tampa Bay has decided to employ the same Maritrans innovative computer - assisted design and manufacturing process that led to Tampa Bay's citation as one of Maritime Reporter and Engineering News Outstanding Shipbuilders of 1998 for their development of Maritrans 192. OPA 1990 requires that all existing single-hull vessels engaged in the maritime transport of oil and petroleum products be retro-fitted with double hulls - or be retired by 2015.
