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16 Mar 2023

WCI: 20 Years of Success and Still More to Come

© Craig A Walker / Adobe Stock

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) recently held its annual Washington, D.C. meetings that included a Capitol Hill fly-in. WCI members from across the country participated in 100 meetings with House and Senate members to advocate for the nation’s inland waterways to ensure its reliability by modernizing its infrastructure.Meeting with stalwart champions of the inland waterways as well as newly sworn in members of the 118th Congress to educate them about the system’s importance demonstrates democracy in action…

24 Feb 2022

NATO Leaves Black Sea Exposed as Russia Invades Ukraine

(Photo: Andrea Rumple / U.S. Navy)

When Russia attacked Ukraine, the nearest naval vessel of a major NATO ally was in the Mediterranean. The last such ship from a major naval member of the Western military alliance left the Black Sea – an area roughly the size of California bordering Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania – over a month ago.A French warship completed a tour in early January and no major NATO naval ally has patrolled its waters since, according to Turkish maritime website Turkishnavy.net, which tracks the movements of foreign warships.

27 Mar 2020

Connecting Crew During COVID-19

© STOCKSTUDIO / Adobe Stock

Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout says providing crews with enhanced levels of connectivity and support is critical at this unprecedented time, and offers an insight into the work already underway with welfare organizations to assist seafarers in need.Given Inmarsat’s position as the leading provider of maritime VSAT and L-Band services at sea, it is hardly surprising that we have been alert to the direct connection between coronavirus and surging demand for crew voice call and data services.

01 Jun 2017

WCI Meets the Press, Addresses FY 2018 Budget Request

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017; FY 2017 Corps' Work Plan and Infrastructure Plan Addressed. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) today held its annual briefing for the news media to address the President’s FY 2018 budget request, the FY 2017 Consolidated Omnibus Appropriations Act, the Corps of Engineers’ FY 2017 Work Plan, and the Administration’s infrastructure initiative. he event was held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The full FY 2018 budget request to Congress released by the Trump Administration proposes $5.02 billion for the Corps’ Civil Works program, representing a $382 million increase above President Obama’s FY17 request, but more than $1 billion below the $6.038 billion appropriated by Congress for FY 2017.

28 Jun 2016

China's Robust Crude Oil Imports Mask Changing Fuel Dynamics

China is a bigger concern for crude oil and products markets than the current worries about the British vote to leave the European Union. While the news media continues its relentless focus on Brexit, there is mounting evidence of a shift in the dynamics of China's crude and fuel markets, which may have a far greater impact on global energy markets. On the surface crude imports by the world's No.2 consumer China look healthy enough, rising 16.5 percent to the equivalent of about 7.49 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first five months of the year compared to the same period last year. But there are several factors at work that make the strength in imports appear misleading.

20 Feb 2015

Union Rejects Oil Refinery Contract Offer

Union negotiators on Thursday rejected the latest contract offer from oil companies and said the largest U.S. refinery strike since 1980 may spread to more plants beyond the 11 where walkouts are underway. The United Steelworkers union (USW) said in a message to members and news media that the latest proposal from lead oil company negotiator Royal Dutch Shell Plc failed to improve safety at refineries and chemical plants in an "enforceable way." The union also told workers not on strike to be prepared to walk out in the coming days. Reporting by Erwin Seba

19 Aug 2014

BOEM to Open Bids for Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Gulf of Mexico Regional Director John Rodi will open the Gulf of Mexico Western Planning Area Lease Sale 238 at 9 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The sale, which offers more than 21 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development offshore Texas, is open to the public and news media representatives are invited to attend. Following the bid reading, a news media teleconference to announce the results of the sale will be conducted by BOEM Gulf of Mexico Deputy Regional Director Michael Celata. Media wishing to participate in the teleconference only should call 1-888-469-1174 by 10 a.m. CDT and provide the passcode GULF SALE.

03 Mar 2014

Students Asked to Name One of Canada’s Largest Cranes

Rendering courtesy Seaspan

From March 3-14, 2014, Seaspan is calling on all Grades 4-7 students in NVSD, to put their thinking caps on, come up with their one best idea in two words or less, and help cement their spot in the history of Vancouver Shipyards. “The arrival of our new 300-metric-ton Gantry Crane marks a major milestone in Seaspan’s Shipyard Modernization Project and the future of the North Vancouver community as a whole,” said Brian Carter, President of Seaspan Shipyards. More than 4,400 students…

13 Jan 2014

ICS Reports on Lessons from Somali Piracy

Peter Hinchliffe

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), a global trade association for shipowners, has issued a paper drawing upon the international shipping industry’s experience of Somali-based piracy during the period 2007 to 2013. “The intention is to identify lessons learned in order to shape future policy responses, wherever in the world they might be needed,” explained ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe. The ICS paper has been submitted to the International Contact Group on Piracy…

14 Oct 2013

Alaska Governor Invites Regional Arctic Investments

Photo in public domain

At a global conference on Arctic opportunity, Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell told participants that the Arctic is an emerging market and Alaska is a launch pad for circumpolar investment. Alaska’s $50 billion economy is fiscally stable and economically diverse,” Treadwell told an audience of investors, industry representatives, government officials, news media participants and indigenous citizens gathered for the first ever 'Arctic Circle' in Reykjavik, Iceland on Sunday. “This is a very forward-thinking group…

31 May 2012

WCI Names Colbert SVP

Debra A. Colbert, WCI Senior Vice President.

The Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) Board of Directors has named Debra A. Colbert as Senior Vice President, effective June 1, 2012. Colbert currently serves as Director of Communications and Media Relations for the organization and has served with WCI since its inception in 2004, developing the communications program of its predecessor organization, Waterways Work! Prior to her work with WCI, Colbert served as President of Colbert Communications, a communications consultancy practice that offered media relations…

19 Apr 2012

Cruise Ship News – Media Tie-up Announced

Cruising Authority, the Internet's leading cruise-related talk show, and CruisesOnly, America's largest cruise agency, are joining forces. A division of World Travel Holdings, CruisesOnly will be the featured cruise agency in all of Cruising Authority's audio and video programming for 2012, offering the show's audience a portal to the cruise industry's best-available rates, discounts, and bonus offers. "We're very pleased to be teaming up with Cruising Authority," said Jeffrey Sherota, Sr. Vice President of CruisesOnly. "As America's largest cruise agency, we're always looking for opportunities to partner with other industry leaders.

12 Oct 2011

Speakers for 8th Annual WCI Annual Meeting and Symposium Announced

Meeting takes place in Pittsburg, PA on October 19-21, 2011. Governor of Pennsylvania Tom Corbett; PNC Financial Services Group Chairman/CEO James Rohr; Rep. Mike Doyle; The Honorable James Oberstar; and among keynoters. A variety of distinguished speakers and panelists have been announced for the Eighth Annual Waterways Symposium and WCI Annual Meeting, sponsored by Waterways Council, Inc., Informa Economics and The Waterways Journal. The Symposium will take place October 20-21…

15 Nov 2010

Where are Rivers and Ports in Obama’s Plan?

One of the two miter gates of the auxiliary chamber close behind the MV Sir Robert at Locks 27 in Granite City, Ill. Photo courtesy USACE

Waterways Council’s Inc. (WCI) and its more than 200 members were surprised and disappointed with President Obama’s announcement on September 6 that he intends to ask Congress for at least $50 billion in funding for infrastructure but made no mention of waterways infrastructure projects. Roads, rails and runways — why not Rivers? WCI issued a press statement reacting to the Obama announcement: “While the nation celebrated Labor Day and all that the workforce has done to make America great…

08 Sep 2008

From Canines to Liquefied Natural Gas

For the past several years, maritime security has been on everyone's mind. From the halls of Congress to the longshoremen working the midnight shift, the threat of a possible terrorist attack on the maritime interests of the United States and dealing with new security requirements have kept this topic on the front burner. While most in the maritime industry are relatively aware of the legislation that has been promulgated since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, new evolving legislation continues to be implemented. In this regard, the most recent legislation that addresses the continuing implementation of the maritime security regime is the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008, HR 2830 (the "Bill").

20 Dec 2007

Factual Report on Cruise Ship Grounding

As part of its continuing investigation into a grounding accident involving the Empress of the North, southwest of Juneau, Alaska, the National Transportation Safety Board will open a public docket and release a factual report on Friday, December 21, 2007, at 11:00 am. On May 14, 2007, about 1:30 pm local time, the passenger vessel Empress of the North grounded on a charted rock at the intersection of Lynn Canal and Icy Straits, about 20 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska, after the vessel failed to negotiate a turn to the west. The vessel was carrying 206 passengers and 75 crewmembers. No injuries resulted from the accident, but the vessel sustained significant damage to its hull and propulsion system. The information being released is factual in nature and does not provide any analysis.

01 Jun 2004

MITAGS Security Programs Available

Glen Paine, Executive Director of the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) and the Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI), announced the development of specific programs to assist maritime personnel in meeting the new Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code security regulations. Companion seminars have also been developed to provide additional knowledge in specific subject areas. This comprehensive training program is designed for personnel assigned to port, facility, company, or ship security officer responsibilities. The program includes detailed training and instruction in the development of security assessments, plans, and drills.

19 Jul 2002

Pacific Oil Spill Task Force to Meet in Tacoma

The Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force will hold its 2002 annual meeting in Tacoma on July 23. The meeting will last from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel, 1320 Broadway Plaza, and is open to the news media and the public. The task force was formed in 1989 to coordinate oil-spill prevention and response policies that cover some 55,826 miles of coastline, from the Beaufort Sea to the Baja Peninsula, plus the Hawaiian islands. The theme for this year's meeting, Doing It Right: Balancing Regulatory and Non-Regulatory Approaches, will focus on the roles that government regulators and private industry play in reducing the number and severity of oil spills.

07 Aug 2002

Crowley Christens Newest Tug

The waters of North Puget Sound are now under even greater environmental protection since Crowley’s ship assist and escort services group deployed its newest tug named Response to escort and assist oil tankers there. The swift, powerful tug was christened at noon Friday, August 2nd, at Pier 66 in Elliott Bay and will be put into service shortly hereafter. Under brilliant sunny skies, Deicy Mathur, wife of Anil Mathur, President of the Alaska Tanker Company, LLC, performed the christening ceremony aboard the Response. Over 300 invited guests and the news media had the opportunity to tour the boat. Two other Crowley tugs joined in the ceremony by blowing their horns alerting other passing vessels to do the same.

23 Aug 2001

CMC Celebrates Earth Station's 25th Anniversary

COMSAT Mobile Communications' (CMC) Santa Paula, California, earth station is celebrating 25 years of continuous, around-the-clock operations, providing the critical communications link for customers on land, at sea, and in the air. CMC's west coast facility provides Inmarsat satellite communications coverage from western North America, across the Pacific Ocean and into Asia, the Pacific Rim nations, New Zealand, Australia, and the eastern Indian Ocean. The Santa Paula station has served as a principal communications lifeline providing instant communications to ships at sea, aircraft, and to people located in parts of the world where there is no communications infrastructure. For a quarter century, Santa Paula has often provided their sole means of contact with the rest of the world.

20 Apr 2005

Knoy to Head Waterways Council

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) named Mark Knoy, President of AEP Memco LLC as its next Chairman of the Board. Knoy succeeds Berdon Lawrence, Chairman of Kirby Corporation, as WCI’s Chairman. Mr. Lawrence served Waterways Council, Inc. since its inception in 2003, and before that, as Chairman of Waterways Work! “I look forward to working with WCI as we continue to educate those on Capitol Hill, in the news media, and the general public about the critical need to maintain and modernize our Nation’s ports and inland waterways infrastructure. WCI will continue to be the leading, unifying voice for this message,” said Knoy. “The inland waterways industry, and WCI, expresses its tremendous thanks to Berdon Lawrence, who has given so much of himself to improving the condition of the industry.