Ocean Towing News

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) announced the completion of the third and final Ollis Class Staten Island Ferry for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. Yesterday, the Dorothy Day, Hull 221, departed ESG’s Port St. Joe Shipyard passenger ready with the U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection and the ABS Class Certificates in hand.“It has been an honor for our company to build the three Ollis Class Staten Island Ferries…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) announced the completion of the second Ollis Class Staten Island Ferry for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. The Sandy Ground, Hull 220, departed ESG’s Port St. Joe Shipyard passenger ready with the USCG Certificate of Inspection and the ABS Class Certificates in hand.“I am pleased to announce the newest Staten Island Ferry Sandy Ground is being delivered to New York City. This vessel honors our nation’s African-American heritage and will tell the story of the landmark Sandy Ground community…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) announced it has completed the first of three new Staten Island “Ollis Class” ferries for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. The MV SSG Michael H. Ollis, Hull 219, departed ESG’s Port St. Joe, Fla. facility fully certified and passenger ready.Dann Ocean Towing’s Colonel is towing the ferry on a 12-dray trip to New York City. Upon arrival, the ferry will be staged at Caddell Dry Dock for cleaning and another round of trials and training.

“I hold no branch in higher esteem, than the Merchant Marine…”That is a quote from General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander of the Pacific in WWII. That one sentence sums up National Maritime Day. Inasmuch if it were not for our glorious Merchant Marine and maritime industry, we may not even have been a nation at all.National Maritime Day is the day we honor our American Merchant Mariners for protecting our freedom and for their dedication to promoting American commerce together with the accomplishments of the U.S. maritime industry.

Marine salvage and emergence response group Resolve Marine said it repositioned its response tug Makushin Bay from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to Kodiak, Alaska where the growing need for maritime and response services will provide local vessel operators and owners with rapid response and cost efficiencies.Stationing the salvage and emergency response vessel in Kodiak with a 24/7 manned crew will improve response time and marine services along Alaska’s south coast, the company said.

Mississippi-based ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore has recently won a contract to retrofit new propulsion and maneuvering systems on an ocean towing tug, Signet Warhorse II, for Signet Maritime Corporation.The scope of work included removing existing shafts and fixed-pitched propellers to be replaced with Controllable Pitch Propellers consisting of shaft bearings and shafts. Auxiliary components including the oil distribution box and feedback unit were integrated into the machinery space.The existing bow tunnel thruster was replaced with a retractable azimuth thruster.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, said it has secured an order to provide deck handling solutions to two towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS) class vessels to be built at Gulf Island Shipyards, a subsidiary of Gulf Island Fabrication.MacGregor's scope of supply includes deck machinery, towing winch, traction winch, shark jaws, towing pins/pop-up pins, stern roller, offshore crane and other accessories. This order represents the fourth and fifth shipsets that will be supplied to the new Navajo-class T-ATS class…

Portugal’s Navalrocha Shipyard is reporting a flurry of activity in 2020 as it navigates the COVID-19 outbreak and prepares for a packed order book in the coming months.Navalrocha commercial director Sergio Rodrigues said the shipyard had recorded several landmarks during a highly memorable period in its history, completing its first multimillion Euro refit for a seismic survey vessel before managing its first ballast water treatment system (BWTS) installation.The projects were accompanied by a series of other deals involving bunker tankers…

These days, cost-conscious municipalities across the fruited plain, from sea to shining sea, are ordering new waterborne assets to cover their many local responsibilities. When they do, they want ‘more bang for their buck,’ combining multiple missions – and the equipment that makes it all possible – onto one hull. That’s a tall order on the typically compact patrol boat style hulls that tend to be big on performance, but short on space for equipment that can demand a significant physical footprint. One such shipbuilder stepping up to plate to deliver on a raft of promises is Gulf Coast-based Metal Shark. Significantly expanding its presence in the fireboat market with a diverse range of fireboats currently in production for multiple customers…

Finnish marine cargo handling equipment provider MacGregor has been selected to supply repeat packages of deck machinery equipment for two new US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS).According to a press release from MacGregor, part of Cargotec, the vessels under construction at Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, US. The new orders have a combined value of circa EUR 8 million (USD 9.02 million and are subsequent to the first contract secured in the fourth quarter of 2018 and announced in January 2019."We are very pleased that MacGregor has again been selected to supply deck machinery equipment for the two T-ATS class vessels…

Gulf Island Shipyards was awarded a $63.5 million contract for the detail design and construction of the new Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship which will be based on existing commercial towing offshore vessel designs and will replace the current T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class ships in service with the US Military Sealift Command.Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has announced the new class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship will be named Navajo.The new class of vessels will…

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, has provided the detailed design for Shaver Transportation Company’s new, Z-drive tug – Samantha S. The multi-purpose tug was built at Diversified Marine Inc., in Portland, Ore., and is operating along the West Coast. The tug is ABS-classed and carries a FFV1 firefighting notation.The 112-foot by 44-foot tug has a 22-foot draft, was built for escort, ocean towing and ship assist, and has firefighting capabilities if needed. The tug features a raised pilot house and a squared forward end.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has been selected to supply deck machinery equipment for a US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) T-ATSX-class vessel under construction at Gulf Island Shipyards, in Houma, Louisiana, US. The order was booked into Cargotec's fourth quarter 2018 order intake and the equipment is planned for delivery during the first quarter of 2020.MacGregor's latest naval contract with Gulf Island Shipyards, a subsidiary of Gulf Island Fabrication Inc, includes the option for a further seven vessels. The towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATSX) is a new class of vessel that will be deployed for worldwide naval service including open-ocean towing…

The ocean-going petroleum barge company Bouchard Transportation said that ATB tug M/V Evening Breeze was launched at US-based medium-sized ships builder VT Halter Marine's Pascagoula shipyard.The launch of the M/V Evening Breeze marks a milestone achievement in Bouchard’s most recent expansion efforts; with the launch of sister ATB tug M/V Evening Stroll not far behind.Bouchard’s Safety First philosophy remains at the forefront of their operation, and is powerfully supported through VT Halter Marine, Inc.’s ability to help advance their fleet with the most innovative technologies.Bouchard is dedicated to offering a safe work environment for their crew and a reliable service to their customers…

Mississippi shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc. said it has secured a new contract to build an articulated tug barge (ATB) tug with an option for a second vessel for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc.Construction of the new vessel, M/V Evening Stroll, begins immediately at the builder’s Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard, with delivery scheduled for December 2019. This vessel will enter into Bouchard’s fleet service in New York, N.Y to transport liquid petroleum products throughout the…

Harken Industrial is pleased to announce a manufacturing and distribution agreement for the complete C-Hero Man Overboard Rescue System.The system will be manufactured to ISO 9001standards by Harken Industrial in Pewaukee, Wis., and distributed by C-Hero, a California-based company, in the United States. Harken will sell the system through its industrial products network in the rest of the world.The C-Hero StoryC-Hero founder Shane Smith, a tugboat captain, started his career working with his father in Hawaii during the 1970s doing diving, salvage, bunkering, and ocean towing.

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s offshore services group has delivered Shell’s Appomattox semi-submersible Floating Production System (FPS) to the open waters of the U.S. Gulf from Kiewit Offshore Services' construction facility in Ingleside, Texas.Making the tow-out possible were Crowley’s Ocean Sky and Ocean Sun tugboats, which worked together on behalf of customer Heerema, alongside other third-party assets to deliver Appomattox.Demonstrating both nearshore and offshore capabilities, the company’s ocean class tugs safely towed the FPS through the Aransas Channel, then disconnected and provided escort services to the deep-water installation site.

How does a tugboat operator with over 26 vessels used in docking, escort, ocean towing and articulated barge service get control of maintenance issues? In this case, by switching to Klüberplex BEM 41-132 grease to lower operating temperatures between 2 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit (3.6 and 18 Celsius), which significantly extends grease and bearing life. The tugboat business’ success depends on the reliability of their assets and the ability to provide superior customer service.

ALP Striker, named at a ceremony held named on May 13, 2016, is the first of four ultra-long distance towing and anchor handling vessels for ALP Maritime Services, each with a bollard pull of approximately 300 metric tons. The vessels of the SX157 design are a part of the ALP Future class. Service speed is 13 knots, while their top speed is 19 knots. With a fuel capacity of more than 3,500 cubic meters, they can tow at full power for 45 days, sufficient for nonstop Trans-Atlantic/Indian, Pacific Ocean towing operations without fuel calls.

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s ocean class tugboats and 455-series high-deck strength barges recently played an integral role in the tow-out and installation of Hess’ Stampede tension-leg platform (TLP) in the deep waters of the U.S. Gulf. Demonstrating both nearshore and offshore capabilities, six Crowley vessels worked together alongside other third-party assets to deliver the oversized, overweight platform, tendons and other equipment from the Kiewit facility in Ingleside, Texas, to the site of the Stampede floating production facility, about 150 miles offshore in 3,400 feet of water.

VT Halter Marine, Inc. has delivered the 6,000hp Twin Screw Articulated (ATB) tug, MV Frederick E. Bouchard, to owner Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. at the shipbuilder’s facilities in Pascagoula, Miss. on Wednesday, June 8, 2016. The delivery, which culminates a two-vessel contract awarded by Bouchard Transportation to VT Halter Marine in August 2014, follows the delivery of the contract’s first vessel, MV Morton S. Bouchard Jr., on February 1, 2016. Both vessels were built to join Bouchard Transportation’s fleet for servicing the coastwise trade.

ALP Striker achieved an impressive and most satisfactory bollard pull results of 309.6 tonnes during her sea trials. The DP II Anchor Handling Salvage Tug was delivered on 12 September to ALP Maritime Services. The vessel is designed for towing very large floating objects while also offering services such as anchor handling, positioning and mooring. The ALP Striker has been constructed by Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair, Japan. She is the first of four ultra-long distance towing and anchor handling vessels for ALP Maritime Services, a subsidiary of Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. The vessel is a part of the shipowner’s ALP FUTURE class, a series of stronger and larger towing vessels to match and enable increase in size of FPSOs, FLNGs and similar floating installations.

As the oil industry awaits a much-needed rebound, Foss Maritime’s robust presence in the Arctic region underscores its commitment to the region, the environment, and a business plan that looks ahead to the next chapter. Reports of the death of commercial Arctic activities have been greatly exaggerated. While Arctic energy projects have, by and large, been put on the back burner – like most things related to energy in other places – there are still many projects ongoing; and still others being planned.