Port Of Morgan City News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers.“Our country has always relied on American waterways to get vital goods where they need to go,” said U.S.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced more than $703 million to fund 41 projects in 22 states and one territory that designed to help improve port facilities through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. Following is the full list of FY 2022 Port Infrastructure Development Grant Awards:ALASKANorth Extension Stabilization Step 1 Project ($68,700,000), Anchorage, AlaskaThe Project will reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the “North Extension” (the area north of the existing general cargo terminals) at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska.

Engineers and analysts from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's (BSEE) Gulf of Mexico and Alaska Regions recently evaluated Spill Response Operations Training and Equipment Verification exercises conducted by the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company and its oil spill removal contractor at the Port of Morgan City, La. These exercises are required periodically to test spill response team training and resource availability, as part of each operator’s Oil Spill Response Plan.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a number of river closures, restrictions and advisories in response to floods in the Midwest and South. Illinois River is open to traffic. The Coast Guard recommends that mariners transit the river in daylight hours only. The Missouri River is open to vessel traffic. The Coast Guard urges mariners to monitor VHF-FM channels 16 and 22 for any changes to the river. For more details on the closures set in place by Sector Upper Mississippi River call the command center at 314-269-2610. The Paducah-Louisville railroad bridge at mile marker 94.8 on Green River requires one-hour notice for opening. The Louisville-Nashville Swing Bridge at mile marker 190.4 on Cumberland River is closed. A safety advisory is in place from mile marker 110 to mile marker 0.

Swire Oilfield Services (Swire), has reinforced its commitment to growth with a significant investment in its North American operations, as part of the company’s global  $150 million investment this year. The company entered the Gulf of Mexico in 2007 with the establishment of an operations headquarters in Houma, Louisiana. Since then it has expanded with nine new facilities across the Gulf coast and North America, including Port Fourchon, Morgan City and Lafayette in Louisiana; Galveston, Three Rivers, Carrizo Springs and Midland/Odessa in Texas; Kenai, Alaska; Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and a new corporate office in The Woodlands, Texas.

It's 8:30 a.m. as the Big Cat Express saddles up to the dock at the Port of Morgan City, La. It is Sea Trial day for the big quad engine catamaran ferry. No question she is waterjet powered as the tops of the blue "buckets" of the four Hamilton Jet 651's break the surface of the water at the stern. Just above the buckets are the exhausts, large four stainless steel pipes that curve downward toward the water. About 25 pickup trucks and my Ford Taurus wait the arrival of the 150-ft. by 34-ft. vessel. Painted gleaming white, the three-deck vessel looks like it was built for speed. Today we will find out just how fast it can travel. Emerging from the vehicles were several executives from Gulf Craft, Inc.

An Alabama resident and master of an inland towing vessel was sentenced Thursday for a January 2004 incident where he was found to be operating in U.S. waters under the influence of alcohol. Daniel L. Ferrell, 63, of Atmore Ala., was sentenced by Judge James J. Brady of the U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge, La., to serve two years probation, 100 hours of community service and will be required to participate in an alcohol assessment program. On Jan. 16, 2004, Ferrell was piloting the City of Port Allen when it struck the Brusly Railroad Lift Bridge on the Port Allen-Morgan City alternate route waterway. Investigators from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit in Baton Rouge who responded to the initial incident tested Ferrell for alcohol.

The Coast Guard’s air and sea units are at various locations throughout coastal Louisiana and Texas ready to respond to any damaged areas affected by Hurricane Lili. Coast Guard personnel and resources have been pre-positioned outside of the affected areas to facilitate a quick response. After the storm passes, Coast Guard aircraft will be patrolling the storm’s course to locate any mariners in distress. They will be on the lookout for people stranded by coastal flooding or storm damage in urban areas. Overflights of oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico for initial damage assessment are also planned. The Captains of the Port of Morgan City, La., and Port Arthur, Texas, have closed the ports and waterways from Houma, La., to Port Arthur.