San Diego County News

Crowley Maritime Corporation has owned and operated a lot of vessels since its founding in 1892. But the latest vessel to join its fleet is unlike any other that has come before it.Crowley’s new harbor tug, eWolf, is unique in that it runs 100% powered by batteries, not diesel engines, meaning it produces zero emissions and nearly no noise. Not only is the vessel the first fully electric tug in the Crowley fleet, but it is also the first of its kind in the United States.Faced with stricter regulations and commercial pressure to prioritize environmental…

Crowley on Wednesday announced it has taken delivery of its groundbreaking vessel eWolf, the first all-electric, ship assist harbor tugboat in the United States.The 82-foot tug, designed by Crowley’s engineering services team and built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders, will enter service at the Port of San Diego this spring following final demonstration trials and completion of Crowley’s microgrid shoreside charging station. The vessel will operate with zero emissions while providing the complete performance capabilities of a traditional tug…

The first all-electric tugboat built in the United States, Crowley's eWolf, has started sea trials along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The 82-foot ship assist tug, built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders, is expected to enter service at the Port of San Diego in 2024. Video footage of the vessel on sea trials was shared by Crowley on social media.The eWolf is designed to operate on full electric power, producing zero carbon emissions and expected 70 ton bollard pull strength.

Crowley and the Port of San Diego broke ground for the shoreside charging station designed to provide clean energy for the company’s forth-coming zero-emissions tugboat, eWolf.The charging station is a microgrid charging facility that will allow vessels to recharge quickly while reducing peak loads on the community energy grid. It is equipped with two containerized energy storage systems provided by Corvus Energy. The station is designed to operate on off-peak hours from the community’s energy grid, and it includes a solar power array to support renewable energy use.

On January 13, two cruise ships plugged into the newly completed shore power expansion at the Port of San Diego cruise ship terminal for the first time – a doubling of the previous capacity.The Disney Wonder and the Insignia were able to simultaneously use shore power rather than running their diesel engines while at berth. Previously, only one cruise vessel could plug in.The recent addition of the new station along with the initial one installed in 2010 make it possible for the…

Corvus Energy on Thursday announced it will supply shoreside battery energy storage systems (ESS) for Crowley's eWolf, the first zero-emission, all-electric tugboat being built for operations in the U.S.The system will consist of two Corvus Orca BOBs—the containerized version of the Corvus Orca ESS—used for charging the vessel shoreside from when it enters service in San Diego’s harbor in 2023.Corvus Energy is also supplying the 6.2 MWh Corvus Orca ESS on board eWolf, which is currently under construction at Master Boat Builders…

There’s no energy shortage when it comes to projects promoting the viability of alternatively fueled marine vessels (alt-fueled vessels).Consider just a few examples:Crowley Maritime Corp will take delivery in 2023 of an electric tugboat, dubbed eWolf, built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Ala.The Hydrogen One towboat, using methanol-to-hydrogen technology, is being developed by its owner Maritime Partners.Master Boat Builders and Robert Allan Ltd. announced last fall the creation of a new battery hybrid, the ElectRA 3000-H, designed for U.S.

Alternatives to fossil fuels are emerging throughout the maritime universe, and vessels working in U.S. rivers, waterways and harbors are at the cusp on this trend. While the alternative fuels spectrum is wide, battery power and electrification—a technology that has seen a decade of shipboard applications already—is particularly suited for smaller vessels.Crowley Maritime Corp will be taking delivery of a completely electric tugboat, dubbed eWolf; the boat- which will include kit for advanced vessel control tied to an electric propulsion system from ABB…

Crowley Maritime Corporation on Monday announced plans to build and operate an all-electric powered harbor tugboat capable of completing a job without expending a drop of fuel—a first in the U.S.The 82-foot-long vessel, dubbed eWolf, will be operational at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal by mid-2023 and comes as Crowley and the maritime industry continue to make strides toward sustainability and decarbonization. Over the first 10 years of its use, the operation of the new e-tug will reduce 178 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx)…

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday called off its search for more survivors from a boat that capsized off a rocky shoal near San Diego in what authorities said was an ill-fated migrant-smuggling operation that left three dead and five hospitalized.The 40-foot trawler-style vessel with 32 people aboard overturned and broke apart on Sunday near the Point Loma Tide Pools, part of a federal marine national monument about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, authorities said.Officials on Sunday said four people aboard the boat had perished…

U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO launched and christened Garden State, another ECO Class tanker due to join the Jones Act fleet. Launched and christened on Saturday, May 7, the new ship, will join the ranks as one of the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly product tankers in the world, the builder said. Garden State is the third of a five-tanker contract between NASSCO and American Petroleum Tankers, which calls for the design and construction of five 50,000 deadweight ton, LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity.

Continental Maritime of San Diego (CMSD), a ship repair subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), has been awarded the Blue Sky Award by San Diego County’s Air Pollution Control District APCD for its initiatives targeting reduced air pollution. The APCD annually recognizes one small, one medium and one large business or organization for efforts toward improving air quality. CMSD was nominated by the Industrial Environmental Association in the medium-sized business category.

The Port of San Diego plays a critical role in San Diego County's economic rebound by pumping more than $7.6 billion a year into the region from employment, sales and purchases of goods and services, according to a recent report. "The data confirms the Port of San Diego is a powerful regional economic engine with substantial benefits reaching far and wide," said Board of Port Commissioners Chairman Dan Malcolm. The report is based on 2013 data, the most recent year for which data is available.

The officers and crew of guided missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) were named as the recipients of the 2014 Navy Region Southwest "Project Good Neighbor" flagship award for medium-sized sea duty commands, Sept. 29. Princeton was one of eight Navy Region Southwest units recognized for their volunteerism and community service in an official naval message released by Rear Adm. Patrick Lorge, commander, Navy Region Southwest. Led by Lt. John Quay, the ship's command chaplain, Princeton Sailors leveraged their experience with community relations projects while deployed last year to create a year-round program to improve the quality of life for the less fortunate in San Diego County. Quay said Princeton Sailors work with Habitat for Humanity at least once a month.

'Blue Champion' Chairman Greg Cox of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has been a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors since 1995 and on September 9, 2013 was appointed to serve on the California Coastal Commission. Over the last 7 years The Maritime Alliance has briefed dozens of elected and appointed officials about Blue Tech and the Blue Economy. Every so often we encounter folks who just get it -- they immediately recognize the economic and social value of maritime to the region and the nation.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the nation's newest research vessel will be named R/V Sally Ride, in honor of the former UC San Diego faculty member who was the first American female astronaut and the youngest American to fly in space. The ship is owned by the U.S. Navy, will be operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, and will have its home port at the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma on San Diego Bay. "Sally Ride's career was one of firsts and will inspire generations to come," said Mabus. Dr.

The late civil rights icon, Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran who began his service during the Korean War. In Korea, he served aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake as a diving officer. Milk was also stationed at Naval Station, San Diego where he was a diving instructor. Milk, whose parents, both also served in the US Navy was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade. The GLBT Historic Task Force is also leading a movement to make San Diego the first city in the US to name a street in honor of Milk. "We in San Diego are very proud that Harvey Milk was stationed in our city and fell in love with California here," said Murray Ramirez, who has served the last five mayors of San Diego.

A multi-agency drill simulating a major oil spill off the coast of San Diego is scheduled to be held Wednesday and Thursday at the San Diego Convention Center. The two-day exercise will involve dozens of participating agencies from around the southern area. The drill is designed to test the response capabilities of the agencies and create a decision-making environment for participants. The joint-agency efforts will be monitored and evaluated in order to identify any areas in need of improvement. Some of the organizations involved are Chevron Corporation, Coast Guard Sector , U.S. Navy Region Southwest, San Diego County Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Fish and Game's Office of Spill Prevention and Response.

At an event in Eugene recently, Michael O. Leavitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helped kick-off the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority’s announcement of $1.475 million in diesel emission reductions investments for Oregon. The EPA is contributing $600,000 to these efforts. The projects will fund efforts to reduce emissions from idling trucks up and down Oregon’s I-5 corridor, retrofit school buses throughout the state, and improve accessibility and affordability of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. truck-idling reduction to school bus retrofits infrastructure to purchase, install and maintain small auxiliary engines that use up to 90 percent less diesel and emit 75 percent less air pollution than idling trucks.

Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) introduced the "States Prevention of Oil Tanker Spills Act" (S. 2506), which seeks to reinstate Washington state oil tanker safety laws overturned by the Supreme Court in Intertanko v. Locke and United States v. Locke. In a press release, Senator Gorton said, "I disagree with the Court's decision, because I believe Washington State should be allowed to protect its shores as it sees fit." The Gorton legislation would reinstate the right of all states to adopt additional standards beyond existing federal requirements governing the operation, maintenance, equipment, personnel and manning of oil tankers. While the legislation would apply to all coastal states, Gorton's interest is focused on recently overturned Washington statutes.

event, celebrating Memorial Day and National Maritime Day. Workshops, A Taste of the Waterfront and 4th Annual Maritime Heritage Dance. Again this year, the SS Lane Victory will visit San Diego for MariFest. A special tribute for Korean War Veterans will be held aboard the SS Lane Victory on Monday. Asian Cultural Exhibits are an added feature this year. World War II veterans for the Library of Congress. of America’s veterans. history, and maritime career exploration. California as a certified ROP course. on-the-job training. 1967) built in 1952. County. provide maritime career and vocational training to foster teens. strategic partners are St. Maritime Museum.

An ambitious new blueprint by the California Air Resources Board for reducing port pollution statewide would cut emissions from cruise and cargo ships visiting San Diego by 88 percent during the next 15 years, as part of an effort to address the health risks posed by rapidly expanding port activities. The plan, approved by the air board at a meeting in Long Beach last week, also estimated that premature deaths due to port-related pollution in San Diego County would increase from 150 in 2005 to 200 in 2020 if no action is taken. Even with the new strategies outlined by the agency's staff in place, the premature death toll in San Diego County would stand at 80 in 2020.