Western United States News

Victaulic, manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining, fire protection, and flow control solutions based in Easton, Pa., announced it has acquired Utility Coatings & Fabrication, Inc. (UCF) located in West Jordan, Utah.“This acquisition represents Victaulic’s fourth consecutive investment in the last four years, highlighting the company’s strategic vision for ongoing growth,” remarked Rick Bucher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Victaulic. “Victaulic remains dedicated to…

Motor Services Hugo Stamp, Inc. (MSHS) said it has acquired marine, power generation and commercial automatic transmissions business Pacific Power Group (PPG).The PPG/MSHS partnership will involve both companies functioning as separate brands. The partnership will also have the capability to leverage broader and deeper expertise through its technical talent located across North America. PPG’s nine facilities extend services throughout the Western United States, Alaska, Hawaii…

Makers of Irish whiskey, Belgian chocolate and European coffee brands are scrambling to comply with new Chinese food and beverage regulations, with many fearful their goods will be unable to enter the giant market as a Jan. 1 deadline looms.China's customs authority published new food safety rules in April stipulating all food manufacturing, processing and storage facilities abroad need to be registered by year-end for their goods to access the Chinese market.But detailed procedures explaining how to get the required registration codes were only issued in October…

Veth Propulsion’s portfolio of products, including azimuth rudder propellers, thrusters and marine electronics, will now be fully available across North America, parent company Twin Disc announced. The equipment will be offered through Twin Disc’s Authorized Sales and Service Providers.“Increasing the availability of Veth Propulsion’s products in North America strategically expands our market opportunity within the marine industry,” said Tim Batten, vice president, sales, Twin Disc, provider of power transmission technology for marine and land-based applications.

Greenbrier Marine, a division of The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. announced the delivery of OSG 205, a 204,000-barrel capacity oil and chemical tank barge for dual-mode ITB service pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard NVIC 2-81, Change 1. The barge was delivered to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG), a  provider of energy transportation services delivering crude oil and petroleum products throughout the U.S. and internationally. OSG 205 was paired with existing tug OSG Courageous.The new tank barge is the second that Greenbrier Marine has delivered to OSG this year…

Portland, Ore. shipbuilder Gunderson Marine announced today that it has secured an order from Tampa. Fla. based energy transportation firm Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) for the construction of a 204,000 barrel capacity tank barge for delivery in the second quarter of 2020. The agreement also includes an option to build a second sister barge which would have a scheduled delivery date during the fourth quarter of 2020.The state-of-the-art 581' oil and chemical tank barge will be constructed to pair with existing tugs within OSG's current fleet for operation as an articulated tug barge (ATB) unit. OSG intends to register the barge under the U.S. Flag with a coastwise endorsement, allowing it to be employed in Jones Act trades.The tank barge for dual mode ITB service pursuant to U.S.

A historic 52 million people are fleeing conflict worldwide, a trend that will intensify over the next two decades because of climate change, International Rescue Committee chief David Miliband said on Friday. "One of the drivers of displacement and potential conflict over the next 10 to 20 years will be climate (change) - resource scarcity," said Miliband, a former United Kingdom foreign minister. Miliband said there were 16 million refugees and 36 million people displaced in their own countries, typically by civil war. That is the largest number of people fleeing persecution since World War Two, he said during a Reuters Newsmaker event in New York. "Do I think the current level is a blip or a trend?" Miliband said.

Drought pressures will increase in California and western areas of the United States this spring even as the dry season begins, the government's Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday. "Periods of record warmth in the West and not enough precipitation during the rainy season cut short drought relief in California this winter and prospects for above-average temperatures this spring may make the situation worse," Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch at the Climate Prediction Center, said in issuing its spring outlook. The center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also said rivers in western New York and eastern New England have the greatest risk of spring flooding in part because of heavy snowpack coupled with possible spring rain.

The Port of Hueneme announced that it will receive more than $400,000 in funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Fiscal Year 2014 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP). The funds will help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities. "The Port of Hueneme is a connection to world markets, serving as a priority gateway for the Western United States, and it is critical to the economic health of Ventura County and Southern California," said Congresswoman Brownley.

Sixteen states are at high risk of damaging earthquakes over the next 50 years and certain areas of the United States face a higher threat of temblors than previously thought, a federal geological survey agency said. The findings come from updated earthquake hazard maps that were released by the U.S. Geological Survey on Thursday. The maps are used to help define safe building codes, help emergency responders plan after a quake, and influence insurance rates, the report said. "The cost of inaction in planning for future earthquakes and other natural disasters can be very high, as demonstrated by several recent damaging events across the globe," Mark Petersen, chief of the USGS National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project, said in a statement.

In past columns, the focus of our discussions has been primarily on maritime incidents such as collisions, allisions and groundings in which U.S. Coast Guard-licensed deck and engineering officers were subject to marine investigations and negligence changes, potentially leading to the dreaded “letter of complaint” against your U.S. Coast Guard issued credential(s) or endorsement(s). This month, we examine a grounding case in which indeed a 46 CFR 5.29 negligence complaint filing was made against the involved master requiring a vigorous license defense. What made this case different than most was the fact that because the charged master was serving as a pilot (independent contractor) at the time of the incident…

The Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced that it will host its 29th Annual Pacific Area Awards Dinner in tribute to the United States Coast Guard at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at the historic Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. The gala event will bring together civic and business leaders, mariners, sailors, and notables from all over the country to honor heroism and mission excellence from the brave men and women serving in the Coast Guard’s Pacific area.

Bel-Ray Company Inc. said it has appointed the Marine Markets West, LLC as sales representative in the Western United States and British Columbia in Canada, and was selected for the William F. Marine Markets West will represent Bel-Ray in territories, such as Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and British Columbia, while William F. Miller will represent Bel-Ray in the territories of Tennessee, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

Port Officials and BMW of North America, on the eve of BMW’s 26th anniversary at the Port, executed a fifth modification of its 1987 contract extending  their agreement for an additional five years through December 31, 2018. Said Harbor Board President Jason Hodge, “BMW’s Vehicle Distribution Center is a vital community partner and a significant economic engine. BMW’s Port manager Mark T. Port CEO and Executive Director Kristin Decas noted at the announcement, “26 years represents a lifetime in the maritime community.

Commerce City, Colorado. – Brian Bieller has accepted the position of vice president of business development at Atlas Copco Construction Equipment, effective April 1. In his new role, Bieller will be part of the management team and will report directly to Erik Sparby, president and general manager for Atlas Copco Construction Equipment. Most recently, Bieller was the sales manager for Atlas Copco Rental, responsible for Canada and the western United States. Before going to Atlas Copco’s rental division…

Rear Admiral Wendi B. Carpenter is the daughter of an Air Force veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Raised throughout the United States, she graduated from the University of Georgia in 1976 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. Carpenter was commissioned in 1978 through Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. and in July 1979 was designated a Naval Aviator. Graduating at the top of her class, she was assigned as the Navy’s first Selectively Retained Graduate Instructor Pilot (SERGRAD) in the T-44 aircraft at VT-31, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.

According to a report from the Associated Press, China's state-owned offshore oil and gas company is intensifying its search for oil in the western United States.  CNOOC Ltd. announced it will pay $570m for a one-third stake in Chesapeake Energy Corp.'s drilling project in an emerging oil field in northeast Colorado and southeast Wyoming. (Source: AP)

One of the most illustrious warships in the history of United States Navy has been preserved for the future with a Cathelco hull corrosion protection system. The USS Missouri served in some of the most famous naval conflicts of the 20th century and is best known as the site of Japan’s surrender in 1945 which ended World War II. After war time service in the South Pacific, Korea and more recently providing fire support during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf, the warship was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association in 1998.

The Port of Tacoma's North Intermodal Yard (NIM) handled a record 7,312 intermodal lifts (transfers of containers between ship and rail) from February 8-14. The yard, which serves Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan) and "K" Line (Japan), is opening 2003 like it closed 2002. lockout. percent. direct-China service to Tacoma. Port's new computerized intermodal management system. carrier operation in the Western United States. start construction later this year. the second all-straddle carrier operation on the West Coast. delayed in the wake of the October 2002 labor lockout. Manager. to increase by 5 percent. Ljungren concluded.

A cargo of Alaska North Slope (ANS) for September delivery was sold to a California refiner at a discount of $2.75 a barrel to September West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude. The deal marked a further widening of the ANS discount against WTI since a low for the year was set on July 3 with two deals at discounts of $1.59 and $1.61. In January of this year the discount stood at levels of over $5. On Wednesday of this week two deals were struck for September delivery of ANS to Hawaii at the same price of $2.25 a barrel below ANS on a delivered basis. Traders had said this equated to a price of about $2.75/$3.00 per barrel below WTI for delivery to California or Washington state, because of the higher cost of shipping to Hawaii. Crude values have been weakening on the U.S.

Royal Caribbean International's Vision of the Seas will arrive in Los Angeles on September 28 to offer seven-night Mexican Riviera itineraries. Vision will be the cruise line's second ship in the market, joining Monarch of the Seas, which offers year-round, three- and four-night Baja Mexico cruises. "We are very excited to offer two great cruise vacation options - week-long vacations on Vision of the Seas and shorter getaways aboard Monarch of the Seas - from a port that is so convenient for many travelers from the western United States," said Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president, Marketing and Sales, for Royal Caribbean International. At 78,491 tons, Vision of the Seas is 915 ft. long and holds 2,000 guests double occupancy.