Will Jenkins News

The Saildrone Voyager, a 10-meter commercial uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), is the first autonomous asset built to ABS Class using the ABS Requirements for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions. ABS presented the Class certificate to Saildrone at its headquarters in Alameda, Calif.The Voyager is a marine vehicle developed by Saildrone, a provider of ocean data for climate, mapping and maritime security applications using uncrewed autonomous assets. ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) to the Voyager earlier this year…

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans:…

Classification society the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued approval in principle (AIP) certificates to Saildrone, including the first AIP for a 10-meter commercial uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), the Saildrone Voyager. Approvals were issued to Saildrone for both the Voyager and Surveyor ocean data collection platforms. The AIP is an important step to class for Saildrone’s vehicles.Alameda, Calif. based Saildrone provides ocean data using uncrewed vehicles, with nearly 25,000 days at sea and nearly 1,000,000 miles sailed.

The U.S. Navy on Thursday announced it has relieved the commanding officers of two of its U.S. East Coast warships, USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19).In separate statements, the Navy said it relieved Cmdr. Alexa Jenkins and Capt. Michael D. Nordeen, citing loss of confidence in their ability to command.Jenkins, who served as commanding officer of the USS Carney (DDG 64) since June 2022, was relieved by Capt. Jennifer Blakeslee, commodore, Naval Surface Squadron 14 (CNSS 14).Jenkins will be temporarily reassigned to the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Squadron 14, and Capt.

Shipbuilder Austal USA and has formed a strategic partnership with Saildrone, Inc to build cutting-edge, autonomous uncrewed surface vehicles.The partnership  ensures that production of the autonomous and uncrewed Saildrone Surveyor will accelerate to meet the growing demand of the U.S. Navy and other government customers for the cutting-edge solution for maritime domain awareness, hydrographic survey, and other missions requiring persistent wide area coverage. Autonomous vessel capability has been identified as an area of strategic importance by the U.S. Navy.

Saildrone Inc. and NOAA have released the first video footage gathered by an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) from inside a major hurricane barreling across the Atlantic Ocean.The Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 was directed into the midst of Hurricane Sam, a category 4 hurricane. SD1045 is battling 50 ft. waves and winds of more than 120 mph to collect scientific data, while giving a new view of one of earth’s most destructive forces.Equipped with a specially designed “hurricane wing…

Terral RiverService announced September 1 the acquisition of the assets of Vidalia Dock and Storage Company, Two-J Ranch Inc., 363 Dry-Dock & Repair LLC, and Natchez Marine and Towing Inc. the premier fleet and yard operator in the Vidalia La., and Natchez, Miss. areas. According to Terral, the acquisition includes a total of four towboats, a dry dock and rock yard. In addition, Terral has acquired all of Vidalia Dock and Storage’s fleeting locations on the Mississippi River located…

In the small city of Houma, Louisiana, about an hour southwest of New Orleans, volunteer rescue workers with a “Cajun Navy” group struggled in the wee hours of Monday to navigate streets strewn with trees toppled by Hurricane Ida's ferocious winds.The group had sped down from Lafayette after getting reports of people trapped by the fierce storm's floodwaters. Rob Gaudet, a 52-year-old software developer from Baton Rouge, fielded dozens of distress calls about hard-hit communities."If they can get on the roof, that’s better.

The National Science Foundation’s new Regional Class Research Vessel that will soon call the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus home has a name: Narragansett Dawn.Graduate School of Oceanography Dean Paula S. Bontempi announced the name of the new $125 million vessel after a nationwide competition and approval from the NSF.“Narragansett Dawn acknowledges the Indigenous peoples’ histories, ancestors, and perseverance in our communities today,” said URI President David M. Dooley.

The Coast Guard Foundation said Thomas A. Allegretti has been elected to the position of Chairman of the Board, effective January 7, 2021. Allegretti first joined the Coast Guard Foundation board in 2006 and has served on the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee. In 2020, he led the Foundation’s COVID Management plan.Most recently, Allegretti served as the Senior Executive Officer of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the domestic tugboat, towboat and barge industry.

Peel Ports, Britain's second largest group of ports, has expanded its proposition at London Medway with a GBP5.5million investment to replace the Royal Bridge Pontoon.The upgrade work includes a new 12m wide, 45m across ramp, which will allow larger stern ramp RoRo vessels to berth at the port and increase the overall capacity for throughput.It comes as new opportunities in the unaccompanied freight and automotive sectors brings new customers to the port, with the facilities able to support a higher volume of larger vessels.The forestry industry, which along with automotive, forms the core business of London Medway, has also brought opportunities for growth…

Shrinking ice cover is making the Arctic more accessible to various countries, commercial entities and researchers, among others."While Arctic sea ice continues to shrink, human activity in the region is only growing. Ice extent, which is monitored by the U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC), often determines what types of activities are pursued in the region," says NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).This increased human activity in the Arctic has also led to more national security concerns from both a traditional and non-traditional point of view. For the U.S., national security in the Arctic is more than just shielding the nation from potential threats to the northern border.Instead, the nation is starting to look at Arctic security more broadly.

The female dynasty of Vidalia Dock and Storage are no strangers to the Murky Mississippi, nor the advantage of a Mitsubishi powered vessel. When it came to repowering the Sonny J., Vidalia Dock knew right where to go.Purchased in early 2018, the vessel was fitted with a pair of 600HP Cummins K19 engines. With the goal of EPA Tier compliance and engine reliability, Laborde Products provided two fully mechanical Mitsubishi S6R-Y3MPTAW Tier III engines for the 65x24 vessel; these engines are rated 684HP @1800RPM each with Twin Disc 7:1 transmissions.

Being used to the challenges of ship-borne communications has been an asset to delivering flexible and capable communications networks ashore as Australian Navy sailors are finding in the Middle East. On her first deployment to the  region Able Seaman Communication and Information Systems Bree-ann Garner, worked as part of team developing and enhancing local area network infrastructure. Lieutenant Colonel David Jenkins, was in charge of the team and and said they had spent most of their deployment laying the foundation for updating the Australian Defence Force's communications and information systems. "We spent a great deal of time laying the ground work for the new enhanced Deployable Local Area Network Systems that will be introduced shortly," Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins said.

A fire has broken out out aboard the U.S. car carrier Honor in the English Channel while the vessel was en route to Baltimore from Southampton on February 24. “The 21 crew are still on board the vessel and they are safe and well,” said Andy Jenkins, Commander for the U.K. Coastguard. The vessel’s fixed firefighting systems were used to attack the fire and the cargo space has been sealed. The ship’s crew continue to monitor the cargo area. The ship has full maneuverability and has turned back toward Southampton, where it is planned to anchor to the Southeast of the Isle of Wight. U.K. Coastguard said it is monitoring the situation closely and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has been notified of the incident.

U.S. investigators stood in silence for 33 seconds on Friday as they concluded the public phase of a probe into the sinking of the El Faro cargo ship during a 2015 hurricane, recognizing each crew member aboard who died. The Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation, convened for the most serious accidents, heard two weeks of testimony in the last of a series of hearings on the worst disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than three decades. Captain Jason Neubauer, the panel's chairman, said it had collected sufficient evidence for a forthcoming analysis.

The U.S. investigation into the deadly sinking of a cargo ship during a 2015 hurricane entered its final hearing on Monday, with ship conditions probed at the start of two weeks of testimony set to examine new detail on El Faro's last hours. The Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation, convened only for the most serious accidents, is looking for evidence of negligence or misconduct in the worst disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than three decades. All 33 crew onboard died when the 790-foot (241-meter) El Faro sank during a hurricane on Oct. 1, 2015, two days after leaving Jacksonville, Florida on a cargo run to Puerto Rico.

USS Detroit (LCS 7) was commissioned in its namesake city of Detroit on October 22. Adm. Phil Davidson, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, officially placed the vessel in commission. "Today is about service. Cmdr. Michael P. Desmond, who command LCS Crew 108 “Ghost Riders,” assumed command of Detroit. "USS Detroit is truly blessed to have the opportunity to commission in its namesake city. Speakers included Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters. "Cmdr.

Interferry has unveiled a strategic plan promising to put safety issues at the heart of its work as the voice of the worldwide ferry industry. The pledge came at the global trade association’s 41st annual conference in Manila – a venue chosen to spotlight the challenges of domestic ferry safety in developing nations. According to Interferry, the plan signals its overriding ambition to help lift ferry safety in all parts of the world to the very high standard already in place in North America and Europe, where casualties in recent decades have been extremely rare.

On Thursday, October 6th, 2016, Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. President & CEO Morton S. Bouchard III was honored at the Coast Guard Foundation 36th Annual Salute to the United States Coast Guard National Awards Dinner, in New York City. Mr. Bouchard has been a supporter of the United States Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Foundation since 1985. Through his dedication over the past 30+ years he has helped grow various programs including, education and the Fallen Heroes Scholarship program…

President Barack Obama and state governors on Wednesday urged millions of people along the U.S. Southeast coast to evacuate and prepare for Hurricane Matthew as the potentially devastating storm took aim at Florida. Matthew, currently pummeling the Bahamas and the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, was forecast to begin lashing Florida with fierce winds, storm surges and heavy rain late on Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Federal emergency response teams took positions and stockpiled supplies in Florida…

HydroComp, Inc. was established in 1984 to provide powering analysis services to naval architects and shipbuilders. Best known for its award-winning NavCad software, HydroComp is regarded as the premier source for performance prediction software, consulting, and knowledge. The firm’s offerings include NavCad, NavCad Premium, PropCad, PropCad Premium, PropElements, PropExpert, SwiftCraft, and SwiftTrial software. The firm has 8 employees. Sometimes the least sophisticated vehicle is the hardest to analyze. With respect to resistance, this is definitely the case with barges.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the appointment of 29 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). Established in 2010, MTSNAC is comprised of leaders from commercial transportation firms, ship construction, repair and recycling, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academics, and environmental groups that advise the Secretary and the Maritime Administration on policies to ensure that the U.S. Marine Transportation System is capable of responding to projected trade increases. The Committee advises the Secretary on solutions to impediments hindering effective use of short sea transportation and other matters as the Secretary determines.