Airport Ground Support Equipment News

California Commercial Marine Operators Take Advantage of Grant Money to Repower with Eco-Friendly Engines. Capt. Joe Nazar recently repowered his whale watching excursion vessel in San Francisco with twin Volvo Penta Tier 3 diesels, and he couldn’t be happier with the results. Since the new engines were installed, he is seeing dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency, lower emissions, reduced noise levels and better performance. He has another good reason to be happy. A large percentage of the cost of repowering the boat came from a State of California grant. Nazar’s 64-ft. catamaran, Kitty Kat, was retrofitted with a pair of Volvo Penta D11 625 hp Tier 3 engines in April, replacing the previous 12-liter Tier 2 engines.

Working out of San Diego's Fisherman's Landing Marina, J.J. Gerritsen recently repowered his 65 x 22-ft. aluminum charter fishing boat dubbed Apollo. For Gerritsen sport fishing is a serious business dependent on the unpredictability of fish and weather. Given those two great unknowns, he has learned you can't leave anything else to chance. In the heavily populated southern California market, Gerritsen is also aware of the crucial relation between a healthy environment and success in the hospitality industry. "We were running a pair of the smoke belching old two-cycle engines," he says, "They were the standard in our industry. We understood them and had reliable mechanics and spares available. We can't afford any downtime in our business.

When the State of California, long a leader in reducing air-pollution, announced the Carl Moyer Program to reduce NOx emissions, towboat owner Aaron Lind and his family decided to get on board. The program is supported by a one-time appropriation of $50 million dollars for the 2000/2001 fiscal year. A significant portion of this amount was allotted for Carl Moyer Program incentive grants, as a means to reduce emissions from heavy-duty engines. These grants cover the incremental cost of cleaner on-road, off-road, marine, locomotive and stationary agricultural pump engines, as well as forklifts and airport ground support equipment. Beginning in summer 1999, grants became available through participating air pollution control and air quality management districts grants.

Working out of San Diego's Fisherman's Landing Marina, J.J. Gerritsen recently repowered his 65 by 22-ft. aluminum charter fishing boat, Apollo. For Gerritsen, sport fishing is a serious business dependent on the unpredictability of fish and weather. Given those two great unknowns, he has learned you can't leave anything else to chance. In the heavily populated southern California market, Gerritsen is also aware of the crucial relation between a healthy environment and success in the hospitality industry. "We were running a pair of the smoke-belching, old, two-cycle engines," he says, "They were the standard in our industry. We understood them and had reliable mechanics and spares available. We can't afford any downtime in our business.

Fireworks exploded over the Bay Bridge and thousands of people crowding the waterfront near the new ballpark gasped in admiration. Some of the best seats for the spectacle are along the north side of Pier 50, home of Westar Marine Services where owner's and employees share a barbecue in honor of the annual display sponsored by a local radio station. But the folks at Westar are more than passive observers, the tugs that are managing the fireworks barges are contracted from Westar. This annual fireworks event sums up Westar Marine Services' role on San Francisco Bay. They are the company that takes on all of the niche jobs that others with their large investments in big horsepower and Z-drives can't afford to be doing.