Regina P Ciardiello News

Following the Intrepid's annual Tug Races on Sunday, September 2, I had the opportunity to ride back from Pier 86 on 46th St. in Manhattan to Staten Island on the Janet M. McAllister. I remember sitting on the edge of the tug, the waves slapping against the sides, as the powerful vessel motored south from Midtown Manhattan to the Staten Island port where the company keeps its tugs. I also vividly remember seeing the World Trade Center as I had never before — from a tug in the Hudson River. Little did I know that this would be the very last time I would ever see them — for the next time I would view them would be from the roof of my 12-story office building, smoke billowing from the top — collapsing in front of my eyes.

by Regina P. The morning of Tuesday, September 11, began like any other - I left my apartment in Queens, N.Y. at 8 a.m. to fight traffic on the way to the Long Island Rail Road station where I catch my train that transports me into the City each day. I actually am embarrassed to admit that I yelled at several motorists on my way to the station for driving too slow. How selfish I feel now, considering the events that transpired later that day. As I walked from New York's Penn Station on the West Side of Manhattan to the Maritime Reporter editorial offices on East 25th Street at about 9:15 a.m. (running late as usual), I noticed a crowd of people gathered in front of an electronics store, which displayed a variety of television sets in its window.

Guido Perla has always had a love of the sea. Perla, who was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, came to the U.S. in 1971 to pursue his dream of using the "tools" he was given to become a naval architect. His story is one that is marked by innovation, relationships and hard work. — By Regina P. Guido Perla’s philosophy on naval architecture and marine engineering — on life — is easily summed up: "I always follow what my father used to say," Perla said. "It is better to be wrong than to be average." Perla is not shy to admit that he's not always perfect, but that does not mean that he will not try and try again until he achieves perfection. "You don't learn anything from sitting around and doing nothing," Perla quips. "You learn from making a move and taking risks.

Mention M. Rosenblatt & Son, Inc. (MR&S), to anyone who has been involved with the marine industry since the mid-20th Century and one would think of the naval architecture and marine engineering firm that has held court from its homebase in New York City since just after the heydays of WWII. Its foundation, which was literally constructed by Mandell Rosenblatt and his son, Lester, has remained at the forefront of the industry and weathered the constant cyclical changes of an industry that is now often dominated by consolidation. By Regina P. It's a good thing that Mandell Rosenblatt lived near Brooklyn's Prospect Park. As a young man of about 14…

It was the late 1970s and El Paso Energy ran a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal known as Cove Point in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay — midway between the East Coast ports of Baltimore, Md. and Hampton Roads, Va. As the demand for gas waned, the terminal ceased operations after only two years, and it sat dormant for nearly two decades. Today the market for LNG is rising fast, with positive ripple effects being felt across the maritime niche. Two tug companies — McAllister Towing and Moran Towing, were tapped to help bring the terminal back to life, winning the contract to dock some of the world's most expensive ships. Ensuring that the job is done correctly has required a significant investment in boats and training. — By Regina P.

On Thursday, March 14, Captain Arthur Fournier, founder of the 54-year old Portland Tugboat and Shipdocking Company, rocked the tugboat world when he, along with Captain Brian McAllister, founder of McAllister Towing and Transportation, announced that the two companies would merge together as one. According to an industry source, the announcement, which was made by the heads of both family-owned businesses at the Port of Portland Propeller Club's monthly meeting, defines a new generation in the growing tugboat industry. Also present for the announcement were president Brian McAllister's nephew, A.J., and sons Eric and Buckley, who will continue to serve in their current positions as vice presidents with the company.

Shipbuilding leaders convened in Washington D.C. last week to discuss the means and methods to propel the U.S. Shipbuilding market at the dawn of the new millennium. By Regina P. Under the auspices of the seeking a candid and creative discussion regarding the country's shipbuilding future, the U.S. Maritime Administration sponsored a seminar dubbed Marketing Issues and Challenges Facing the U.S. Shipbuilding Industry last week. Attended by industry executives from most of the country's premiere facilities, the conference was held on Wednesday, April 5, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, Va. Stressing the pressures of competition form the lucrative Asian shipbuilding powerhouses of Japan, China and Korea, many conference speakers mulled and brainstormed ways that the U.S.

Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, Operation Sail (OpSail) has since found its way back to New York Harbor for significant events such as the Bicentennial celebration in 1976 and the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. MR/EN was invited to step aboard the historic Schooner Wavertree, prior to OpSail 2000. By Regina P. Stepping aboard the historic Schooner Wavertree docked at New York's South Street Seaport, one would feel instantly immersed by the constant whirring of drills, hammering and workers being pulled up onto the vessel's masthead. No, it's not a group of 19th Century shipbuilders, but a modern-day group of individuals, some of who are volunteers, working to prepare the historic Schooner for its OpSail appearance.

hen the 70,367-ton, 855 ft. (260.6 m) Carnival Paradise arrived at Newport News Shipbuilding for emergency repair on its Azipod propulsion system, it marked a milestone in ship repair history as no U.S.-based yard had ever performed work on the advanced pod system. The vessel arrived for drydocking at the yard on July 25, where the NNS crew prepared it in time for its next scheduled sailing date on August 20. MR/EN had the opportunity to speak with Becky Stewart, NNS' director of ship repair, who provided an update of this premiere repair job. For the past two-and-a-half weeks crews from various departments within Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) have been grinding away around-the-clock seven days a week in order to rejuvenate the Carnival Paradise's Azipod propulsion system.

A splashing debut with new innovations could best describe the inauguration of Celebrity's Millennium, which occurred in England this past summer. Ironically, the splashing part of the gas turbine-powered vessel's debut is what is now causing headaches at the Miami, Fla.-based company. It seems that the slapping of the water against the vessel's hull is causing excess vibration. Quick to offer a remedy is Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), which was awarded the repair contract from Celebrity in August. The company, which brainstormed with Celebrity's executives on September 8 at Kingsmill's conference facilities in historic Williamsburg…

On Sunday, December 17, 2000 a raging storm was brewing off the coast of Virginia. Record-breaking waves were measuring anywhere from 30-40 ft. and the wind was gusting at about 70 knots. In the middle of the Atlantic, (220 miles off the coast of Norfolk, Va. to be exact), a 600 ft. (182.8 m), 21,000-ton cruise ship was in trouble, its crewmembers ready to abandon ship into the cold ocean. With only seconds to decide the fate of his vessel, the captain of the Sea Breeze I, placed a mayday call via the vessel's Inmarsat Standard-C distress feature, indicating that the now-defunct Premier Cruise Lines' vessel might sink. By Regina P. The dramatic rescue of SeaBreeze's 34 crewmembers began on that Sunday morning, when Eileen Joyce received an alert at COMSAT Mobile's Southbury, Conn.

Walking into Bob Dickinson's spacious office at Carnival Corp.'s Miami, Fla. headquarters, one would be shocked to hear that he isn't in the cruise business to make money. Many executives would be eager to find out how the president of the world's largest cruise line can live by this philosophy. Dickinson, who has served as president of Carnival since May 1993, met recently with MR/EN to shed some light on how his strategies and ideas have kept his company at the top of the cruise industry funnel. By Regina P. Sitting down for a chat with Bob Dickinson is like mixing business with pleasure — you get the job done with a little humor added into the fray. But ask Dickinson what angers him about the cruise industry, and the smile that is usually present, quickly disappears.

Kaparis met recently with MR/EN to discuss what he considers are the most important safety issues in cruise shipping today. By Regina P. Among the sketches of general arrangement drawings, and IMO and technical specifications, Celebrity's Demetrios Kaparis sums up his vision for a safe cruise ship fleet. Kaparis has expressed that mandatory safety training for all officers and crew with firefighting and medical responsibilities must be also be reinforced. He feels that these individuals must be certified in these areas according to IMO recommendations and flag administrations and he will strive to ensure that special training rooms and facilities will be available onboard all Celebrity newbuilds - steadfast in his quest for eternal vigilance.

Despite the threat of overcapacity in the cruise shipping industry, newbuilding contracts have remained on a constant high — specifically in the mega ship sector. This new trend, which seems to have taken on a life of its own in the industry, beginning with Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, has carried over to Cunard, which has hired Chantiers de l’ Atlantique to construct what is set to be the world’s largest ocean liner. Measuring 1,131 ft. 345 m) with a 131 ft. (40 m) beam, the $780 million vessel, according to its designers at Tillberg Design, will exemplify the classic British style that is representative of Cunard. By Regina P.

By Regina P. The teaming of Austal Ships and Bender Shipbuilding to construct a world-class aluminum vessel construction facility in Mobile, Ala., highlights the level of investment mid-tier U.S. yards have made in the past five years. Austal, which is well regarded for its fast craft design and construction prowess, will have at its disposal arguably one of the finest plate production facilities in the country, as well as access to a market for its signature craft, which seems to be poised to boom. The two companies, however, found that through a melding of similar ideas - both on a philosophical and financial level - that they could assimilate their cultural and business practices to form what aspires to become the largest aluminum shipbuilding company in the U.S. - Austal USA.

Imagine earning $1.25 a day to wade through knee-deep mucky waters on a beach in Bangladesh, to dismantle enormous ships with little more than hand tools. This practice is conducted every day by Bangladeshi laborers who work as ship breakers. These vessels, many of which are cast-off single hull tankers, are dismantled in mostly unhealthy, hazardous and sometimes deadly conditions. Toronto, Canada-based photographer Edward Burtynsky traveled to the beaches of Chittagong, Bangladesh in 2000 and 2001 to capture on film a process few have seen before. MR/EN spoke with Burtynsky, and with his cooperations presents a selection of his photographs taken on location a ship breaking facility. – By Regina P.

It was supposed to be the world's largest artificial coral reef for scuba diving, located off the coast of Key Largo. More than eight years ago, a group of divers from the area devised a plan to sink a 510-ft. (155.4-m) retired Dock Landing Ship (LSD) to the bottom of 130 ft (39.6 m). of water. For the next several years, Spiegel Grove became Key Largo Chamber of Commerce's pet project. With various local dive shops, businesses and dedicated individuals participating in this venture, the vessel, which had been decommissioned in 1989, was towed last June from the James River Reserve Fleet, to a shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., so that workers could ready the vessel for its intentional sinking.

While this year's Sea Trade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami, Fla. offered up the usual fare of new innovations and ideas for the cruise industry, Fincantieri introduced not a new vessel or concept, but a book outlining the concepts and designs that the yard has based its European traditions. Rather than focusing on just the vessels themselves, Fincantieri's executive team, namely Executive Chairman Corrado Antonini and Giuseppe Bono, the company's CEO, approached the situation as an historical artifact. Therefore, the company sought the assistance of Fiora Steinbach Palazzini, a writer and communication consultant, who is also a professor at Trieste University.

While much of the focus is trained on Naval new construction, the fact is that repair and maintenance on the existing U.S. Navy fleet has reached condition critical.Cutbacks from the Navy have left many vessels of its 300-member fleet to go without required repairs and maintenance because the money is not budgeted. Yards may however, find some relief at the end of this month, dependent upon whether Congress passes a supplemental bill for additional funding. Already five months into the government's fiscal year and ship repair yards have not seen a cent of additional funding from the Navy for the maintenance and repair of its fleet.

Shipowners are constantly faced with ever-changing laws and guidelines they must abide by. If they don't adhere - or even are not aware of these environmental requirements and regulations - they may not only risk losing their upstanding place in the maritime industry, but could face stiff fines and possibly even jail time. Ever since the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster in 1989, vessel owners and masters have since become wary of already-established and new guidelines (such as OPA '90) exerted by IMO and SOLAS for safe and clean waters. Everyone from captains on the largest cruise ships in the world - to the master of a small tugboat fall into this category. But, alas, there are always a few who think they are above the law or are just - in plain English - negligent in their decisions.

As part of a comprehensive cost reduction program, American Classic Voyages (AMCV) announced in June that it would eliminate 70 full-time positions form its shore-based staff of 470 full-time personnel. The cuts are also attributed to the fact that the company, which previously held offices in Chicago, Ill. and New Orleans, La., decided to combine its subsidiaries under one main location in Sunrise, Fla. "Although this was a difficult decision, we need to be leaner and more efficient to ensure continued success, AMCV CEO Phil Calian said. Calian was quick to point out that aggressive sales and marketing efforts have driven demand for AMCV's Hawaii cruises of more than 2…

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), located in Kings Point, N.Y., strives to produce graduates who have the expertise, as well as the understanding of not only how a ship works, but what it takes to operate and build a ship. An ordinary preparatory program? Not so, as the Academy holds a unique spot in the maritime education and engineering world - they are known as the only learning institution to offer a fully consolidated undergraduate program geared specifically towards shipyard management. MR/EN recently spent the day with various professors involved, as well as members of the program's class of 2000, as they shared their thoughts and views on this premier curriculum. By Regina P. Step back in time to 1995 for a moment.