Will 2024 Settle the Turbulence of US Offshore Wind?
There is no denying that 2023 was a challenging year for the U.S. offshore wind market. Citing macroeconomic factors including high inflation, rising interest rates, and supply chain bottlenecks, Ørsted announced on October 31 that they were ceasing the development of the Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 projects, which were scheduled for construction off the coast of New Jersey. Unfortunately, the troubling news has continued into the new year, with Equinor and BP announcing onâŠ
Volunteer Fire Department in Indiana Gets Its First Boat
A volunteer fire department in western Indiana has increased its capabilities to respond to incidents on lakes and waterways after getting an unexpected grant.The Bellmore Volunteer Fire Department purchased its first boat through funding from Marathon Pipe Line (MPL), a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleumâs midstream segment, MPLX.The departmentâs chief said he had considered budget cuts to make the purchase possible before MPL surprised him with a check for all the necessary funding.BellmoreâŠ
Report Identifies Four Key US Industrial Carbon Capture Clusters
EFI Foundation CEO Ernest J. Moniz has published a new report, supported by carbon capture solutions company Carbon Clean, that describes a new coordinated regional approach in the US with great potential for significant carbon emissions reductions.The report, âA New Industrial Backbone: Exploring U.S. Regional CCUS Hubs for Small-to-Midsize Industrial Emittersâ lays out a blueprint that calls for a hub approach to carbon capture.The study identifies four regional hubs in theâŠ
US' MARAD Announces Grants to Boost Supply Chain Efficiency
The U.S. Department of Transportationâs Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers.âOur country has always relied on American waterways to get vital goods where they need to go,â said U.S.
Ports of Indiana Names Operations Managers at Ohio River Ports
Ports of Indiana has filled two key leadership roles at its Ohio River ports, naming Ashley Blocker and Michael Graves as Operations Managers in Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville, respectively.Blocker, a southwest Indiana native, was promoted to the new role after serving as Operations Analyst for Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon since 2022. She previously worked in multiple roles with Squaw Creek Southern Railroad and has more than 15 yearsâ experience in port and rail operations, customer relations and data analysis.
Great Lakes Towing Christens Two New Tugs
The Great Lakes Towing Company on Friday christened two new tugs in Chicago.The vessels, Illinois and Indiana, are part of a series of 10 new Damen 1907 ICE tugs built in Cleveland by Great Lakes Shipyard, a sister company to the Towing Companyâboth part of The Great Lakes Group.The 64âx24âx11â tugs are each powered by two 1,000-horsepower MTU 8V4000 Tier III diesel engines, and generate over 30-tons of bollard pull. Their propulsion systems include the Canal-Marine-designed Logan FlexaDrive Hybrid power systemâŠ
US Court Revives Lawsuit Against Royal Caribbean Over Toddler's Death
A federal appeals court on Tuesday revived a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises by the parents of an 18-month-old girl who died after slipping through her grandfatherâs hands and falling through an open cruise ship window.The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta restored two negligence claims over the July 2019 death of Chloe Wiegand, who had been in a childrenâs play area aboard the ship Freedom of the Seas, which was docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Her grandfather Salvatore Anello testified that he picked Chloe up and put her feet on the windowsillâŠ
Ports of Indiana Invests to Expand Following 6% Cargo Growth in 2022
Ports of Indiana announced more than $20 million in expansion and maintenance projects have been approved following several years of cargo growth.Ports of Indiana, which includes Jeffersonville, Burns Harbor and Mount Vernon, handled 11.9 million tons of cargo in 2022, resulting in a 6% increase from 2021 and 42% more than 2020. During 2022, the Burns Harbor and Jeffersonville ports both set new records for total annual shipments, and the overall cargo volume was the fourth highestâŠ
Subsea Mining Plans Pit Renewable Energy Demand Against Ocean Life
As companies race to expand renewable energy and the batteries to store it, finding sufficient amounts of rare earth metals to build the technology is no easy feat. Thatâs leading mining companies to take a closer look at a largely unexplored frontier â the deep ocean seabed.A wealth of these metals can be found in manganese nodules that look like cobblestones scattered across wide areas of deep ocean seabed. But the fragile ecosystems deep in the oceans are little understoodâŠ
Middle River Marine Acquires Kindra Lake Towing
Mokena, Ill. based Middle River Marine, LLC announced it has struck a deal to acquire the assets of Chicago's Kindra Lake Towing LP.With the acquisition, Middle River will expand its affreightment, towing, fleeting and terminal services to customers on the Illinois Waterways, including Lake Michigan. The agreement will expand MRMâs bulk material logistic operations with the addition of five vessels, marine equipment and a harbor slip in South Chicago.âOur people make the difference and weâre happy to welcome new coworkers to expand the MRM team,â said Aaron Halcomb, president of Middle River Marine. âFor our customers, this further extends our ability to economicallyâŠ
Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022
The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industryâs engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine Newsâ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.
AAPA Elects Strawbridge as Next Board Chairman
Trade group the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) elected a new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sean Strawbridge of the Port of Corpus Christi, last week during its 111th Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, Fla. Outgoing Chairman Mario Cordero of the Port of Long Beach made the formal announcement during his address to members and attendees.AAPA President and CEO Chris Connor remarked on the transition, "Our work at AAPA is bolstered by the leadership and input of our chairperson and board of directors.
Mercury Marine Opens New Global Distribution Center in Indiana
Mercury Marine opened its new, purpose-built distribution center to support its parts and accessories business. The new 512,000 square foot facility is located near Indianapolis, Ind., a major thoroughfare connecting Mercuryâs global customers that will improve delivery and service and will add much needed capacity for scale, stability, and reduced logistics costs, the company said.Mercuryâs current distribution facility at its global headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wis., will be repurposed to support its propulsion systemsâŠ
ACBL Planning to Repurpose Jeffboat Site
The city of Jeffersonville, Ind. announced plans are underway to redevelop the shuttered site of one of the nationâs oldest, largest and best-known inland shipbuilders.The city said it is working with the property's owner American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) to develop a master plan for the 80-acre site along the Ohio Riverfront that was once home to Jeffboat. The southern Indiana shipyard was founded in the 1800s and served as one of Jeffersonville's largest employers until it shut down in 2018 amid a national slowdown in barge construction.As part of an agreement with ACBLâŠ
Interlake Steamship Christens First New US-flagged Laker in Nearly 40 Years
The Interlake Steamship Company held a christening ceremony in Cleveland on Thursday for its new vessel, Mark W. Barker, the first U.S.-flagged freighter built on the Great lakes in nearly four decades.âThis is truly a historic celebration for our company and for the United States maritime industry as we proudly christen the newest vessel to join the U.S. flag fleet on the Great Lakes and our first new build in 41 years,â said Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and the vesselâs namesake.
US' First Modern Laker Begins Maiden Voyage
The newly built Mark W. Barker, the United States' first new Great Lakes bulk carrier in nearly 40 years, has embarked on its maiden voyage from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.âThis is a monumental day for our company and the U.S. flag fleet as our much-anticipated freighter departs on her first voyage in what will be a long life of service on the Great Lakes,â said Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and namesake of the vesselâthe companyâs first new build since 1981.
Cummins Names Rumsey Its First Female CEO
Cummins said Thursday that Tom Linebarger will end his term as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Jennifer Rumsey, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), will assume the role of President and CEO.Rumsey will be the seventh CEO and first woman to lead the company since it was founded in 1919. "Linebarger will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors and in an Executive Chairman role, working directly with Rumsey on specific initiatives that position the company for continued successâŠ
Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville Wraps $24 Million in New Infrastructure Work
The Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville said it has completed $24 million in infrastructure enhancement projects following a $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant received in 2015 initiating big changes in Jeffersonville. All projects were completed in 2022.The grant provided partial funding for $24 million in infrastructure enhancements that has added four miles to the portâs existing 11-mile rail network. The projects have enhanced andâŠ
Legislation Introduced to Establish Great Lakes Authority
New legislation introduced in Congress aims to create a federal entity dedicated exclusively to advancing solutions to the challenges faced by the eight states of Great Lakes region.Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin together, contain a large core of the United Statesâ commercial and defense industrial base, as well as the largest freshwater system anywhere on Earth, but lawmakers say the Great Lakes region lacks the support present in other regions where the federal government has an array of commissionsâŠ
High Powered Networking: AAPA Legislative Summit
If youâre interested in the inside track in the federal infrastructure world, check out the upcoming Legislative Summit being planned by AAPA â the American Association of Port Authorities, scheduled for March 29-31 at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center.A draft agenda is available and itâs a whoâs who of heavy hitters, starting with DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose remarks precede a roundtable session titled âNow We Build!â Another session is titled âHow Ports Get to the Front of the Line for Infrastructure Funds.â The speaker is Mitch LandrieuâŠ
Former Ports of Indiana Commissioner Ferguson Passes
Marvin Ferguson, Commissioner for the Ports of Indiana (POI) from 1993 â 2018, has passed away. First appointed by Governor Evan Bayh in 1993, Ferguson was the longest-serving Commissioner in the Portsâ history, having served under six different Governors (Bayh, OâBannon, Kernan, Daniels, Pence and Holcomb). âMarvin has a great legacy with the Ports of Indiana,â said Ports of Indiana chief executive officer Vanta E. Coda, II. âI often talk of the foundation that I was handed when taking my current role. Marvin was a huge builder of that foundation.
Chouest Begins Building First Jones Act SOV
Physical activity to construct America's first Jones Act-qualified wind farm service operations vessel (SOV) has kicked off on the U.S. Gulf Coast.The vessel, Eco Edison, is being built at Edison Chouest Offshore shipyards in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida for planned delivery in 2024. Once complete, the vessel will immediately provide operational support out of Port Jefferson, New York for Ørsted and Eversourceâs joint venture offshore wind portfolio, which includes South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind.
HII Promotes Hughes and Jacobs
Global engineering and defense technologies provider Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today the promotion of Edmond Hughes to executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Hughes, formerly the vice president of human resources and administration contracts at HIIâs Ingalls Shipbuilding division and at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding since 2006, will replace William âBillâ R. Ermatinger, who will retire on April 1 after 35 years of service. HII also appointed Susan Jacobs to replace Hughes as the vice presidentâŠ