Metairie News

Making Hydrogen Work: Demo Project in San Francisco Port

Hornblower Energy LLC, in partnership with the Port of San Franciso, the U.S. Department of Energy and six corporate partners, including Air Liquide and Glosten, is leading a project to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of using hydrogen (H2) as a maritime fuel.The project is located at Pier 68 in San Francisco. DOE selected the project for funding in 2020. It’s supposed to be completed in 2025 but there are important decision dates before then. So far, project activities have concentrated on planning and modeling.

McDonough Names Beerbohm VP of Maintenance

Metairie, La.-based marine transportation company McDonough Marine Service announced it has promoted longtime employee David Beerbohm to vice president of maintenance.For over 22 years, Beerbohm has been instrumental in leading the company's maintenance team, the company said.Before joining McDonough in 2000, Beerbohm help positions at Bollinger Shipyards and Boland Marine and Manufacturing.

Maritime Partners Promotes Livingston to COO

Metairie, La. based Maritime Partners, LLC has promoted Eric Livingston to the position of COO.Livingston joined the towboat leasing company as executive vice president in 2019 and has previously held leadership positions at Citizens Asset Finance, GATX Corporation and ATEL Capital Group.In December, Maritime Partners announced it acquired the towboat and barge fleet of J. Russell Flowers, Inc., making it the largest lessor of marine equipment in the United States.The company is also behind a project to develop the industry's first methanol-fueled towboat, set to hit the water in 2023.

Conrad Delivers First of Four Spud Barges for McDonough

Conrad Shipyard said it has delivered the first of four ABS-classed spud barges to McDonough Marine Service, headquartered in Metairie, La.The identical spud barges each measure 180’ by 54’ by 12.5’, have deck strength of 2,500 pounds PSF, and four spud wells. The remaining barges are on schedule for delivery in the third and fourth quarters of 2021. The barges are being constructed at Conrad’s Deepwater South facility in Amelia, La., one of five Conrad shipyards located along the Louisiana/Texas Gulf Coast.Patrick M.

C&C Delivers New Towboat to Maritime Partners

Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair, LLC said it has delivered Ned Brooks, the fourth in series of 15 towboats for Metairie, La.-based Maritime Partners, LLC.The 2,600-horsepowered, 84- by 34-foot towboat was designed by Entech Design, LLC, based in Kenner, La., with the 3D modeling and production drawings done by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering department. The design includes two Cummins QSK38-M1 main engines, provided by Cummins Mid-South, that are paired to two Reintjes WAF 665 reduction gears, provided by Karl Senner, LLC.

Associated Federal Pilots Orders Launch From Gladding-Hearn

The Associated Federal Pilots in Metairie, La., has ordered a Chesapeake Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The pilots’ first launch, built by the Mass.-based shipyard, is scheduled for delivery in July 2021.Since the Chesapeake Class pilot boat was introduced by the shipyard in 2003, 21 have been delivered to 12 pilot associations throughout the United States.With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design, the new all-aluminum launch measures 52.6’ overall, with a 16.8’ beam and a 3.10’ draft.

C&C Marine Delivers Towboat to Maritime Partners

Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair said it has delivered the second vessel in a series of 15 towboats it is building for Metairie, La. based Maritime Partners, LLC.The 2,600-horsepower, 84’ x 34’ towboat Brooks M. Hamilton was designed by Entech Design, LLC, based in Kenner, La., with the 3D modeling and production drawings done by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering department. The design includes two Cummins QSK38-M1 main engines, provided by Cummins Mid-South, that are paired to two Reintjes WAF 665 reduction gears, provided by Karl Senner, LLC.

Christian Honored by Propeller Club

The Propeller Club of the U.S. Port of New Orleans honored Brandy D. Christian as their 2019 Maritime Person of the Year at its 86th Annual Maritime Person of the Year Gala on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Metairie Country Club.Read Maritime Logistics Professional's interview with Brandy Christian here.Christian, who serves as President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation (NOPB), is the first woman ever to be honored with this prestigious recognition from the Propeller Club of the U.S.

Advanced Coatings Enhance Aesthetics, Durability and Safety

As Maritime Partners LLC built out its modern fleet of new tank barges, quality coatings and responsiveness to last-minute color changes supported that fleet expansion. Sherwin-Williams was there to meet the challenge.The hulking silhouette of a tank barge is instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent time on the shores of an inland waterway in the United States. These massive flat-bottomed vessels help to maintain the healthy functioning of the domestic economy, transporting vital commodities such as agricultural products, chemicals and petroleum products.

U.S. Navy Awards Contracts for FFG(X) Conceptual Design

The Navy awarded five (5) Conceptual Design (CD) contracts for the Guided Missile Frigate (FFG(X)). The contracts based on these requirements will facilitate maturing multiple designs during the 16 months of the Conceptual Design phase, and will allow the Navy to better understand the cost and capability drivers across the various design options. Furthermore, this will inform the final specifications for a full and open competition with a single source award in FY20 for Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) of the FFG(X). The entrance criteria for the Conceptual Design phase is that offerors must have a parent design that has been demonstrated at sea and must already be paired with a domestic shipyard for potential production, which will reduce the necessary development timeline.

Louisiana Dredging Outlook

When maritime stakeholders think about dredging, they typically first conjure up visions of harbor deepening projects to accommodate those giant, post-Panamax boxships. Conversely, inland players hope for maintenance dredging in the heartland to keep the nation’s 31,000 cargo barges afloat as they head for the coast. But, there is much more to it than that. In Louisiana, dredging, of course, keeps Louisiana's waterways open for navigation, provides material for coastal restoration and helps industrial plants with drainage. The biggest projects are sponsored by the U.S.

St. Louis Regional Freightway, New Orleans Port Sign MoU

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the St. Louis Regional Freightway today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to exchange market and operational information with the goal of growing trade and building upon existing and new business relationships between the two regions and critical ports. The agreement also calls for joint marketing efforts to meet those objectives. The MOU is the culmination of discussions begun during a September 2016 visit to St. Louis by top officials for the Port of New Orleans. At that time, it became evident that it would be mutually beneficial to foster even greater collaboration and leverage the intermodal connectivity between the Port of New Orleans and the St. Louis region.

Interview: Aaron Smith Zeroes in on the Offshore Sector

As the Executive Director for the Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA), Aaron Smith is charged with managing the day-to-day operation of the Authority. Along with the OSVDPA Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Council (TAC), Aaron has helped to craft the Authority’s dynamic positioning operator (DPO) certification program. This includes ensuring that the program is ultimately accepted by the offshore energy industry, and its many international and domestic counterparts.

MN100: McDonough Marine Service

Bernard P. McDonough created the company in 1945 by leasing barges from his construction company into the marketplace. Through a series of new and used barge additions, McDonough forged his company, expanding from the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico and eventually to the East Coast. His company was modeled around his fundamental philosophy of surrounding good equipment with very talented people. This recipe has yielded more than seven decades of dedicated service to its valued customers’ marine transportation requirements. After 70 years, McDonough Marine Service continues Mr.

MN100: Baker, Lyman & Co., Inc.

A wheelhouse favorite for generations, Baker, Lyman & Co. is the oldest NOAA & Admiralty Chart Agent in the United States. Baker Lyman has been provisioning vessels with nautical charts, electronic charting systems, publications, safety/educational materials, and various navigational gear & instruments since 1920. Baker Lyman provides and leads in best practice software solutions for record keeping, safety and charting. The firm has grown from a small paper based and compass company to an international electronic charting and software development company.

Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal Dedicated

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans joined a host of elected officials and industry partners today to dedicate the Port’s new $25 million Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal. The terminal, made possible by a $16.7 million federal transportation TIGER grant, has a capacity of moving 160,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) per year by rail. “This new terminal provides a highly efficient option for our customers moving cargo via rail,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant provided about 68 percent of the total funding for the terminal.

Port of New Orleans Awards Terminal Build Contract

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans awarded a $13.3 million construction contract to Metairie, La.-based Hard Rock Construction LLC today for the Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal improvement project at its monthly meeting. Hard Rock Construction was the lowest of eight bidders. The 12-acre project will result in a modern and efficient intermodal container transfer terminal to facilitate the movement of marine and rail cargo, while enhancing safety and reducing the carbon footprint of the regional and national transportation system.

Talking DP with Aaron C. Smith, Executive Director OSVDPA

When the Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA) held its first board meeting in March, it began charting the course toward a new dynamic positioning operator (DPO) certificate especially designed for the offshore service vessel industry. As the Executive Director for the newly created Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA), Aaron Smith is charged with managing the day-to-day operation of the Authority. Along with the OSVDPA Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Council (TAC)…

Port of New Orleans Mourns Former Chairman Lauricella

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans mourns the passing of former Board Chairman Francis E. “Hank” Lauricella. Gov. Mike Foster appointed Mr. Lauricella to the Board in April of 1997 and he served as Board Chairman from October 2001 until June of 2002. “Mr. Lauricella’s leadership was critical during a period of Port expansion and diversification, such as the construction of the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal and the meteoric rise of the Port’s cruise industry,” said Gary LaGrange, Port President and CEO. Prior to his service on the Port’s Board, Mr.

Harvey Gulf Breaks Ground with LNG Facility

Louisiana out in front on LNG bunkering infrastructure. New Orleans-based Harvey Gulf International Marine (HGIM) has announced the ground breaking of construction on its $25 million Phase 1, Slip B, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) fueling facility at their Port Fourchon, LA terminal. When operational later this year, HGIM’s LNG facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. This technologically-advanced, environmentally-safe, clean energy facility will be a vital addition to the growing national LNG supply infrastructure…

GofM Oil Well Loss of Control Update

According to Bloomberg, Rowan and EnVen, a privately held producer based in Metairie, Louisiana, evacuated 42 non-essential workers from Rowan Louisiana rig yesterday, while 37 remain to try to get the well under control. Citing Jonathan Garrett, chief operating officer of EnVen Energy Ventures LLC, the well operator that hired Rowan, Bloomberg add that three boats are on standby at the shallow-water well site 108 miles (173 kilometers) southwest of Lafayette, Louisiana, in case they’re needed for additional evacuations.

GIMF Completes Construction of New Liftboat, The Bellator

Gulf Island Marine Fabricators (GIMF) has just completed construction of a new liftboat, The Bellator, for C.S. Liftboats, Inc, Abbeville, La. The Bellator is ABS Classed A-1, AMS, and Mobile Offshore Unit. The new boat, designed by A.K. Suda Inc. Metairie, LA measures 150’x118’x12’-8” and carries accommodations for 46 people. The new liftboat features three 300-foot legs with a working depth of 235 feet and a maximum deck elevation of 282 feet above the mud line. The Bellator has 9…

Industry Looks to RAMP Act to Meet Dredging Needs

Silt accumulation and dredging that's been postponed for years have prevented the full use of U.S. waterways and ports, maritime industry leaders said last month. Hundreds of U.S. ports and harbors are meant to be maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to foster navigation. But many of the country's channels are not kept at their authorized depths, and last year the backlog of needed dredging projects swelled. Meanwhile, just over half the fees charged to shippers through the federal Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are spent on maintenance and operations…