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19 May 2022
ISS Issues RFP to Construct North America’s First Zero-emissions Towboats
Houston-based Industrial Service Solutions (ISS) announced Thursday it is seeking bids from U.S. shipyards to build up to four hulls for what will become North America's first fully-electric towboats.The zero-emissions vessels, which will be constructed for New York-based Zeeboat and available for charter from 2025, will run entirely on battery power, without the use of diesel engines—a first for towboats in North America.
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09 May 2022
Interview: Richard Balzano, Dredging Contractors of America
Richard Balzano took over as CEO and executive director of the Dredging Contractors of America in December 2020. And while he says he’s “still fairly new to the [dredging] industry”, he certainly knows his way around the business, having held a number of prominent roles over the course of more than 30 years in the maritime and U.S government sectors. His resume is impressive. A combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, he retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Captain.
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09 May 2022
CTV Ordered for Vineyard Wind Project in the US
Offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind on Monday announced it has signed a contract to charter a crew transfer vessel (CTV) from Massachusetts-based marine transportation company Patriot Offshore Maritime Services.The 88.5-foot (27-meter) aluminum CTV will be built at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Mass. for mid-2023 delivery. Based on an Incat Crowther catamaran design, with a beam of 29.5 feet and draft of 5.6 feet…
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09 May 2022
Ann Phillips Confirmed as Next MARAD Administrator
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Ann C. Phillips as Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), filling a position that has been left vacant at the Department of Transportation (DOT) since January 2021. Phillips was confirmed by a vote of 75-22.Phillips, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, takes over as head of the DOT's maritime agency amid continued shipping and supply chain disruption…
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05 May 2022
Hybrid-electric Tour Boat Enters Service in Svalbard
High-latitude tourism company Hurtigruten Svalbard has launched a first-of-its kind hybrid-electric excursion vessel in Longyearbyen, just 800 miles from the North Pole.The 14-meter vessel, Kvitbjørn, runs on a hybrid-electric propulsion system developed by Volvo Penta in partnership with Swedish boatbuilder Marell Boats and Hurtigruten Svalbard.The new 12-passenger aluminum vessel, which will take…
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29 Apr 2022
World's First Emissions-free Containership Yara Birkeland Christened
Yara Birkeland, the world’s first electric, autonomous container vessel, was christened in Norway on Friday.The battery-driven vessel completed its maiden voyage in November 2021 and is due to enter service this year, transporting fertilizer across the fjord from Yara International’s Porsgrunn plant to Brevik port, eliminating the carbon emissions of 40,000 diesel truck loads per year, Yara said. Initially…
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22 Apr 2022
Tidewater Completes Swire Pacific Offshore Acquisition
U.S.-headquartered offshore support vessels (OSV) owner Tidewater Inc. on Friday announced it has completed its acquisition of Singapore's Swire Pacific Offshore Holdings Limited (SPO), creating the industry’s largest OSV fleet.The $190 million transaction adds 50 vessels to the Tidewater fleet, which now stands at more than 200 vessels in total, including crew boats, tug boats and maintenance vessels.SPO…
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17 Apr 2022
Ever Forward Refloated Near Baltimore
The containership Ever Forward has been refloated after more than a month aground in the Chesapeake Bay, near the Port of Baltimore. The Hong Kong-registered vessel was freed around 7 a.m. on Sunday after running aground on March 13 while en route from Baltimore to Norfolk, Va.Salvors removed a portion of the nearly 5,000 containers on board to reduce groundforce following two failed attempts to dredge around and tow out the 1,095-foot-long containership on March 29 and 30.
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12 Apr 2022
The New 'New York'
When it came time to replace their 50-year-old station vessel New York, the Sandy Hook Pilots Association thought long and hard, weighing their options to determine the best possible solution. They traveled the country, to Houston, San Francisco and up to the Columbia River, and even to Europe—the Elbe River in Germany and Rotterdam in the Netherlands—to ride with other pilots in search of an answer.“We…
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11 Apr 2022
Interview: Shane Guidry, Harvey Gulf
Shane Guidry transformed Harvey Gulf from an inland and offshore towing vessel operator to a provider of offshore vessel services in the Gulf of Mexico and international oil and gas markets. Innovation initiatives he has spearheaded include, among others, leading the company to become the United States’ first owner and operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered offshore support vessels, as well positioning the firm as the first LNG bunkering facility operator in the U.S.
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11 Apr 2022
Salvors Begin Removing Containers from Ever Forward
Salvors on Saturday started removing containers from the grounded containership Ever Forward in an effort to reduce ground force ahead of the next refloat attempt.The lightering operation follows several failed attempts to dredge around and tow out the 1,095-foot vessel, which has been stuck in the mud outside of the Craighill Channel in the Chesapeake Bay since March 13.Crane barges will remove a portion of the containers from both the port and starboard sides of the the 12,000 TEU vessel.
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06 Apr 2022
Conrad to Build Two Tugs for the US Army Corps of Engineers
Conrad Shipyard has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design and build two tugboats for use in the Great Lakes.The two CELRE Detroit Ice Class tugs will be used for the mobilization of floating equipment on the St. Mary’s River, upper Great Lakes and the Soo Harbor, as well as breaking ice up to 12 inches thick and performing ice scraping operations at the St. Mary’s Falls Canal.Conrad won out among five bidders for the $16…
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06 Apr 2022
Mackinac Island Ferry Goes Adrift After Steering Loss
Passengers were removed from a Mackinac Island ferry that suffered mechanical issues and went adrift in the Straits of Mackinac on Tuesday.The Star Line winter service ferry Huron had 144 passengers and four crewmembers on board when it lost steering at about 6 p.m. while on its way from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace, Mich., the U.S. Coast Guard said.Unable to deploy its anchor due to a possible mechanical or weather-related issue, the 1950s-built vessel drifted slowly in open water toward St.
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04 Apr 2022
Containers Will Be Removed to Refloat Containership Ever Forward
Salvors will remove cargo from the grounded containership Ever Forward as a means to lighten the vessel for another refloat attempt near the Port of Baltimore, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday.The Hong Kong-registered containership has been stationary since March 13, when it ran aground outside of the Craighill Channel in the Chesapeake Bay. No injuries or pollution have been reported. Dredgers have been digging out around the stuck box ship…
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04 Apr 2022
Case Marine Acquires Assets of Marine Industries Corp
Memphis. Ind.-based marine parts and supplies company Case Marine Inc. has acquired the inventory assets of Marine Industries Corp. based in Jeffersonville, Ind. The deal was finalized in June 2021.According to Case Marine's president, Dave Case, included in the acquisition are inventory assets such as engine and steering controls, cutless bearings, gauges, navigation lights and bulbs, searchlights, life jackets and other safety equipment."Marine Industries Corp.
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04 Apr 2022
Leonhardt & Blumberg Enters the Tanker Market with Trio from Ardmore
German shipowner Leonhardt & Blumberg has entered the tanker shipping sector with the purchase of three MR2 product tankers from Ireland-based Ardmore Shipping.The companies announced Monday that they agreed to terms for the sale of three 2008-built vessels for an aggregate price of $40 million. Immediately following the completion of the sales, which are expected to take place in the second quarter, Ardmore will time charter back each vessel for at least two years.
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01 Apr 2022
Samsung Delivers Shuttle Tanker to Altera
Altera Infrastructure, formerly known as Teekay Offshore, said it has taken delivery of a new shuttle tanker from Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea.The 148,200 DWT newbuild, Altera Thule, was handed over to Altera on Thursday. The ship's crew is currently on board and preparing for sail away after familiarization, testing and drills, the company said.The Bahamas-registered suezmax will operate on long-term contracts with a group of companies that includes Chevron…
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31 Mar 2022
Evergreen Declares General Average Following Containership Ever Forward Grounding
Evergreen Marine, the owner of a containership stuck aground in the Chesapeake Bay, has declared general average after two failed attempts to refloat the vessel.The Ever Forward has been stuck near the Port of Baltimore since March 13 despite the efforts of dredgers and salvors who have been working for more than a week to dig out and refloat the 1,095-foot vessel. Separate attempts to refloat the ship on Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful…
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31 Mar 2022
CSL's New Diesel-electric Laker Arrives in Halifax
CSL’s new diesel-electric self-unloading bulk carrier—the first of its kind on the Great Lakes—arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on March 27, following its maiden voyage from the Chengxi Shipyard in Jiangyin, China.The new purpose-built Nukumi will enter service in late April, transporting deicing salt from Windsor Salt’s Mines Seleine mine in the Magdalen Islands to stockpiles throughout Quebec and Eastern Canada.The 26…
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29 Mar 2022
COSCO Launches Aframax Green Adventure for Aegean Shipping
A newbuild aframax tanker Green Adventure was launched for Aegean Shipping at the Cosco Yangzhou shipyard in China's Jiangdu District on Monday. The 112,500 DWT crude oil tanker is scheduled to be delivered later this year.The vessel is one of four currently being built for the Greek shipping company at Cosco Yangzhou. Aegean ordered the first two ships in September 2020 and exercised an option for the third and fourth in December of the same year.