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18 Mar 2024

First Tow Through Lock 2 Kicks Off Navigation Season on the Mississippi

The first tow of 2024 goes through Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, Minn., on March 17. (Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The first towboat of 2024 passed through Lock and Dam 2, in Hastings, Minn. on Sunday, signaling the start of this year's navigation season on the Mississippi River.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Paul District said it considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the unofficial start of the Mississippi River navigation season, because it means all of its locks are accessible to commercial and recreational vessels.On Sunday, Marquette Transportation Company's Joseph Patrick Eckstein traveled through the lock with 12 barges en route to St.

10 Mar 2024

Gaza Aid Ship Waiting to Sail

Source: World Central Kitchen

A ship carrying tonnes of food for Gaza remained docked in a Cyprus port on Sunday as preparations were underway to launch a yet untested maritime aid route to the enclave, where the United Nations estimates a quarter of the population faces starvation.The Open Arms, a salvage vessel, plans to tow a barge with 200 tonnes of food, mostly funded by the UAE. The supplies were sourced by charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), which is working with Spanish non-governmental organisation Proactiva Open Arms.WCK said it has another 500 tonnes of supplies in Cyprus…

11 Mar 2024

Callan Marine Awarded Houston Dredging Contract

General Arnold (Photo: Callan Marine)

Galveston-based dredging contractor Callan Marine has been awarded a $136 million contract from Port Houston to dredge segment 1C of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion, under the port's Project 11 program.Callan will use its recently christened 32-inch cutter suction dredge, the General Arnold, among the newest, largest and most environmentally friendly cutter suction dredge in the U.S. fleet for the undertaking. The dredge features four EPA Tier 4 engines developing a combined 24…

08 Mar 2024

Who Are Yemen's Houthis and Why Are They Attacking Ships in the Red Sea?

The tanker Marlin Luanda was struck by an anti-ship missile fired by Houthi forces on January 26, 2024 (Photo: Indian Navy)

Yemen's Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November, in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, prompting retaliatory U.S. and U.K. strikes against the Iran-aligned group.In the first fatalities reported since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping in one of the world's busiest trade lanes, a Houthi missile on Wednesday killed three seafarers on the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence some 50 nautical miles from Yemen's port of Aden.HistoryIn the late 1990s…

06 Mar 2024

Iran to Unload Crude from Seized Tanker Advantage Sweet

© momentscatcher / Adobe Stock

Iran will unload about $50 million worth of crude from a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker seized last year, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday, in a tit-for-tat action against the United States.Advantage Sweet is a Suezmax crude tanker that had been chartered by U.S. firm Chevron and was seized in April 2023 by Iran's army following an alleged collision with an Iranian boat.The unloading of the cargo follows a Tehran court order in favor of Iranian patients of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)…

28 Feb 2024

The Mission to Seafarers Names Rouch Secretary General

Peter Rouch (Photo: The Mission to Seafarers)

Maritime welfare charity The Mission to Seafarers announced Dr. Peter Rouch has been named as its next secretary general, succeeding Revd. Canon Andrew Wright, who will retire from the role in September this year, after almost 12 years of leading the organization. Rouch has been appointed to the role by the board of The Mission to Seafarers. He will join the Mission on July 1, enabling a period of handover between himself and Wright.Tom Boardley, chairman of The Mission to Seafarers, said, "We are delighted that Peter is joining the Mission and look forward to welcoming him in July.

26 Feb 2024

Herculaneum Port Site Cleared for Redevelopment as Intermodal Hub

(Photo: St. Louis Regional Freightway)

A 300-acre property along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, Missouri recently received Port District zoning making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park.Located on the shipping lanes of the Mississippi River, the site has been utilized since the 1700s as a port. With its easy access for barge loading and offloading and the site’s proximity to early lead mines in adjacent Washington County, under early French ownership the port was utilized to ship lead cannonballs and shot to Europe to support Napolean’s army.

21 Feb 2024

ARC Keeps the Cargo Rolling

Flags on M/V ARC Defender.
Image courtesy ARC

With a fleet of nine U.S.-flag RoRo ships, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC), is the U.S.’ premier commercial RoRo carrier of U.S. government and military cargo. As the world becomes an increasingly contentious place, Eric P. Ebeling, President & CEO, ARC, discusses the vast capabilities of the ARC fleet and logistics network, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-flag ships in the international trade.By the numbers’ is a simplistic means to gauge the size and shape of any shipping company…

13 Feb 2024

Solana Beach Dredging On Track

A split-hull trailing suction hopper dredge, linked to a tugboat, operates Jan. 31 off the shore of Solana Beach, Calif. (Photo: Stephen Baack / USACE)

A dredging and sand replenishment project at Southern California's Solana Beach is about halfway complete, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.The project, which reduces coastal storm damage and erosion along a 7,200-foot-long stretch of shoreline, includes construction of a 150-foot-wide beach fill using 700,000 cubic yards of compatible sediment.Operations started Jan. 17 and are on schedule to wrap up in mid-March, according to Caleb Lodge, coastal engineer with the Corps' Los Angeles District.“They’re doing about seven or eight loads a day…

09 Feb 2024

Kongsberg Discovery Wins US Navy DIU Contract

HUGIN Endurance, one of the newest members in the HUGIN AUV family, measures 39-ft. long and nearly 4-ft. in diameter, with a 15-day endurance. Image courtesy Kongsberg Discovery

Kongsberg Discovery announced a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) award to assist in the U.S. Navy’s Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) prototype.Kongsberg Discovery has been awarded a contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to rapidly deliver HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capabilities for the U.S. Military. The total contract  could result in the Navy acquiring HUGIN Endurance and HUGIN Superior deep-water AUV systems.HUGIN Endurance, one of the newest members in the HUGIN AUV family, measures 39-ft. long and nearly 4-ft.

01 Feb 2024

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm Gets Final Federal Blessing

© Fokke Baarssen / Adobe Stock

Dominion Energy, the developer of Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) farm, has secured the last two major federal approvals needed to begin the construction of the 2.6 GW project.The approvals are keeping the largest offshore wind farm in the United States on schedule to generate clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes once fully constructed.The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) provided its final approval of CVOW's Construction and Operations Plan (COP), which authorizes construction offshore.The U.S.

26 Jan 2024

Orion Joins Dredging Contractors of America

(Photo: Chip Worley / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Houston based dredging and marine construction contractor Orion Group Holdings – Marine Group has become a member of trade group the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA).Orion has a near 100-year legacy and today ranks among market leaders in the provision of dredging services to keep waterways serviceable and to expand ports and other marine infrastructure throughout the United States, territories and Caribbean. The company works to create beneficial marsh habitats, dredging…

22 Jan 2024

Vigor Wins Repair Contract for Hospital Ship USNS Mercy

The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) anchored off Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia on January 18, 2024. (Photo: Jacob Woitzel / U.S. Navy)

Vigor Marine has been awarded a contract for a 93-calendar day shipyard availability for a mid-term availability of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19).The $21,198,656 firm-fixed-price contract includes a base period and options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $21,711,746. Vigor was the sole bidder for the project.Work will be performed in Portland, Ore., beginning March 15, 2024, and is expected to be completed by June 15…

12 Jan 2024

China Media Warns Against Taking China's Indian Ocean Research as Threats

© Rawpixel / Adobe Stock

Chinese state media warned on Friday that a report by a prominent U.S. think tank on the military uses of Chinese scientific research across the Indian Ocean gave "ammunition" to countries bent on concocting threats from China.The report this week by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) "comes at a time when some countries need to manufacture a 'China threat' narrative in the Indian Ocean region and provides them with ammunition", the state-controlled tabloid Global Times said in an editorial."The timing of this report is delicate…

10 Jan 2024

HII Names Courtney Corporate VP of Legislative Affairs

Peter Courtney (Photo: HII)

HII announced that Peter Courtney has been promoted to corporate vice president of legislative affairs and Betsy Bina Benedict will join HII to serve as the director of legislative affairs. Courtney succeeds Carolyn Apostolou who retired in December after 10 years with the company.Courtney will be located in HII’s Arlington office and report directly to Stewart Holmes, HII’s executive vice president of government and customer relations (GCR). Benedict will report to Courtney.In Courtney’s new role…

03 Jan 2024

China Unveils New Images of its Aircraft Carrier Newbuilding

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year message via China Media Group and the Internet in Beijing. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) (Source: China Military)

Chinese state media unveiled new images of China's most advanced aircraft carrier yet, including next generation launch tracks that can catapult a wider range of aircraft from its deck.First shown to the public in June 2022, the Fujian was entirely designed and built domestically.Yet to conduct its first sea trials, the aircraft carrier is larger and technologically more advanced than the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, and the Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted domestically.On state television late on Tuesday…

28 Dec 2023

Great Lakes Bags $173.7 Million in New Dredging Contracts

File photo: Great Lakes' hopper dredge Padre Island in Galveston Channel in August 2023. (Credit: Luke Waack / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Thursday announced the receipt of five dredging contracts totaling $173.7 million. The projects are in Texas, New Jersey, Florida and Louisiana.The Sabine-Neches Waterway Channel Improvement Project-Phase 1 (Capital, Texas, $62.8 million) includes dredging for channel deepening along the Sabine-Neches Waterway from Sabine Bank Channel to Sabine Pass Channel. The construction of the Sabine-Neches Waterway will generate widespread economic benefits for Southeast Texas…

21 Dec 2023

ACBL Names Schappell SVP of Logistics & Network Operations

Steve Schappell (Photo: ACBL)

Jeffersonville, Ind. based marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) announced Steve Schappell has been appointed Senior Vice President of Logistics and Network Operations after entering the role on an interim basis in September.Schappell, who joined ACBL in July 2021 as Vice President of Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement, was selected for the position over several external candidates, the company said.Reporting directly to ACBL CEO Mike Ellis, Schappell is responsible for ACBL's Fleets, Terminals, and Interchange business unit.

18 Dec 2023

The Man Behind the 'Jones Act'

Senator Wesley Livsey Jones (Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, photograph by Harris and Ewing, [LC-DIG-hec-15427])

Senator Wesley Livsey Jones gave his name to the famous “Jones Act” governing U.S. domestic maritime trade. But what do really know about him? It turns out that he was much more than a leading merchant marine policy maker. (i)Jones had a long career in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was a Senator, was an effective legislator, an astute politician, one of the hardest working legislators of his era, and always viewed as honest and forthright. His many maritime legislative successes included the Merchant Marine Act…

14 Dec 2023

Upper Miss Navigation Season Draws to a Close

The last tow of the 2023 navigation season: The towboat Thomas Erickson departed Lock and Dam 10, near Guttenberg, Iowa, Dec. 3, with 15 barges. (Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District)

The 2023 navigation season has drawn to a close on the Upper Mississippi River.A 15-barge tow pushed by the towboat Thomas Erickson, the last of the season, departed Lock and Dam 10, near Guttenberg, Iowa, December 3, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District said.The 2023 season commence March 12, when the towboat Phillip M Pfeffer broke its way through the ice of Lake Pepin to travel to St. Paul, Minnesota.With the 2023 navigation season in the rearview, St. Paul District staff will remain busy this coming winter with maintenance projects at Lock and Dam 2…

13 Dec 2023

Why the Indian Ocean Could be China's Achilles' Heel in a Taiwan War

© Igor / Adobe Stock

Every day, nearly 60 fully loaded very large crude-oil carriers sail between the Persian Gulf and Chinese ports, carrying about half of the oil that powers the world's second-largest economy.As the vessels enter the South China Sea, they ply waters increasingly controlled by China's growing military, from the missile batteries and airfields at its bases on disputed islands to its stealthy Type 055 destroyers.But when crossing the Indian Ocean, joined by others headed to China from Africa and Brazil…

13 Dec 2023

Tacoma, Seattle Ports Ink Deals for Navigation Improvement Projects

(Photo; The Northwest Seaport Alliance)

Pacific Northwest seaports Seattle and Tacoma have signed design agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for a pair of waterway navigation improvement projects.The Seattle Navigation Improvement Project, authorized by Congress in 2018, and the Tacoma Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, authorized in 2022, are part of a comprehensive modernization initiative for The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway that began nearly a decade ago.Containerships navigating in the trans-Pacific trade are increasing in size…

12 Dec 2023

Austal and Birdon Ink Landing Craft MOU

Austal Limited CEO Paddy Gregg and Birdon CEO Jamie Bruce at Austal USA’s headquarters in Mobile, Alabama (Photo: Austal)

Shipbuilding groups Austal and Birdon announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly develop defense shipbuilding capability in Western Australia to deliver the Australian Department of Defense Landing Craft-Medium (LC-M) Project.The formation of the MOU commenced in late November when Minister for Defense Industry, Hon. Pat Conroy, announced a Heads of Agreement (HOA) to establish a Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) between Austal and the Commonwealth, and named Austal as the preferred vessel constructor.

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