Boston Harbor News

NOAA has installed a Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) in Boston Harbor. The system includes observational equipment at MassPort’s Conley Terminal and on the Tobin Memorial Bridge.The Boston Harbor PORTS, established in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is the 41st installation in a broad, public-private partnership program, providing commercial and other vessel operators with accurate and reliable real-time information about…

On December 3, the U.S. Coast Guard released their report on the Spirit of Boston fire on March 24, 2023. The fire occurred onboard the vessel in the Boston Harbor after an evening dinner excursion. The vessel suffered extensive fire damage and was taken out of service for repairs. The cause of the casualty was determined to be a fire in the aft section of the main deck wait station, most likely started when a heating fuel canister that was still burning was inadvertently dropped…

Boston Harbor's MV Outward Bound has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation for a mid-life refit. Redelivery is planned for spring 2026. Purpose-designed by JW Gilbert Associates and built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 1995, the 64-foot, 140-passenger steel vessel carries visitors and supplies seasonally to Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on the island in Boston Harbor.Along with installing a new shaft and propeller…

Boston Harbor City Cruises, a part of the global Hornblower Group, announced its selection by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to continue as the operator of the region’s premier ferry services connecting communities across Boston and the Massachusetts Metro Region.This selection follows a comprehensive public proposal and evaluation process in which Boston Harbor City Cruises presented a future-focused vision for building on the ferry system’s success as a reliable and convenient resource for both commuters and visitors.

Boston celebrated its maritime heritage in June by welcoming tall ships from around the world into Boston Harbor for the celebratory event, Sail Boston. Thousands of people visited the magnificent vessels at anchor to learn about Boston’s rich maritime history.I saw the tall ships with representatives from the New England Seafarers Mission (NESM). Founded in the 1880s by the Swedish Covenant Church, the NESM today serves seafarers in Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts.

A crewmember has died after falling overboard from a tanker vessel near Boston.A frantic search commenced shortly after 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday in response to a mayday call from the Singapore-registered MTM Dublin, which reported the mariner had fallen overboard.The man had reportedly been swept into the sea while a ladder was being lowered for the boarding of a Boston Harbor pilot, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The search was performed in rough sea conditions near Boston Harbor…

Vallejo, Calif. boatbuilder Moose Boats announced it has been selected to build a custom dive boat for the Boston Fire Department’s Special Operations Dive Team. The model M1 will be 46 feet long and powered by two Cummins QSC 8.3-liter engines delivering 1,200 horsepower.According to Boston Fire’s Captain Doug Felton, “The Boston Fire Department is looking forward to upgrading our current Dive Team boat to a Moose Boats, M1. The M1 will allow us to operate a dive boat year-round, as opposed to our current seasonal asset.

Automation, where routine tasks are handled by machines, has been talked about throughout maritime sectors for much of the 21st Century. Initially touted by suppliers of engine room and bridge management systems for its cost savings (with reduced manning levels), its value proposition was then infused with risk management (reduced human error) and remote operations, where vessels could be managed from a shoreside control room. In early 2017, Rolls Royce —an early proponent of unmanned operations—teamed with tug operator Svitzer on a remotely operated vessel…

New England’s busiest port moves closer to welcoming larger containerships and growing the regional economy with the completion of the second phase of a three-part dredging program last month, nearly one year ahead of schedule.Cashman Dredging and JV partner The Dutra Group began Phase II of the U.S. Army Corps’ Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project in July of 2018. The recently completed phase, focused on deepening the main ship channels (the Outer Harbor Channel from 40 to 51 feet…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' FY2020 Work Plan release on Monday places dredging at the forefront.“We welcome the FY 2020 Work Plan released by the Army Corps,” said William P. Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America. “We’re ready – our dredging companies are hard at work on projects and continue to build new dredging ships for America’s ports, waterways and beaches.”The Work Plan is based on the FY2020 Energy and Water Development appropriations bills signed into law by President Trump in December 2019.In December 2019…

The reasons for that are many and these realities cater to regulatory, commercial and regional needs.The U.S. dredging market is complex and relies on the diverse fleet of private dredging companies to get the job done. In addition to design and technical capabilities, environmental restrictions and regulations often dictate whether a trailing suction hopper dredge, cutter suction dredge, or mechanical dredge can respond to the coastal protection, wetland restoration, port deepening, and channel maintenance needs of the Nation.

Maritime focused steel and aluminum fabrication specialist Blue Atlantic Fabricators said it has been awarded as 2019 Manufacturer of the Year by the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership.Formed in August 2014, the Manufacturing Caucus and Annual Manufacturing Awards includes more than 60 legislators from around the state of Massachusetts. Lawmakers focus on training for manufacturing employees; encouraging innovation by helping start-ups access resources; and expanding education and apprenticeship opportunities in key manufacturing centers.

On Saturday, November 2nd, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) received two new rubber-tired gantries (RTGs), increasing the number of RTGs at the Paul W. Conley Container Terminal to 16. Adding equipment is part of an $850 million investment to keep Conley Terminal competitive and efficient with truck turntimes averaging under 35 minutes. Another two RTGs were also delivered back in May. The Port of Boston contributes over $8 billion to the regional economy and supports more than 9,000 direct jobs.

Sea Machines Robotics CEO & President.Michael Gordon Johnson is a marine engineer, an accomplished entrepreneur and sector leader with a primary goal of building progressive and sustainable innovation for modern society. He is the founder of Sea Machines, a Boston-based tech company that is a leading provider of autonomous control and intelligent perception systems for marine vessels. Johnson earned a marine engineering degree from Texas A&M University before starting a career focused on complex projects in offshore oil and gas, marine transportation and salvage.

The American company providing construction services in dredging and land reclamation, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company (GLDD) announced the receipt of several major dredging awards totaling $141 million.The North America's dredging industry leader said in a release that  awarded work includes: Jacksonville Deepening Contract B Option (Capital Deepening, Florida, $96.6 million); Baltimore Harbor (Maintenance, Maryland, $38.4 million) and Boston Harbor (Maintenance, Massachusetts, $5.6 million).The base scope for the Jacksonville Deepening Contract B was won in 2018 and the option work is a continuation of channel deepening an additional 2.5 miles upriver.

On August 20, 2019, Dutra’s new Jones Act built Hydraulic Dump Scow ES15 was successfully launched, christened, commissioned and will finish sea trials and additional testing this week. Next week the ES15 will head to Massachusetts to to work on the Boston Harbor Deepening Project.ES15 is a 6,000cy Hydraulic Dump Scow built in Corn Island Shipyard in Grandview, Indiana, located at 734 Mile Marker on the Ohio River. Departing from Corn Island, IN  on August 27, 2019, the vessel will head south on the Ohio River…

Four people were injured Friday morning when a Boston-bound ferry ran aground off Long Island in Boston Harbor, the U.S. Coast Guard said. At approximately 7:45 a.m., J.P. Vega, operations manager for Boston Harbor Cruises, reported to Coast Guard watchstanders that the ferry Lightening ran aground with 84 people aboard.The Coast Guard said it launched rescue crews from Station Boston and Point Allerton to assist in the response alongside state and local partner agencies.The four…

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announced another record year for the Port of Boston’s Paul W. Conley Container Terminal.From July 2018 through June 2019, Conley handled 307,331 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) – an 8% increase in cargo volumes over FY2018 and a new all-time record for the fifth consecutive year. Total imports also rose by 12% over FY18 to 152,960 TEUs in advance of pending tariffs.“We are proud of Conley’s continued growth and success, which reflect the region’s strong economy and Conley’s high levels of productivity,” said Acting Port Director Mike Meyran.“For FY2020, we will continue to make smart infrastructure…

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) picked its port director, Lisa Wieland, to be its next Chief Executive Officer(CEO), bypassing the other finalist, a member of the city's power elite, for one of the most influential public-sector jobs in the state.Board of Directors voted to offer Wieland the position of CEO and Executive Director for a five-year term. Contract negotiations will occur at a later date.The search firm Isaacson, Miller sought a diverse candidate pool for the position and more than 100 applications were received. Members of the Board’s Preliminary Screening Committee interviewed 10 semifinalists, of which five were women and three were people of color.

The Massachusetts Port Authority announced that $35 million has been secured to help fund the ongoing Boston Harbor Dredging Project. The project is approximately 30 percent complete, and this funding will enable the project to continue on schedule.The project is a $350 million partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Massport. The maintenance dredging of the inner harbor was completed in December of 2017. The deepening of the main ship channels began in July 2018 to accommodate the large container vessels calling today and in the future.

Boston Harbor Cruises’ new subsidiary is building for Massachusetts in the Commonwealth.Blue Atlantic Fabricators of East Boston, MA announces the fabrication and launch of a 50 ton, 20ft x 80ft floating dock to be located at Lovejoy Wharf in Boston. This all-steel dock, will be the facility for privately-run ferry and water taxi service between Lovejoy Wharf and Boston’s Seaport District, offering both bow-loading and side loading capabilities.Blue Atlantic Fabricators built the floating dock for C. White Marine, Inc. who, as general marine contractor for developer Related Beal, will finish and install the docking system at the multiuse Lovejoy Wharf property.

The Coast Guard and partner agencies located the missing barge, Dredge 200, Wednesday after it capsized and sank earlier this week in Broad Sound approximately two miles southeast of Nahant.The barge's location was confirmed by a contracted company using multi-beam sonar just north of the North Channel, the major shipping lane into Boston Harbor, in approximately 100-feet of water.Close coordination with the Boston Harbor Pilots was crucial to ensure maritime commerce impacts…

The Coast Guard is warning mariners to use caution and avoid the North and South Boston Main Channels after a barge carrying construction equipment capsized and possibly sank Sunday night approximately two miles southeast of Nahant.The captain of tug boat Big Jake notified the Coast Guard at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Sunday that two of five barges they were towing had broken free and were adrift. Crew members from Coast Guard Station Point Allerton and Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo responded to the scene along with the tug boats Smith Predator, Justice, and Kendall J. Hebert.While Big Jake was being escorted to Hull two more barges broke free bringing the total number of adrift barges to four.The three tug boats each located a barge and brought them to safe havens.