Canal Street News

BMT Group subsidiary BMT Nigel Gee has secured a new contract with sister company BMT Designers & Planners and Louisiana based shipyard Metal Shark for two 32m high speed/low wake wash, 149-passenger aluminum catamaran ferries for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). BMT Nigel Gee will be responsible for concept through to production design with BMT Designer & Planners providing local U.S. presence and design engineering support. John Bonafoux, BMT Nigel Gee’s Managing Director…

Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark said it has been awarded two separate contracts to produce passenger vessels for the Potomac Riverboat Company division of Entertainment Cruises, and for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. For the Potomac Riverboat Company, Metal Shark will produce four 88’, high speed/low wake, 149-passenger aluminum catamarans. The new passenger vessels will provide commuters in the Washington DC metro region with service between Old Town Alexandria, Virginia; National Harbor, Maryland; and Georgetown and The Wharf in Washington DC.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (DOTD) announces that ferry service between Algiers Point and Canal Street has been suspended pending repairs to the motor vessel servicing the Lower Algiers to Chalmette route. The estimated time of service resuming at Algiers Point is unknown and DOTD will not have a definitive update until after electricians determine the required repair. The Motor Vessel St. John was operating at Chalmette when the steering system caused a mechanical failure interrupting service at approximately noon, today. At 3 p.m., after multiple attempts to troubleshoot, DOTD made the decision to suspend service to the Canal Street ferry route and move the boat operating there, the M/V Levy, to Chalmette. Service at Chalmette resumed at approximately 4 p.m.

Beginning Monday, July 1, 2013, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will begin new hours of operation temporarily utilizing the Motor Vessel Louis B. Porterie, a medium-sized ferry servicing vehicles and pedestrians, at the Algiers Point to Canal Street route. The Porterie will be in service while the permanent ferry, the MV Col. Frank X. Armiger, is out of service. The Armiger’s generator is currently in need of repair and DOTD is waiting on a second proposal to determine the cost. The Armiger will be the primary vessel once it repaired and cleared for service by the U.S. Coast Guard. As of now, there is no estimated time frame for when the Arminger will return. The Algiers/Canal ferry will now operate Monday-Thursday from 7:15 a.m.

In support of Super Bowl XLVII, a team of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies begin maritime safety and security operations on the lower Mississippi River, Monday. Response boats, patrol vehicles and enforcement personnel from more than 16 law enforcement agencies will conduct maritime security operations in the downtown New Orleans area and at the Port of New Orleans. All agencies will work together within a unified command, lead by the Port of New Orleans Harbor Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide a coordinated safe and secure environment for Super Bowl participants and the general public. This level of interagency coordination for the Super Bowl is the culmination of several months of planning involving all law enforcement agencies.

NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel will meet Nov. 27-29 in New Orleans to discuss hydrographic surveying, nautical charting, tides and current measurements, as well as geodetic and geospatial measurements for the Gulf of Mexico region. The three-day meeting is open to the public, and public comment periods are scheduled in the afternoons. The panel will hear from representatives of the regional maritime community, including port authority officials and marine pilots, the geospatial community, and users of NOAA’s tides and currents information.

The Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will hold a public hearing on a proposal to change the route of the Gretna ferry from the Gretna-Jackson Avenue route to the Gretna-Canal Street route.  In addition, proposed changes in the times of operation for the Gretna ferry will be discussed.  The proposed start date for the new route and/or times of operation will be in the fall of 2009. The hearing will take place on August 26, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Gretna City Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd Street at Huey P. Long Avenue, Gretna, La. DOTD representatives will be available to answer questions and to receive comments from the public. For more information relating to the meeting, contact Peggy Olivier at 504-376-8100.

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced that its Guardian of the Heartland Annual Tribute to the United States Coast Guard’s Eighth District will take place on Friday, April 3, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eighth Coast Guard District spans 26 states throughout the Gulf Coast and the heartland of America from its headquarters in New Orleans. Honoring each sector throughout the District, the gala’s Co-Chairs are local business leaders in the community, Donald T. “Boysie” Bollinger, of Bollinger Shipyards, and Otto Candies, owner of Otto Candies, LLC. Vice Admiral Vivien Crea, vice-commandant of the Coast Guard, and Anne B.

Gulf Harbor Shipping, L.L.C., a full service tramp, tanker and project cargo shipping agency has opened a new office located in the World Trade Center, suite 2101, No. 2 Canal Street, New Orleans, La., 70130. Founded by a former Executive and Managers of a major shipping agency company, Gulf Harbor will target charterers and ship owners needing customized representation on the lower Mississippi River and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Charterers and ship owners responsible for sending ships to the lower River often have special needs in representation and prefer the personalized service a smaller local agency can provide. Daryl Van Derwood, Gulf Harbor’s general manager says they will do just that. “We intend to provide and remain a high-quality service company to our select principals.

The Mississippi Valley Trade & Transport Council will host the 26th annual World Trade and Transport Conference in New Orleans, January 30 through February 1. The three-day conference on commerce and transportation will be held at the Mariott New Orleans on Canal Street – next to the French Quarter. The annual conference attracts both cargo interests and transportation specialists and will feature a variety of expert speakers addressing economic and trade forecasts.

The U.S. Coast Guard said that it is investigating the allision of the Canal Street ferry in New Orleans with a dock. Three people were treated for minor injuries. The ferry was taken out of service pending repairs. Source: HK Law

The Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) has become an invaluable part of 21st century Coast Guard cutters. "Often the mission of the cutter is to get a RIB and its crew on scene for interdiction, rescue and other missions," said J.J. Marie, president and CEO of Zodiac of North America, headquartered in Stevensville, Md., a leading manufacturer of RIBs. RIBs have been used on cutters for many years, especially the large Legacy Class of vessels. Those RIBs were attached to the ships via davits and lowered in the water and recovered and stowed on deck. Fast-forward to February 2003, and the start of the Deepwater program, a $20 Billion, 25-year program to upgrade the Coast Guard's land, sea and air assets. The first part of the program was to renovate and upgrade the 49 Island class, 110-ft.

Gulf Harbor Shipping announces the opening of their New Orleans, La. office located in the World Trade Center, suite 2101, No.2 Canal Street, New Orleans, La., 70130. Founded by a former executive and manager of a major shipping agency company, Gulf Harbor will target charterers and ship owners needing customized representation on the lower Mississippi River and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Charterers and Ship owners responsible for sending ships to the lower River have special needs in representation and prefer the personalized service a smaller local agency can provide. Daryl Van Derwood, Gulf Harbor’s general manager says they will do just that. “We intend to provide and remain a high-quality service company to our select principals.