Collaborative Solutions News

Rapid technological change, complex regulation and competitive pressures are driving digital transformation in the shipping industry. But navigating a confusing software landscape can be difficult, and sound decision-making is essential to minimize innovation risk, according to OrbitMI.Industry spending has soared in recent years on intelligent process automation solutions geared to boosting efficiency, reducing costs, curbing emissions and improving safety for shipping companies…

Austal USA has named Jim Blastos as vice president supply chain management, with responsibility for the company’s procurement, strategic sourcing, warehousing, logistics, material management and production control activities.Blastos has over 25 years of experience in developing strategic organizational transformation, collaborative solutions and operational processing. He has held leadership positions in supply chain and operations in the U.S. Navy and industry, including Overhead Door Corporation…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District works on unlocking the Great Lakes by providing a much-needed resiliency at the Soo Locks with the construction of the New Lock at the Soo. The New Lock at the Soo will be the same dimensions as the Poe Lock, 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide and 30 feet deep.Often called the “linchpin” of the Great Lakes navigation system, the Soo Locks are located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan between the upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. The Soo Locks enable bulk carrier vessels to safely bypass the swift-moving St.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit District said it anticipates Phase 3 construction will start this summer following a $1.068 billion contract for the New Lock at the Soo Phase 3 awarded July 1, 2022.This contract allows the contractor Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT), a joint venture headquartered in Westerville, Ohio to begin constructing the largest phase, the new lock chamber and rehabilitation of the downstream approach walls. With continued funding, the remaining work, valued at $803.95 million may be awarded over the next three years.

Nearly 200 delegates from across the world gathered in Den Haag, The Netherlands in September 2017 to hear about the latest developments in maritime training based on state-of-the-art simulation technology. The three-day Kongsberg UC2017 International Maritime Simulation User Conference brought attendees up to date on developments in digitalization, maritime training, navigation technology, maritime operations simulation and the use of virtual reality in training. Tom Mulligan reports.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox today announced 40 awards totaling nearly $500 million in funding for the  FY 2016 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants. Of the 585 applications submitted totaling $9.3 billion in requests, six awards totaling $61.8 million – or about 12.36 percent of the total funding – are going to commercial seaports or projects that directly aid the efficient movement of goods to and from America’s ports. Port applications totaled 9 percent, or 53, of the total 585 submitted. In his written statement, Sec. Foxx said, “For the eighth year running, TIGER will inject critical infrastructure dollars into communities across the country.

FUSION Entertainment,the worldwide leader in marine-audio engineering, announced today it has sponsored the Innovative On-Board Design Solution Award at the inaugural Boat Builder Awards, during the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The awards gala dinner was held on Wednesday, November 18th, 2015 at The National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam. FUSION presented the award to Galleon Yachts for its new 500 Fly. FUSION is recognized as a leader in the marine market and chose to sponsor this award as it closely matches the company’score values of promoting cutting-edge innovation. The prestigious new Boat Builder Awards for business achievement…

Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc. of Bayou La Batre, Ala., has been presented with the 2015 “Innovator of the Year” award by the Mobile Alabama Chamber of Commerce for Horizon was recognized for its GORDHEAD collaboration software aiming to revolutionize the way shipbuilders and other manufacturers conduct business. Horizon described GORDHEAD as its new “brain” for management and supervision to improve communication by more easily sharing problems and quickly arrive at collaborative solutions.

Crowley and Subsidiary Customized Brokers Relocating to New Miami Office and Warehouse Facility; Joint Move Offers Customers a Faster, More Secure, Single-Stop Solution. To better serve customers, Crowley Maritime Corporation's Miami-based liner services and logistics personnel, along with those from subsidiary Customized Brokers, are relocating to a new office and warehouse in the heart of the Miami import-export community at 10205 NW 108 Avenue, Suite 1 effective Jan. 30. The groups will continue offering their full suite of shipping and logistics services in a collaborative…

The cyclical nature of the oil business has blossomed into full bloom during the latter part of 2000, as a host of political power plays have sent oil prices on a virtual rollercoaster, albeit mostly up, helping to send it soaring as high as $37/barrel at the time of this writing. The business of accurately predicting the direction in which oil pricing will go has seemingly become less of a science and more of a speculative game. While it was the Asian financial crisis which led prices to the cellar in 1997, it is another crisis — the potential advancement of hostilities in the Middle East — which have helped to send the price back up to near decade (read: Gulf War) heights.