Cummins News

Birdon America on Thursday announced it has received a $14.75 million order from the U.S. Coast Guard for long lead time materials (LLTM) required to begin construction on the first Inland Construction Tender (WLIC) and the first River Buoy Tender (WLR).The vessels will be the first two built as part of Birdon’s $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 new Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) to replace the Coast Guard's aging fleet of 35 inland tenders that support the service’s aids to navigation (ATON) mission in federal inland waterways.Denver-based Birdon America…

The first-of-its-kind hydrogen-fueled ferry Sea Change will soon begin public service, providing zero-emissions transport for passengers in San Francisco Bay.The groundbreaking commercial passenger vessel is the world’s first powered 100% by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. It was developed by owner SWITCH Maritime with grant support from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a solution to reduce emissions from the marine transportation system.A group of private and public sector partners came together to officially launch the Sea Change on July 12…

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) announced it has won a contract to build a new patrol boat for the Los Angeles Port Police.The 65- by 24-foot aluminum catamaran, designed by Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand, will boost the LA  Port Police's maritime law enforcement capabilities with enhanced operational efficiency and effectiveness and added operational flexibility.It will employ the latest hull design improvements from Teknicraft Design, providing…

The United States' first hydrogen-powered ferry, Sea Change, has cleared a key regulatory hurdle, marking a major step on the groundbreaking vessel's long and winding journey toward commercial operations in the San Francisco Bay Area.SWITCH Maritime, the company behind the zero-emissions ferry project, announced it received a Certificate of Inspection (COI) from the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday, clearing way for the first-of-its-kind vessel to officially enter service.“This COI represents the culmination of years of close collaboration with the U.S.

Australia’s NSW Government has put the first of seven new Parramatta Class ferries designed by Incat Crowther into service.The fleet of new ferries, which will service the busy Parramatta River commuter route, are being constructed in Tasmania, Australia by Richardson Devine Marine.Watch the latest video from Incat Crowther and Zero Emission FerriesA second vessel has begun sea trials and three more are already under construction, with the full fleet expected to enter passenger…

Global heat transfer, separation and fluid handling company Alfa Laval has appointed Rachel Bridges as its Managing Director, who also became the first female to take the post.Having spent 20 years at global power technology company Cummins in both the marine and aftermarket businesses, Bridges brings a wealth of experience to Alfa Laval as it gets poised for further growth.Bridges will now oversee business in a multitude of sectors including marine, energy, food and beverage…

Derecktor Shipyards New York is building a pair of hybrid ferries for Savannah, Ga. based Chatham Area Transit (CAT). Delivery is expected in 2024.The two 65-foot-long, 50-passenger ferries will be equipped with an electric propulsion package from BAE Systems, including permanent magnet traction motors and HybriGen Power system. Each vessel will feature a 308 kWh energy storage system (ESS) from Xalt Energy and a pair of Marine Jet Power (MJP) Ultrajet 305 waterjets.The ferries are being built to operate on short…

Paducah, Ky. headquartered Crounse Corporation announced it has taken delivery of a new 6,034-horsepower towboat built by Conrad Shipyard, based in Morgan City, La.The 166- by 48- by 12-foot Alice is named after the company’s first vessel that began operating in 1949. Delivered with a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection for Subchapter M compliance and two EPA Tier 4 compliant main engines, the newbuild is one of the most efficient and environmentally-friendly vesselsoperating on the United States' inland waterway system.Alice and powered by two General Electric (GE) diesel engines…

Vallejo ,Calif. boatbuilder Moose Boats announced it has delivered a new fireboat to the Alameda City Fire Department (AFD) located in Alameda County, Calif.According to the builder, the new Moose M2-38 fireboat is the most powerful ever assembled, running on twin Cummins turbo charged QSB 6.7L 480HP engines with Twin Disc Transmissions and Hamilton HJX 29 waterjets. The boat can reach speeds up to 38 knots with a cruise speed of 30 knots.The vessel is equipped with two large Darley 2000 GPM fire pumps powered by PTO systems that enables full control at the helm while flowing close to 5…

The Blue Sky Maritime Coalition (BSMC) has released a new report titled, Roadmap to Net-Zero Emissions: North American Waterborne Transportation, which envisions industry-wide decarbonization by 2050 and identifies the guiding principles and key actions that will help the maritime value chain meet that vision.By understanding what success in 2050 looks like for each stakeholder, the roadmap works backwards to identify the steps and pathways needed to bring that future to reality.

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

SWITCH Maritime announced plans to grow its U.S. fleet of zero-emission ferries following the completion of a $10 million in a Series A round led by Nexus Development Capital.Founded in 2018, SWITCH’s mission is to enable private and public municipal ferry operators to more easily replace their carbon-intensive, diesel-powered fleets while reducing operating and fueling costs over the lifetime of their vessels.The fundraise comes on the back of the completion of its flagship zero-emission vessel…

Cummins is working with partners in the U.K. to develop and deploy a methanol conversion kit for an engine aboard an Ocean Infinity offshore support vessel (OSV) as the maritime industry works toward transitioning to cleaner fuels.The engine manufacturer announced its proposal to jointly develop a Methanol Kit for its QSK60 engine was selected to receive funding as part of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition, funded by the U.K. government and delivered…

Bellingham, Wash. boatbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has launched the newly built research vessel Gannet for NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS).The newbuild is a 52- by 19-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel is based on the proven design elements found in the recently commissioned research vessel Storm Petrel, built for NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine…

With three Gladding-Hearn pilot boats already in their fleet, the Louisiana-based Lake Charles pilots have ordered another launch from the Somerset, Mass., shipyard.Based on the Cameron Pilot II delivered in 2019, the new all-aluminum pilot boat features the Deep V hull by Ray Hunt Design and has an overall length of 73’, beam of 23’, and draft of 5.3’. It will be powered by twin Cummins QSK38-M1, EPA Tier 4-certified diesel engines, each delivering 1,300 Bhp at 1,800 rpm and a top speed of over 27 knots.

The quest to build a series of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs), which will serve as training ships for five U.S. maritime academies, has drawn a broad cadre of suppliers. The powerplant was a main focus, helping to evolve the schools from steam power plants to a modern propulsion package.NSMVs being built for the maritime academies is widely lauded as a ‘win’ for U.S. shipbuilding, an example of commercial shipbuilding practices applied to a government shipbuilding project.

Captain Morgan McManus will serve as the Ship’s Master on the Empire State VII, the first in a series of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), which at press time was getting its post-sea trial finishing touches at Philly Shipyard. The project to design, build and deliver the NSMV series is one of the most exciting shipbuilding programs in the U.S. – a government shipbuilding project leveraging commercial shipbuilding efficiencies. For insights, we visited with Captain McManus to discuss the ship, it’s technology suite and its role in helping to educate a new generation of U.S.

Bellingham, Wash. boatbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has delivered a new tour and dive vessel for Hawaii Dolphin Tours based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The highly customized vessel 50- by 17-foot Poseidon features a semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand and was constructed to USCG (US Coast Guard) Subchapter T regulations in AAM’s facility on Bellingham Bay. The new vessel started operations this week in Oahu…

Royston’s specialist marine engineering team has completed essential repair and a service work on a power plant system used onboard a south coast of England ferry.The 32-meter-long Spirit of Portsmouth, which carries pedestrians and cyclists between Gosport and Portsmouth in Hampshire, has had one of its aft Cummins 6BT generator sets overhauled by Royston engineers at the company’s North East of England workshop facility.This involved a full engine strip down with service work completed on essential parts.

Although the number of fishermen who make a living on the waters of the Great Lakes is much diminished from a half century ago, the region's commercial whitefish fishery continues to be viable and profitable.Henriksen Fisheries is one of about a dozen commercial entities in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan, focused on trap netting whitefish in Green Bay and the waters surrounding the Door Peninsula.Charlie Henriksen started his family-owned fishing business in Door County in 1987.Originally from Illinois…

Washington Island Ferry Line (WIFL) has been the essential link between the residents, business and visitors of Washington Island and Wisconsin's Door Peninsula for more than eight decades.Picturesque and peaceful Door County isn't named for some intrepid settlers named Door. The name has a more ominous meaning. It's derived from the treacherous passage between the peninsula and Washington Island that mariners called Porte des Mortes, or Death's Door.A unique combination of environmental…

Birdon America, Inc. on Tuesday announced it has awarded the first wave of major subcontracts in support of its $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCC) for the U.S. Coast Guard. This announcement follows a successful initial Program Management Review (PMR), the first major milestone of the WCC program.The subcontracts range in value from $10 million to $50 million and are firm-fixed price (FFP), indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) for design, development, manufacturing and delivery.

Offshore service vessels, along with workboats serving harbors and inland rivers, have embarked on an industry-wide voyage toward reduced emissions of greenhouse gasses. Professor Craig Philip, a faculty member with Vanderbilt University’s Center for Transportation and Operational Resilience (VECTOR) and former CEO of Ingram Barge Company, provides this context: “The Maritime Sector has long provided shippers with the most fuel-efficient and sustainable freight transport option…