Intracoastal Waterway News

C&C Marine and Repair, the full-service shipyard located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, announced it has surpassed 700 barges blasted at its patented Robotic Blast and Paint Facility.Since opening in November 2018, the 83,350-square-foot, fully enclosed and climate-controlled facility has operated day and night, year-round, processing hopper barges, deck barges, and 10,000- and 30,000-barrel tank barges for customers across the inland marine industry.The facility's three fully automated blasting robots…

C&C Marine and Repair held a keel laying ceremony at its Belle Chasse shipyard, marking a milestone in a new series of four hybrid escort tugs being built for Green Tug Towing (GTT). The vessels will support LNG carrier operations at Woodside Energy's Louisiana LNG terminal in Calcasieu Parish.The GTT series joins a separate series of four hybrid escort tugs already under construction at C&C, bringing the shipyard's active tugboat program to a total of eight vessels. Together…

For Aimee Andres, the nation’s inland rivers are not an abstract transportation network or a policy talking point. They are personal. Growing up, she spent her formative years around ports, terminals and railroads, watching firsthand how freight moved and how quietly essential inland infrastructure is to the country’s economic engine. That upbringing ultimately led her to a role she has now held for more than a decade: Executive Director of Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

Raymarine, a leader in marine electronics, announced that its Pathfinder Radar System has been selected by New Orleans-based Blessey Marine to support the company’s inland tow boat and barge fleet operating across the United States.As required on new and refitted vessels, Blessey Marine’s full fleet will be outfitted with Raymarine Commercial radars and displays in the coming months. These radar systems will help the Blessey Marine fleet transport its customers’ wide array of bulk cargoes safely and efficiently throughout the navigable inland waterways of the U.S.…

On May 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Work Plan that allocated funds from the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. That bill provided funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission, typically funded in the annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill.The Corps’ FY25 Work Plan provided nearly $200 million for inland waterways construction projects, of which nearly $50 million will come from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF).

One of the United States' largest fleeting and shifting companies, Turn Services, headquartered in New Orleans, announced it has reached a deal to acquire Marine Fueling Service, a Texas-based provider of marine support services.Owned by the Bean family for over six decades, MFS provides fleeting, shifting, towing, boat charter, fuel, and lube services, both dockside and midstream in the Golden Triangle area and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW) in Texas.Located at the intersection of the ICWW…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Wednesday announced $8.75 million in grant awards to 15 small shipyards in 12 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local job opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.“Small shipyards are integral to the strength of America’s supply chains and the maritime industry” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The U.S. Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee marked up and passed its Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, in a move seen as a major win for inland waterways infrastructure.Several outcomes in Section 109 of the Senate WRDA 2024 bill provide the ability to accelerate project completion, setting up a far more efficient future for the navigation construction program, according to Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI), which advocates for a modern, efficient and…

A section of the busy Gulf Intercoastal Waterway has been closed to vessel traffic after a barge allided with a bridge that connects Galveston to Pelican Island, officials said on Wednesday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston were notified of the allision at 9:50 a.m. and that the cause of the incident is under investigation. The barge, owned by Martin Petroleum, is believed to be a runaway that broke loose from a tow.There were no known injuries…

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is seeking to fill 18 vacancies on the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee, which advises the Secretary of Homeland Security, via the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on matters relating to shallow-draft inland navigation, coastal waterway navigation, and towing safety.The Coast Guard said it will consider applications for the following 18 vacancies:Seven members to represent the barge and towing industry, reflecting a regional geographic balance.One…

Australia's Birdon Group announced its U.S. subsidiary has reached a deal to acquire Metal Shark Boats' shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Ala.Birdon America said it will utilize the 32-acre facility for vessel repair work as well as newbuild activity, including construction of the U.S. Coast Guard's $1.187 billion 27-vessel Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program awarded to Birdon in 2022.Birdon Group CEO, Jamie Bruce, said, “The investment in this facility will not only ensure we deliver on our promise to the U.S.

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…

Belle Chasse, La. shipyard C&C Marine and Repair said it is seeing record demand for barge repair work as high steel prices place a damper on newbuild activity.The yard, having recently signed a contract to reside over 200 hopper barges for an unnamed customer, said it is currently delivering refurbished hopper barges at a pace of one per week.“With current steel prices, operators are choosing to repair their existing fleet of barges rather than building new,” said C&C Marine and Repair’s owner Tony Cibilich.

Shipyards across the U.S. are investing in new equipment to increase lift capacity, opening up the door for more projects and improved efficiency.Southern California-based Marine Group Boat Works, which performs a mix of yacht, commercial and government vessel repair work, in 2022 repowered its 665-ton Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist—the largest on the West Coast—with a Tier 4 John Deere engine. And earlier this year it was awarded a MARAD Small Shipyard Grant worth more than…

Three people are dead following a shooting incident at a shipyard in Harvey, La., near New Orleans.The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a double homicide at the FMT Shipyard & Repair facility on the West bank of the Mississippi River, and that a suspect was later killed after a shootout with deputies.Around 1 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a report of a shooting at the shipyard. Upon arrival, officials located two unresponsive adult males—both contract employees at the shipyard—who had suffered gunshot wounds.

Cracks in a muffler and the substantial use of combustible materials in accommodation spaces led to a fire aboard a towing vessel last year on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Freeport, Texas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.On June 25, 2022, the four-person crew aboard the towing vessel Mary Dupre departed Port Comfort, Texas, for Houston, pushing a single barge loaded with bio-diesel fuel. The following day, a fire broke out, leading to a total loss of the vessel, which was estimated at $1 million.

BAE Systems held a groundbreaking ceremony officially kicking off a program to upgrade its ship repair facility in Jacksonville, Fla.As part of the $200 million modernization, the company will add a Pearlson Shiplift and land-level repair complex that will boost flexibility and expand the shipyard’s docking capacity by 300%. Located two miles from the Atlantic Ocean, at the intersection of the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair provides repair…

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) recently held its annual Washington, D.C. meetings that included a Capitol Hill fly-in. WCI members from across the country participated in 100 meetings with House and Senate members to advocate for the nation’s inland waterways to ensure its reliability by modernizing its infrastructure.Meeting with stalwart champions of the inland waterways as well as newly sworn in members of the 118th Congress to educate them about the system’s importance demonstrates democracy in action…

Lockport, La. based Bollinger Shipyards announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc. and neighboring repair yard ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore (STEHMO) from parent company ST Engineering North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Singaporean multinational technology, defense and engineering group ST Engineering.The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, is said to be worth $15 million, according to ST Engineering.

Ammonia power solutions company Amogy announced it is partnering with Southern Devall to trial its ammonia-to-power technology for the first time in the maritime market as the industry strives to reduce its vessel emissions.Amogy’s proprietary ammonia-to-power system converts ammonia into hydrogen for use in fuel cells or as a more energy dense method of long-distance hydrogen transportation. The system, already demonstrated in a farming tractor and aerial drone, is now being scaled for use in larger applications…

Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards announced it has completed its acquisition of Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine and neighboring repair yard ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore (STEHMO) from parent company ST Engineering North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Singaporean multinational technology, defense and engineering group ST Engineering.The deal, first announced on November 7, is said to be worth $15 million, according to ST Engineering. Bollinger, which operates 14 facilities located throughout Louisiana with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico…

BAE Systems announced it will spend $200 million for upgrades aimed at increasing capacity and flexibility at its Jacksonville, Fla. ship repair yard. The investment covers the preparation, construction, procurement and installation of a modern Pearlson shiplift and land-level ship repair facility, giving the yard the capability to service a greater number of vessels more efficiently.Located two miles from the Atlantic Ocean, at the intersection of the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway…

A Louisiana towboat struck and damaged a bridge in 2021, but the vessel’s pilot never reported it to authorities, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.In the early morning hours of Dec. 23, 2021, the 86-foot-long Miss Mollye D, then operated by Deloach Marine Services (DMS), was pushing six hopper barges on the Intracoastal Waterway to New Orleans, when the pilot lost control of the tow. While navigating the channel, the 676 foot long tow, began to swing to port. When the pilot realized the tow was not positioned well, he put the engines in reverse.