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Friday, March 29, 2024
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21 Mar 2024

Inland Waterways Focus: The Pacific Northwest Columbia-Snake River System

© Rich / Adobe Stock

"The Columbia River and its tributaries, wetlands, and estuaries are the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest, providing abundant water, power, recreation, agriculture, transportation and natural resources that have supported livelihoods, cultural and spiritual practices, commerce and economic growth.” - President Biden, Memorandum of September 27, 2023.Those abundant benefits directly impact about 13 million people in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower extends that plentitude to millions more, powering cities and industry from Idaho to California.

20 Mar 2024

Elliott Bay Design Group Acquires Coastwise Engineering

(Photo: Coastwise Engineering)

Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has acquired Coastwise Corporation. The Anchorage, Alaska-based firm—an expert in shallow draft, high-speed aluminum and cold weather engineering—has been rebranded as Coastwise Engineering and will operate as a division of EBDG.As part of the agreement, EBDG acquires Coastwise's assets and adds a staff of more than 50 employees. Coastiwse owner and principal, Patrick Eberhardt, joins EBDG as a full-time employee…

15 Mar 2024

Brunvoll Inks DP2 Upgrades Deal for More Møkster Vessels

The Stril Mermaid and Stril Mariner vessels (Illustration - Brunvoll, with photos from Møkster)

Maritime systems supplier Brunvoll has signed a contract with Simon Møkster Shipping to deliver upgrades for Stril Mermaid and Stril Mariner vessels.In addition to replacing the existing DP2 systems for the two vessels, Brunvoll will also replace the current propulsion and thruster control systems, as well as the independent joystick system.The systems will be replaced with Brunvoll's BruCon DP2, BruCon PTC (Propulsion & Thruster Control), and BruCon JS.This will ensure even better…

12 Mar 2024

Jayson Robinson Named VP of Vigor Fabrication

Jayson Robinson (Photo: Vigor)

Jayson Robinson has been named Vigor’s Vice President of Fabrication, taking the helm of the complex and marine fabrication divisions with facilities in Clackamas and Portland, Ore., as well as Vancouver, Wash. Robinson joined Vigor, a Titan company, as the director of quality in 2018 and has been serving as the assistant vice president since last fall.“Jayson has been a key part of several highly-successful projects at Vigor during his tenure,” said Titan CEO Jim Marcotuli. “His leadership and expertise will be critical as we enter a period of potential growth for this part of our business.

26 Feb 2024

Herculaneum Port Site Cleared for Redevelopment as Intermodal Hub

(Photo: St. Louis Regional Freightway)

A 300-acre property along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, Missouri recently received Port District zoning making way for redevelopment as an intermodal transportation hub and industrial park.Located on the shipping lanes of the Mississippi River, the site has been utilized since the 1700s as a port. With its easy access for barge loading and offloading and the site’s proximity to early lead mines in adjacent Washington County, under early French ownership the port was utilized to ship lead cannonballs and shot to Europe to support Napolean’s army.

20 Feb 2024

Shipping Industry Influencers to Join Commodores’ Debate at CMA Shipping 2024

(Photo: CMA Shipping)

Dorian LPG, International Seaways Ship Management LLC, Poten & Partners, d’Amico and TEN Ltd. all confirmed for the CMA Shipping 2024 Commodores’ Debate rounding off three days of thought-leading content from March 12-14 in Connecticut.A highlight of the Stamford-based show, the Commodores’ Debate brings past and present CMA Commodores together to discuss the key issues and opportunities facing shipowners today and in the future.Moderated by Marine Money’s Jim Lawrence, the debate will focus on the meaning of business excellence during a time of disruption and market volatility.

18 Feb 2024

Shipping Industry Calls for Release of Galaxy Leader Crew

(Photo: Screenshot from video shared by Yemeni Armed Forces)

The international maritime industry, led by the International Chamber of Shipping, has joined together to express their concern for the seafarers from the Galaxy Leader who have been held hostage and call on the Houthis to release them.Monday February 19, 2024 marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea.The roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier was seized on November 19.“The 25 seafarers who make up the crew of the Galaxy Leader are innocent victims of the ongoing aggression against world shipping…

14 Feb 2024

US Great Lakes Shipping Companies Spend $120 Million on Winter Repairs

(Photo: Lake Carriers’ Association)

American shipping companies are spending more than $120 million to repair and maintain their fleets of Great Lakes bulk carriers this winter.The fleet of U.S.-flagged ships, known as "lakers", can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually, including iron ore, stone, coal, grain, salt and sand. Each year after the shipping season draws to a close, these vessels enter shipyards and repair facilities around the Great Lakes for a period of winter maintenance and repair. This…

30 Jan 2024

TDI-Brooks' New Vessel Ready for Work

(Photo: TDI-Brooks)

TDI-Brooks' newest vessel R/V Nautilus (formerly known as Nautical Geo) is ready to go to work following a 6-month retrofit period in Las Palmas.The DP2 vessel is currently enroute to the U.S. East Coast to provide support for offshore wind operations. It is expected to be fully prepared for the first offshore wind program by early March.Built in 2000, the 75-meter-long vessel is equipped with the newly-acquired Geomiil Manta-200 CPT, which can be deployed through the mid-ship moonpool.

14 Jan 2024

HX Appoints New CCO

Alex Delamere-White courtesy of HX

HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) has announced Alex Delamere-White’s official appointment as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), following six months as acting interim CCO.Based out of the new HX HQ in London, Delamere-White will bring the global functions under one leadership model to further fuel HX’s long-term growth plans, including newly evolved roles for Nathaniel Sherborne and Jim Sayer. Sayer is appointed to SVP Global Marketing bringing together the global marketing functions under his leadership.

08 Jan 2024

American Maritime Partnership Announces New Leadership Team

Pictured left to right: Sara Fuentes, Jennifer Carpenter, Jim Weakley (Photo: AMP)

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) announced the election of new leadership for the organization. Jennifer Carpenter takes the helm as president, and, in doing so, becomes the first woman to lead the organization. She is joined by vice president Sara Fuentes and James “Jim” Weakley who will serve the dual role of secretary and treasurer. Elected officers will hold their positions for a two-year term.“AMP plays a pivotal role in championing the strength and vitality of our domestic maritime industry…

26 Dec 2023

Maritime Innovation: Fostering Creativity and Working to Make Bright Ideas Work

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

This is the dawning of the age of AI and Big Data, huge agglomerations of new and transformative energy; almost self-generating, always strengthening and pulling at the reins, seeking to break free and run, a prospect both exciting and terrifying. That image can imply a human is holding the reins. How quaint: these days, AI itself may be holding the reins.In a review of innovation in 2023 – across any industrial or economic sector, not just maritime – AI looms large, a game-changer equivalent to IBM’s programming advances in the 1940s.

08 Dec 2023

ORNL, Caterpillar Collaborate on Methanol as Fuel for Marine Engines

Credit: Genevieve Martin, ORNL/U.S. Dept. of Energy.

A collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Caterpillar Inc. will investigate using methanol as an alternative fuel source for marine vessels.Members of the research team kicked off the project with the installation of a 6-cylinder engine at the Department of Energy’s National Transportation Research Center at ORNL.The ORNL and Caterpillar collaboration focuses on a four-stroke internal combustion marine engine that will be modified to run on methanol.Although methanol has many advantages, it is more difficult to ignite than diesel.

05 Dec 2023

Austal USA Names Blastos VP of Supply Chain Management

(Photo courtesy of Austal USA)

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…

17 Nov 2023

BMS Unveils Pipe Mill Barge Concept Design

(Image: Baker Marine Solutions)

Covington, La. based marine engineering and services firm Baker Marine Solutions (BMS) has unveiled a new pipe mill barge concept design targeting uptake in the U.S. offshore wind industry.BMS describes its new 1888 Mobile Pipe Mill Barge concept as an answer to the industry's monopile availability challenges and lack of sufficient yard space for fabrication.The BMS 1888 provides a mobile pipe mill facility that can be scaled to meet the requirements of any specific project, anywhere on the coast…

09 Nov 2023

Burger Boat Company Introduces the 142 Atrium Motor Yacht

Source: Burger Boat Company

Burger Boat Company and yacht designer Evan K. Marshall have collaborated on the Burger 142 Atrium Motor Yacht, a vessel the companies say combines impeccable design and cutting-edge technology in a stunning 142-foot masterpiece.The inspiration behind the design was to establish an extraordinary centerpiece within the yacht's interior. With the Atrium, Marshall has successfully crafted a multi-story grand entrance that has never been seen on a yacht of this size. This distinctive feature will captivate the owner and their guests…

23 Oct 2023

US Gulf Coast Oil Patch Gets Lucky, So Far, in Busy Hurricane Season

© Michael Rolands / Adobe Stock

A very active Atlantic hurricane season so far this year has not sent storms across U.S. oil and natural gas fields in the northern Gulf of Mexico, sparing energy companies billions of dollars of losses and consumers higher fuel costs.The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has been another in a string with above average activity producing three major hurricanes with winds above 111 mph (179 kph) out of six hurricanes among 20 named tropical storms.So far this year, only one storm, Tropical Storm Harold, on Aug.

19 Oct 2023

Lies, Damn Lies, and Inextinguishable Lore – EV Fires

Copyright structuresxx/AdobeStock

A few weeks ago I was talking to some professional fire fighters and was regaled with EV fire fighting disasters. They told me that EV caught fire all the time, that EV fires were much more dangerous than gasoline fires, and that fire trucks could not carry enough water to put out an EV fire. When I asked if they had fought any EV fires, they told me their information came from reliable sources and then asked me if I would park my Chevy Bolt in my garage. They focused on my Chevy Bolt, since it is widely regarded as a fire hazard.

11 Jul 2023

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Expands Partnership with Local Technical College

(Photo: NWTC)

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipyard Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) is expanding its partnership with a local technical college in an effort to advance the maritime manufacturing industry and meet growing workforce demand within the region.In fall 2022, FBS and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) designed a specialized training program for FBS employees to advance their welding and ship/pipe-fitting techniques. Since the launch, 97 participants have successfully completed this five-week course offered through the NWTC Sturgeon Bay campus.

03 Aug 2023

WETA's Bay Ferry 2050: Water Transit Reimagined

(Photo: WETA)

Spearheaded by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), Bay Ferry 2050 is a visionary initiative aimed at transforming the San Francisco Bay Ferry service into an eco-friendly and forward-thinking transportation system. With a focus on fleet electrification, community engagement and the exploration of alternative propulsion technologies, the project sets the stage for a more community-minded, sustainable, operationally strong, fiscally sound and environmentally conscious…

20 Jul 2023

Biden Attends Steel Cutting for Great Lakes' Subsea Rock Installation Vessel

From left to right: Lasse Petterson, CEO of Great Lakes Dredge and Dock; Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa.; President Joe Biden; and Steinar Nerbovik, CEO of Philadelphia Shipyard (Photo: Philly Shipyard)

President Joe Biden traveled to Philadelphia on Thursday to attend a steel cutting ceremony for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's new offshore wind rock placement vessel, touting his administration’s clean energy agenda and job creation efforts as the U.S. builds up its offshore wind industry. "The clean energy future we’re building all across America will be transformational,” Biden said during the ceremony at Philly Shipyard. “Thousands of families will rely on good jobs these projects create…

26 Jul 2023

EU Council Adopts FuelEU Maritime Law

Raquel Sánchez Jiménez courtesy of EU Council

More renewable and low-carbon fuels will reduce the carbon footprint of the maritime sector in the EU following the adoption of the FuelEU Maritime initiative by the EU Council.The main objective of the FuelEU maritime initiative, as a key part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, is to increase the demand for and consistent use of renewable and low-carbon fuels and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping sector, while ensuring the smooth operation of maritime traffic…

16 Oct 2023

Future Fuels: Methanol

(Image: Glosten)

Any commentator on the maritime business decarbonization voyage will offer something along the lines of "There will be multiple fuels…" With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings of its Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) set for early July, it is likely that targets for emissions will be tightened. Whatever mileposts that the IMO actually establishes, there will be no prescriptions handed down on how to get there. By mid-2023, nearly two years after the late 2021 alternative fuels crescendo in the aftermath of the COP26 meetings in Glasgow…