Johan Sperling News

Tidewater has appointed Coulston (Cole) Van Gundy Vice President of Shipyard and Terminal Operations.Van Gundy brings more than 19 years of maritime industry experience to Tidewater. He joins from Crowley, where he most recently served as Vice President of Engineering, leading the engineering services group responsible for civil and marine design, engineering, and construction management for internal and external clients.Over his career, Van Gundy has overseen the delivery of more than 20 vessels and assets, including tugs, tankers, barges, fireboats, and research vessels.

Tidewater Transportation and Terminals has finalized a contract with Gunderson Marine and Iron, a Portland, Oregon-based shipyard, for the construction of four new liquid refined product barges.The barges will measure 272 feet long, 42 feet wide, and 18 feet 6 inches deep, with a capacity of 20,000 barrels.Designed and constructed for service on the Columbia Snake River System, these inland liquid tank barges will be certified by the United States Coast Guard and comply with OPA…

Tidewater has appointed Chris Mack as the company's new Vice President of Marine Operations.Mack brings over two decades of industry experience to the Tidewater team.He earned his Bachelor's degree in Maritime Transportation from the California Maritime Academy and received his Master of Marine Transportation and Engineering Management from California State University Maritime Academy in 2023. He began his maritime career as an Able Seaman, progressing to the role of Captain within the Ocean Towing Fleet.

Tidewater announces the retirement of President and CEO Todd Busch, effective June 30, and current COO Johan Sperling will step into the role of President & CEO on July 1."Todd's leadership has been nothing short of remarkable," said Johan Sperling. "His vision and dedication have set a strong foundation for Tidewater's future. I am honored to have the opportunity to build on his legacy and lead Tidewater into its next chapter."Busch will remain an advisor to Tidewater and will join the board of directors.

Vancouver, Wash. based Tidewater Transportation and Terminals announced Friday it has hired Johan Sperling as its new Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.Sperling will have direct oversight and responsibility for the maintenance and engineering department, vessel operations, dispatch and terminal operations. Additionally, he will work closely with Tidewater Environmental Services and Tidewater’s Canadian entity, Island Tug and Barge, to support their efforts for safe and reliable operations.

Crowley Maritime Corp said Friday its marine services group has entered into a bareboat charter with Brusco Tug and Barge for an all new RApport-design tractor tug to serve Pacific Northwest and California ports, performing ship assist and harbor escort work.The vessel, which Crowley will rename Hercules after delivery next week, was designed by Robert Allan Ltd., and constructed by Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore., for Brusco. The 82-foot, 6,000-horsepower tug is powered by twin Caterpillar 3516E (2240kw@1,800rpm) U.S. EPA Tier IV-compliant engines.

US-based Crowley Maritime Corp. announced on Wednesday that it has realigned its marine services organization and introduced new leadership.In a move that aims to provide better support to customers, Crowley Marine Services, part of the company’s shipping arm, will now be comprised of three distinct, yet interrelated business segments: offshore services, ship assist and tanker escort and engineering services – those provided by Crowley and subsidiary Jensen Maritime Consultants.Jeff Andreini…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has appointed Jonathan Zier manager of business development in Houston.Zier will assist customers globally with marine transportation projects such as sealifts and beach-landings, as well as offshore and coastal towing and installation of rigs, spars and other structures. He will also be responsible for providing solutions for alternative energy projects such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, offshore wind power generation, and other projects requiring offshore or coastal equipment and expertise.Zier will report to Johan Sperling…

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s offshore services group has delivered Shell’s Appomattox semi-submersible Floating Production System (FPS) to the open waters of the U.S. Gulf from Kiewit Offshore Services' construction facility in Ingleside, Texas.Making the tow-out possible were Crowley’s Ocean Sky and Ocean Sun tugboats, which worked together on behalf of customer Heerema, alongside other third-party assets to deliver Appomattox.Demonstrating both nearshore and offshore capabilities, the company’s ocean class tugs safely towed the FPS through the Aransas Channel, then disconnected and provided escort services to the deep-water installation site.

Crowley Maritime Corp. appointed four industry veterans to oversee the consolidated lines of business under the recently formed Crowley Shipping group, which provides petroleum and chemical transportation, commercial ship management, offshore energy support and ship assist and tanker escort services in the U.S. and international markets. Crowley said the new business unit structure better aligns vessel operations and services with customers, positioning the company for greater growth and efficiency under Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager.

In October of 2014, news of Oceaneering’s purchase of GE Transportation’s newest marine engine offering was making waves. These engines – ones which meet EPA Tier 4i and IMO Tier III Emissions standards – without the need for a Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) exhaust gas after-treatment, had workboat operators everywhere looking at new possibilities. Before that, Harvey Gulf International Marine also entered into a contract to construct a new Multipurpose Field Support Vessel (MPFSV) at Eastern Shipbuilding, this one also powered by GE’s Tier 4 compliant, EGR main engines. That’s important because Harvey Gulf, the recognized North American leader in rolling out LNG and dual fuel propulsion vessels, in this case, selected a pure diesel engine.

On the way to Tier IV compliance, it turns out that experience counts. In late February, the nation’s first Tier IV, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) tugboat was christened. That’s probably not earthshaking news all by itself – after all, SCR isn’t all that new – but the event likely ushers in a new era of powerful domestic workboats that also come with a greener environmental footprint. How all of that comes together is a bigger story, and one which will play out again and again in the coming year or two. At the heart of it all is Crowley subsidiary Jensen Maritime Consultants, who today lead the design field with no less than seven Tier IV, SCR versions in development. Digging deeper, it isn’t hard to see why. The new Tier IV hull comes with a silver lining.

San Francisco’s Jensen-designed super pumping fireboat is like none that came before her. As a result, the City by the Bay is prepared like never before, for its next crisis. Christened on October 17, appropriately enough on the anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the city of San Francisco’s first new fireboat in almost 60 years is an especially unique boat, designed and built for a specific purpose. When the infamous quake burst the domestic water lines beneath San Francisco, it left local firefighters scrambling for a water source from which they could fight the fires that ensued. Today, Fireboat 3 – named locally by a young grade school student as the St.

As the City of San Francisco commissions its latest fireboat today, the vessel, designed by Seattle-based Jensen Maritime Consultants, exemplifies the evolution and growth of the naval architecture and marine engineering firm since it was acquired by Crowley Maritime Corp. in 2008. “Eight years ago I’m not sure this project would have been in our sweet spot,” said Johan Sperling, vice president of Crowley’s marine solutions group, which includes Jensen. “But over the past eight years, Crowley has made a considerable effort to give us all the tools we need to expand into new areas. “It’s one thing to be able to design a good looking boat, but if it can’t be built efficiently and cost effectively, and if it doesn’t operate the way it is supposed to, what do you really have?” said Sperling.

EPA Tier 4 regulations (for engines of 804 hp and higher) and propulsion advancements have many manufacturers and vessel designers changing course to adapt to new requirements and customer demands. Jensen Maritime is designing a new 110-ft. harbor class ship assist docking tug with 6,770 horsepower. “It’s a little larger than most. The extra length allows for towing which is secondary use,” says Vice President Johan Sperling. “There will be Tier 4 equipment in it. Bryan Nichols…

Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and engineering firm, Jensen Maritime, reports it has designed a new tractor tug for Vessel Chartering LLC that features some of the first Tier IV engines meeting higher federal air emissions standards among U.S. tugboats. The multipurpose tractor tug, engineered to support ship escorts, assists and towing, was jointly developed by Vessel Chartering LLC and Jensen and is being built by JT Marine of Vancouver, Wash. The tug is planned for delivery in the second quarter of 2017 to Vessel Chartering LLC.…

Jensen Maritime was recently selected to provide detailed design and production engineering services for two, 100 passenger, U.S. flagged, coastal cruise ships for Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. The twin screw diesel ships, will be built at the Washington state shipyard of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) and have planned delivery dates of second quarter 2017 and 2018. Once complete, the $94.8 million duo will operate tours between Baja, Costa Rica and Panama during the winter months and southeast Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Canada during the summer months. For this project, Jensen will utilize its innovative 3D modeling capabilities to allow Lindblad the unique opportunity to confirm the vessel’s layout, maintenance envelopes and operational access prior to construction.

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, was selected to provide detailed design services including stability, structure and systems design for two, 100-foot long, 40-foot wide, escort tugs for McAllister Towing. The 12-knot, 6,770-horsepower tugs will be constructed at Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc., in Bayou LaBatre, Ala., and are scheduled for delivery in 2017. The Brian A. McAllister and the Rosemary McAllister will be the 31st and 32nd oceangoing escort/rescue tugboats in the fleet respectively…

A Jensen Maritime-designed, liquefied natural gas (LNG)-bunkering articulated tug-barge (ATB) has been granted approval in principle (AIP) by classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The designation establishes that Jensen’s vessel concept, which is classed as an A1 Liquefied Gas Tank Barge, is compliant in principle with ABS rules and guides. Suited for mobile bunkering, Jensen’s ATB is also oceans rated, meaning that it is not limited to the intracoastal waterways.

A raft of new and innovative concepts for LNG barge missions hits the market, in North America and across the pond, as well. Industry gears up for the soon-to-come need for bunkering, infrastructure and LNG-related logistics. In 2014, innovation – as it turns out – means new ideas for the (previously) boring subject of marine barges. It also means LNG. Paired together, LNG and barges are giving naval architects, global classification societies and the operators of a new generation of LNG-powered tonnage something to think about. That’s because the final link of the push to move to dual fuel and/or LNG-powered commercial vessels involves infrastructure. Some early stakeholders are ramping up shore infrastructure to meet the coming demand for bunkers.

Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc., a naval architecture and marine engineering firm owned by Crowley Maritime Corp., has developed two new liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge concepts. The two new fully customizable concepts aim to offering customers maximum flexibility and improved safety features, the designer said. The first concept involves outfitting an existing barge with an above-deck LNG tank. The concept can be further modified to accommodate more than one type of product, if a customer has a need for multiple liquid transfers.

Jensen Maritime, Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering company, was recently selected to provide the ABS Class and functional designs for two, new 120-foot twin screw tugboats for Ice Flow, LLC dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) and Kirby Offshore Marine, LLC. “Jensen is proud to have been chosen as the design firm on this project and looks forward to seeing the vessels through from concept to completion,” said Johan Sperling, vice president, Jensen Maritime. The two, 120-foot long, 35-foot wide tugboats, which will be used for tow operations, will be powered by two Caterpillar 3516C, 2447 BHP at 1600 rpm main engines with Reintjes reduction gears turning two NautiCAN fixed-pitch propellers with fixed nozzles.

Jensen Maritime, a wholly owned Crowley Maritime Corp. subsidiary, has been selected to provide detail production engineering and construction management on an 88' x 25' Super Pumper NFPA Type II Fireboat for the San Francisco Fire Department. Jensen completed the fireboat contract-design for the city in 2012. “We are proud to work with the San Francisco Fire Department again,” said Johan Sperling, Jensen vice president. Vigor Industrial will build the vessel at its 27-acre facility in Seattle.