Perimeter News

An oil spill that has stained Tobago's coastline in the Caribbean is entering into Grenada's waters and could impact neighboring Venezuela, Tobago's Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told Reuters on Thursday.Eight days after Trinidad and Tobago's Coast Guard first spotted the oil from a capsized vessel whose owner and origin have not been confirmed, portions of the stain have moved about 144 km (89 miles) into the Caribbean Sea at a rate of 14 km per hour, Augustine said."It has now entered Grenada's territorial waters…

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, announced it has received an order from the St. Johns Bar Pilots for a new high-speed launch.The newbuild, to be based on the Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder's 40-foot Resilient Class pilot boat introduced in 2005, is scheduled to be delivered to the Florida-based pilots in mid-2024—the pilots’ fourth Gladding-Hearn pilot boat since 1962.Designed by Ray Hunt Design, the all-aluminum launch measures 35 feet overall. It has a 13-foot beam, including the foam collar, and a 3-foot draft.

Milwaukee, Wis. based Phoenix Lighting has unveiled its new series of corrosion resistant, maintenance free, U.S.-made above-deck lighting for the maritime industry.According to Phoenix, the new ModCom 3 family of floodlights provides more light for less cost with powerful, efficient illumination. The ModCom 3 is offered in three sizes, LO, HI, and MAX, emitting 15,000, 30,000, and 52,500 lumens, respectively. The three sizes allow for use in all waterline perimeter, above-deck…

The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday it is imposing a temporary security zone in the waters off Surfside Beach, South Carolina in the area where the U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon.The 10 nautical mile area security zone blocks vessels from entering without permission of the Coast Guard and is intended to protect the public "from potential hazards associated with physical objects."The zone is to be enforced through Feb. 18.The Pentagon told reporters Saturday the U.S. Navy was leading a recovery mission but said the duration of the operation was unknown.

A significant element of the U.K. government’s levelling up plan to create thousands of jobs, regenerate more deprived areas and attract overseas investors is the introduction of freeports. These special low-tax trading zones allow all kinds of businesses to trade.Under the U.K. model, freeports can encompass two different kinds of sites. On customs sites, authorized businesses will be able to import certain goods with simplified customs documentation and without paying tariffs. Domestic goods can also be held in a customs site and used in any manufacturing process.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the December 29, 2022, fatal helicopter crash near a Gulf of Mexico oil platform. One pilot and three passengers died in the incident."On December 29, 2022, about 0834 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N595RL, was substantially damaged during takeoff from an offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot and 3 passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 flight…

Russia suspended participation in the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal after what it said was a Ukrainian drone attack on vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in the early hours of Saturday. What do we know so far? WHAT HAPPENED? Russia said 16 air and maritime drones attacked civilian and Black Sea Fleet vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in Crimea at 0420 Kyiv time on Saturday. Russia said all nine of the air drones were destroyed. Four of the seven maritime drones were destroyed on the outer perimeter of the bay, but three more made it inside before they were destroyed, Russia said.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced more than $703 million to fund 41 projects in 22 states and one territory that designed to help improve port facilities through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. Following is the full list of FY 2022 Port Infrastructure Development Grant Awards:ALASKANorth Extension Stabilization Step 1 Project ($68,700,000), Anchorage, AlaskaThe Project will reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the “North Extension” (the area north of the existing general cargo terminals) at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska.

Divers sealed two tank vents that leaked fuel from a bulk carrier that was damaged and beached after a collision off the British enclave of Gibraltar on the southern tip of Spain, local authorities said on Thursday.The hull of the bulk carrier OS 35 broke after the collision with an LNG tanker and started leaking fuel oil on Wednesday, but the vessel has not broken into two parts."The Captain of the Port confirmed that the leak of low sulphur fuel oil from the tank vents is fully under control," the Gibraltar government said in a statement.The LNG tanker was not significantly affected by the c

Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, said it has delivered by road transport a new pilot boat to the Lake Pilots in Port Huron, Mich. The Resilient Class high-speed launch Huron Pride is the pilots’ third boat built by the Somerset-Mass. shipyard since 1979.Designed by Ray Hunt Design, the jet-driven, all-aluminum launch measures 42.5 feet overall. It has a 14-foot beam and a shoal 2.5-foot draft. The deep-V hull features a steep 24-degree dead-rise at the transom that increases to a very fine entry forward.

After last year's launch of the Helideck Perimeter Safety Net range designed to protect offshore workers and equipment from falling, offshore safety equipment maker Dropsafe has expanded its offering. "Dropsafe now offers two different versions of the Net, ensuring that all facilities can access a tailored safety solution according to their budget, location, and facility requirements," the company said Wednesday.Mike Rice, Dropsafe Commercial Director, commented: “From harsh offshore environments to hospitals…

Push boat operator Plimsoll Marine announced it has taken delivery of the fourth vessel in a series of newbuilds from Master Marine, Inc. “Plimsoll Marine strives to provide the Lower Mississippi River with premier push boat services utilizing the industry’s most modern and capable fleet of vessels. The delivery of the Steel Skipper marks another milestone in that effort,” said Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith. “Our ongoing investment in building and maintaining…

In December 2021 Blakeley BoatWorks completed construction of Green Wave, a fully compliant, state-of-the-art Subchapter M inland push boat. Owned by Plimsoll Marine, the vessel will operate within the Cooper Consolidated fleeting footprint, the largest fleeting footprint on the Lower Mississippi River. All three companies are part of the Cooper Group of Companies.Designed by Farrell and Norton and built by Blakeley BoatWorks over the course of a year, the 70-foot long, 28-foot wide, 1,600 horsepower vessel is fully compliant with the latest U.S.

“Synergy” is an overused word. But in the case of the “Advanced Naval Technology Exercises” that are held around the country, ANTX is truly a sum greater than its parts.ANTXs are conducted by the Naval Research & Development Establishment (NR&DE) and hosted at the various Naval Warfare Centers to demonstrate emerging technologies and innovations aimed at solving Navy and Marine Corps problems and addressing mission priorities and gaps. They are not so much exercises, which usually denotes training, but more like technology demonstrations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $12.6 million in grants to nine marine highway projects across the Nation under the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The funding will help address supply chain disruptions, enhance the movement of goods along our navigable waterways, and expand existing waterborne freight services in Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.“These investments through the America’s Marine Highway Program will help us move more goods…

Sea Change - America’s first hydrogen powered ferrySWITCH Maritime’s new 70-foot passenger ferry Sea Change is navigating uncharted waters as the United States’ first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry.The pioneering aluminum newbuild, constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), has been completed and was launched this summer, though permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels is still being worked out with the U.S. Coast Guard.“Legislation and laws for passenger safety did not exist yet for this type of vessel.

Safety of workers,structures, equipment and the environment are paramount in any offshore energy project. In the March/April print edition, Offshore Engineer took a look inside some notable newcomers.Wearable tech to boost drill floor safetyHaloGuard – Credit: TransoceanOffshore drilling contractor Transocean has recently deployed what it said was the offshore drilling industry’s first safety system that integrates a wearable locating device with drill floor equipment and machine stoppage controls.The system…

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered another vessel in its Delicay tug series—this time to its own fleet.Like its sister tugs, the the 25.3m x 12m x 6.1m Delicay Vlll is a Z-drive tractor tug built to Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd’s exclusive to Sanmar TRAktor-Z 2500SX design, created in partnership with the Turkish tug-builder and operator for both harbor ship handling and towing duties.Built at Sanmar Shipyards Altinova, the tug is powered by 2x 2100kW main engines, giving it a speed ahead of around 12 knots and 75 tonnes of bollard pull.

The U.S.’ first linehaul towing vessel powered by Tier 4 Caterpillar high-speed engines with selective catalytic reduction( SCR) was built by Blakeley BoatWorks (BBW) and is now operated by Cooper Marine and Timberlands (CMT).In March 2021, Blakeley BoatWorks completed construction of M/V Gretchen V. Cooper, a state-of-the-art, Tier-4 inland linehaul tow boat. This 3,400-horsepower vessel is 110-feet long, 33-feet wide, and expands CMT’s fleet to 20 vessels.Currently, Tier-4 diesel engine standards are the strictest U.S.

Bayou La Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Master Marine, Inc. (MMI) has delivered the 67’ x 28’ pushboat Rock Solid to Plimsoll Marine. The Rock Solid is the third of four vessels that MMI is scheduled to deliver to the Lower Mississippi River push boat operator.“The delivery of the Rock Solid marks another milestone in our effort to build and maintain our industry’s most modern and capable fleet of push boats,” said Angus R. Cooper III, President, Cooper/T. Smith. “Our team prides itself…

The global shipping industry is going to face a big challenge during the coming years when regulators, investors and stakeholders demand the drastic reduction of CO2 and other GHG emissions during ship operations. But in reality, the change is already underway.Since 2013, any newbuild ship over 400GRT has been obliged to comply with a specific Energy Efficiency limits – the well-known Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). It is about to enter an accelerating phase propelled by the recently released IMO GHG reduction strategy.

Plans to convert the century-old Port of Fort Pierce into a repair and refit facility for the global fleet of megayachts and large sailing yachts are moving full speed ahead.After a lengthy permitting and review process, Derecktor Shipyards has been granted approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Fort Pierce to begin construction of its newest shipyard – Derecktor Ft.

A specialized heavy lift crane vessel began cutting the first bow section of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray on Friday as salvage crews enter the next phase of operations to remove the overturned vessel from Georgia's St. Simons Sound.The Korean-owned Golden Ray, which capsized after leaving the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, will be dismantled in place and removed in sections. Salvors have installed 16 lifting lugs on the wreck to provide connection points for the U.S.-flagged VB 10…