Speed Reduction Led to Vessel Collision on the Neches River
A pilot's decision to reduce the speed of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier resulted in reduced rudder effectiveness, ultimately leading to a collision with a moored tug on the Neches River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.In November 2021, a state licensed pilot from the Sabine Pilots took navigational control of the 754-foot-long Gas Ares as it was heading to load a cargo of propane and butane at the no. 1 loading dock at Sunoco Logistics, located in Nederland, Texas, on the Neches River.
Navigator Enters Long Term Ethane Transport Charter
Navigator Holdings Ltd. announced today that it has signed a long term shipping agreement for one of its 35,000 cubic meter ethylene/ethane capable semi-refrigerated liquefied gas carriers, currently being built at Jiangnan Shipyard, China. The ten year time charter has been agreed with Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. The charter, which is planned to commence in late 2016, will transport ethane from the Marcus Hook terminal operated by Sunoco Logistics to Borealis’ cracker in Stenungsund, Sweden.
ACL Recognizes Safe Liquid Cargo Handlers
American Commercial Lines presented Marine Environmental Stewardship Awards on Wednesday, July 16 in Houston, Texas, recognizing 35 customers for safe handling of chemicals, petroleum products and other liquid cargos. The customers recognized by ACL safely handled over two billion gallons of chemicals, petroleum products and other liquid cargoes with the barge transportation company in 2013. Recipients of the award are: Axiall Corporation; BASF Corporation; Bayer Corporation; Bunge North America…
Oil Spill Cleanup Underway in Delaware River
The U.S. Coast Guard is overseeing the cleanup of an estimated 200 gallons of crude oil Friday after a valve on a pipe leaked at the Sunoco Logistics Terminal Facility in Fort Mifflin Thursday. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders received notification of the spill at approximately 2 p.m. Thursday after the National Response Center relayed that a pipe broke and an estimated 2,000 gallons of crude oil discharged onto a parking lot at Sunoco Logistics. Additionally, it was reported approximately 200 gallons spilled into a drain, which leads to the Delaware River. After further investigation, it was estimated 50 gallons of oil went into the water.
Panama Canal May be a Game-Changer Says FMC Commissioner
FMC Commissioner William P. The Panama Canal may remake world trade patterns. To be finished in 2015, the $5-billion expansion of the Panama Canal will create a third lane accommodating mega-ships nearly three times larger than previously passable and this may significantly reduce shipping time to Asia. The expansion impacts state ports, rail lines, trucking and cargo movement from the south and east to the west. The U.S., once an importer of natural gas, could see new shale gas development, LNG projects, and the faster shipping lanes open new Asian markets.
The Importance and Value of Marine Industry Training
The Coast Guard Marine Industry Training Program offers incredible opportunities for Coast Guard employees to intimately learn specific facets of the marine industry. Participants of the program work directly for industry partners for up to 1 year. In addition to building superior government/industry working relationships, the program affords industry sponsors an opportunity to share detailed business considerations and limitations, so that Coast Guard regulatory activities most effectively promote safety, while limiting undue burden on the maritime industry.
Port Vision to Supply TerminalSmart to Sunoco
PortVision to provide Sunoco Logistics with TerminalSmart dock management system and vessel-tracking services software. PortVision® has signed a three-year agreement with Sunoco Logistics to provide the company with its TerminalSmart™ platform, which integrates dock management, scheduling, reporting and analytics with the PortVision Automatic Identification System (AIS)-based vessel tracking services. TerminalSmart is the industryÂ’s first web-based service platform that integrates vessel tracking, dock management, and analysis in a single, convenient operational dashboard for marine terminal operators. TerminalSmart supports dock scheduling, comprehensive dock activity logging, and business intelligence reporting.
