Transportation Businesses News

In a joint plea to Congressional leadership and Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin this week a host of maritime transportation entities asked that $3.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding be made available for the U.S. maritime transportation sector, citing “significant hardships” and “unique and unexpected challenges” posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.The letters ask Congress and the Administration to take immediate action to provide the whole of the maritime transportation system…

In today’s environment, the overarching challenge for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry is to continue transporting the vital commodities that help keep our nation’s economy moving during a highly uncertain time, while taking all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of our workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve – in other words, to ensure business continuity, while recognizing we are not, nor can we be, going about business as usual.

The combination of the coronavirus pandemic and oil price freefall have affected most maritime markets, including inland waterway shipping. Looking at U.S. river transport in particular, the impacts of these two black swan events vary greatly depending on the type of cargo being carried.David Grzebinski, CEO of the America’s largest tank barge operator, Kirby Corp., said in a March conference call that petrochemical customers have driven the market higher as plants and refineries look to shore up their supply chains amid current market upheavals…

Vigor has announced the addition of Jackie O’Brien to Vigor’s leadership team. As EVP of Strategy and Business Development, O’Brien will report directly to the CEO and play a key role in driving the development and execution of Vigor’s growth strategy as a leading industrial company. She will oversee business development for all Vigor business units including defense, aerospace, infrastructure, alternative energy and marine.O’Brien comes to Vigor following a twenty-five year career at Alcoa and Arconic, created by  Alcoa’s separation into two independent companies in 2016.

China-based ship leasing and transportation businesses company COSCO Shipping Development announced its 2017 performance and stated that the company realized revenue of RMB 16.34bln (USD 2.59bln) in 2017, up 2.4% compared with that of 2016. The net profit attributable to equity holders of the parent company is RMB 1.46bln (USD 230mln), up 296.6% compared with that of 2016. Over the past year, the Company continuously improved its management level, increased its asset size and economic benefits and achieved collaborative development in its three business sectors, a statement from the company said. In 2017, the Company actively forged its brand featuring shipping finance, steadily advanced the development of chartering, container lease and other industrial lease business.

SATCOM’s Availability, Pricing and Utility tempts marine users left unsatisfied by limitations of cellular communication. The inland operator hoping to survive in tomorrow’s rapidly emerging business environment using cellular communications alone is likely to be, as a minimum, disappointed. In a worst case scenario, they may find themselves out of business. That said; there are options that inland transportation businesses can turn to when trying to effectively manage their far-flung businesses. One such option involves the KVH inland solution. According to Steve Griffin, Manager, Commercial Sales at KVH Industries, Inc., the launch of the TracPhone V3ip gave inland operators a solution that had not previously been made available to them…

Women’s Maritime Shipping Group Meets at Seattle Maritime Academy: Sept. 23; WISTA USA Pacific Northwest Visits Training Vessel E.L. Bartlett. The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) USA Pacific Northwest Chapter is gathering aboard Seattle Maritime Academy’s Training Vessel, E.L. Bartlett, on Sept. 23 at 3:00 p.m. Following a presentation on the academy’s programs and graduate placement, the WISTA USA Pacific Northwest Chapter will convene its quarterly business meeting. All are welcome.

The Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) Pacific Northwest Chapter is gathering for a tour of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Seattle Command Center on August 26, 2011 at 4:00 PM. Following the tour, the group will relocate to Salty’s on Alki Beach, located at 1936 Harbor Avenue SW, for a social hour. Contact Cynthia Powell at [email protected] for more information about this event. WISTA is an international organization committed to promoting women in management positions in maritime transportation businesses and related trades. WISTA focuses on attracting more women to the industry and on providing networking, education and mentoring opportunities. WISTA USA includes over 240 maritime professionals from 20 states.

The new battery business will be a part of GE Transportation and will serve customers in the rail, marine, mining, telecommunications and utility sectors. GE has invested more than $150m to develop advanced battery technologies, including a high energy-density sodium-based chemistry battery that will provide energy storage for a variety applications, including GE Transportation’s ecomaginationSM certified Evolution Hybrid Locomotive, mining truck drive system and tugboat electrification. In addition, GE has launch customers in several industries, including mining, telecommunications and utility, with key applications for heavy service vehicles, backup storage and load leveling for the smart grid.

At their fall meeting, members of Maritime Information Service of North America (MISNA), a non-profit association dedicated to promoting safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sound maritime operations, elected Lisa B. Himber, vice president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay, to serve as the organization's president for 2004. Other officers include: Immediate Past President - Liz Wainwright, Merchants Exchange of Portland, OR; Vice President - Ed Page, Marine Exchange of Alaska; Lynn Korwatch, Marine Exchange of San Francisco Bay; and Alastair MacNab, Marine Exchange of the West Gulf. The Maritime Exchange…

Yara International ASA (Yara) and Bergesen Worldwide Gas ASA (BW Gas) have entered into a Heads of Agreement under which Yara sells its LPG/ammonia fleet to BW Gas consisting of seven fully owned and three chartered-in vessels for an agreed price of $347m. Yara and BW Gas will also enter into a partnership agreement under which BW Gas will provide shipping services that Yara has defined to be non-core. The partnership will increase both parties' flexibility providing a platform for future expansion of their seaborne ammonia trading and transportation businesses.