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Transportation Link News

14 Sep 2023

Bidding Opens to Build Electric Ferry for Service to Guemes Island

Rendering of the Guemes Island electric ferry (Image courtesy Glosten)

Washington's Skagit County is inviting U.S. shipyards to bid for a contract to construct a new all‐electric car and passenger ferry.In 2017, Skagit County Public Works enlisted Glosten to design an environmentally friendly all‐electric replacement for the diesel‐powered ferry Guemes, which has serviced the half-mile route between Anacortes and Guemes Island since 1979.After some funding-related delays, the county approved the Seattle-based naval architecture firm's preliminary design in 2021…

07 May 2020

Vendors Sought to Inform Electric Ferry Design

(Image: Glosten)

Skagit County Public Works and vessel designer Glosten say they are seeking technical information and cost estimates from vendors to inform design decisions related to the electrical system, the propulsion system, the shore side electrical system, and the automated charging plug of the all-electric ferry design to replace the 41-year-old M/V Guemes currently in operation on the U.S. West Coast.“This is relatively new propulsion technology – we need to make sure we get this right.

16 Mar 2020

New Vessel Delivered for Navimag Ferries

Navimag Ferries’ new ship Esperanza (Photo: Wärtsilä)

Navimag Ferries’ newest vessel, Esperanza, has been delivered.The 150-meter-long vessel can carry up to 274 passengers and has 1,800 vehicle lane meters. It will operate exclusively in Chile, sailing between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, and providing a transportation link with Chile's south, in addition to ferry cruising in the Patagonian fjords.The newbuild's propulsion system includes two Wärtsilä 20 main engines, two Wärtsilä controlled pitch propellers (CPP) and two Wärtsilä gearboxes.

05 Sep 2019

Two SCHOTTEL-Driven Ferries for BC Ferries


Photo Credit: BC Ferries

German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL has delivered propulsion units for two 81-meter road ferries to Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania. Each of the newly built vessels ordered by Canadian operator BC Ferries will be equipped with two high-efficiency SCHOTTEL Twin Propellers. Once operational, they will serve the Northern Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver.Improving environmental stewardship“This class of vessels is very important for BC Ferries as it introduces a state-of-the-art…

28 Aug 2019

Creative Approach Keeps Commerce Flowing Amidst Historic Flooding

Aerial view of the Jerry F. Costello Lock & Dam on the Kaskaskia River. CREDIT: St. Louis Freightway

Operational changes keep Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam open for 17 days longer than typical during high water events.While the record flooding in 2019 disrupted barge traffic throughout the inland waterways in the Midwest for extended periods this spring and summer, a little out-of-the-box thinking helped limit the number of days the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam was forced to close, keeping commerce flowing on the Kaskaskia River in Southern Illinois for several additional days during the persistent high water.The Kaskaskia River is a critical transportation link for several commodities…

16 May 2019

INSIGHTS: Dennis Wilmsmeyer, Executive Director, America's Central Port

Dennis Wilmsmeyer, Executive Director, America's Central Port

Dennis Wilmsmeyer was appointed Executive Director at America’s Central Port on July 1, 2010, prior to which he served 11 years with the Port District, six as General Manager.With over 30 years of experience, Dennis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table in the areas of transportation, planning, and economic development. His responsibilities include developing the Port’s 1,200-acre industrial park and business campus, redeveloping a former military logistics center…

19 Feb 2019

Nakilat, McDermott Form Fabrication JV

Qatar's Nakilat and McDermott are establishing a 60:40 joint-venture (JV) company that provides offshore and onshore fabrication services in Qatar."The strategic partnership aims at increasing productivity levels at Nakilat’s world-class Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard and developing local construction capabilities to support the increasing demand for the construction of offshore and onshore structures in Qatar," said the Qatari marine company providing the essential transportation link in the State of Qatar's LNG supply chain.The agreement was signed in the attendance of His Excellency Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs…

29 Oct 2018

Nakilat Profit Jumps by 8.5%

Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat)  has reported about 8.5% year-on-year increase in net profit to QR659mn (USD 181 million) during January-September this year."Nakilat’s stronger performance is a result of the company’s successful expansion, which is attributed to its strategic long-term plan to diversify and seek business opportunities with minimal risk, as well as through effective cost optimisation initiatives across its integrated operations," said a press release from the Qatari marine company providing the essential transportation link in the State of Qatar’s LNG supply chain.This has been achieved through the acquisition of two additional jointly-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and a major stake in the first floating storage regasification unit (FSRU)…

28 Mar 2018

St. Louis, Plaquemines Ports Ink MoU for Mississippi River Cooperation

St. Louis Regional Freightway, Port of Plaquemines and St. Louis Regional Ports Sign Agreement to Foster Economic Growth on the Mississippi River. The pact will help support development of a new transportation link for cargo to move along the Mississippi River. The St. Louis Regional Freightway, Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District located in the State of Louisiana and four ports in the St. Understanding (MOU) to establish and grow an alliance to generate new business by promoting international and inland trade routes at strategic locations along the Mississippi River. The agreement, which represents a five-year commitment, calls for joint marketing initiatives and exchange of data to further those goals. The agreement embodies the St.

29 Aug 2017

Glosten to Design Electric Ferry for Skagit County

Washington’s Skagit County has selected Seattle based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Glosten to design a new all-electric vehicle/passenger ferry. The new ferry will replace M/V Guemes, which has provided service between Anacortes and Guemes Island, Wash. since 1979, and is now nearing the end of its economic useful life. With a capacity of 99 passengers and 21 vehicles, the vessel forms a primary mode of transit for residents of and visitors to Guemes Island. “This ferry is a critical transportation link in our community,” said Captain Rachel Rowe, Ferry Operations Division Manager. Skagit County has a vision of replacing the aging Guemes with an all-electric vessel.

19 Dec 2016

VT Halter Wins VDOT Ferry Contract

The passenger vessel construction market remains one of the few maritime bright spots, as The Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Transportation (VDOT) has awarded a contract to VT Halter Marine to design and build a 499-passenger/70-vehicle Jamestown Ferry to replace the current ferry, The Virginian. The ferry will be operated by the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry Operations Service which provides a critical transportation link between Virginia and North Carolina operating at the James City County at Glasshouse Point and Surry County at Scotland Wharf. Construction of the ferry is expected to be completed in April 2018. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry System currently operates four ferry boats, including the Pocahontas Ferry, which was also designed and constructed by VT Halter Marine in 1995.

19 Dec 2016

ST Marine, VT Halter Bags $138m in Orders

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd announced that its Singapore shipyard, Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine) and its US shipyard, VT Halter Marine Inc (VT Halter Marine) have secured new contracts worth $138m in 4Q2016. In Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has awarded a contract to a consortium formed by ST Marine and Penguin International Limited (PIL) for the design, construct and the system maintenance programme for three vessels - Heavy Marine Fire Vessel (HMFV), Heavy Marine Rescue Vessel (HMRV) and Marine Rescue Vessel (MRV). The consortium allows both ST Marine and PIL to leverage on each other’s capabilities to provide a total package solution to MHA. Construction of the vessels is anticipated to commence in mid-2017 with delivery expected in 2H2019.

26 Jul 2016

Fuel Consumption, Emissions Monitoring Software Updated

As part of the ongoing Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project, Eco Marine Power (EMP) stated that the Aquarius Management & Automation System (MAS) installed on Blue Star Delos has been updated with new fuel oil consumption (FOC) and emissions monitoring software. This updated software combined with the Aquarius MAS hardware allows for fuel consumption data from all flow meters on the ship to be displayed and logged in real-time. In addition CO2, NOx and SOx emissions are calculated based on the fuel type being used. Data is logged every minute and via a connection to a dedicated GPS unit, the ships location and speed is displayed and logged. A trip-meter is also available so that fuel consumption can be monitored for a specific time period or voyage.

15 Jul 2015

Nakilat H1 Profit Up 10 pct

Qatar Gas Transport Co (Nakilat), one of the world's largest shippers of liquefied natural gas, has registered a half yearly net profit of $135 million (QR490.2mn), up 10% on the same period last year. The healthy financial results reflect “Nakilat’s strategic development, the success of its joint ventures, and the company’s resilience in the challenging economic climate”, the company announced. The Board of Directors, whose chairman is the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, stated that Nakilat was in an “excellent position to face the current economic situation”, as the company’s ships are on long-term charter hire contracts that are not impacted by temporary fluctuations in oil prices.

14 Apr 2015

AWO Urges for Congressional Support

At the Annual Barge-In, members of the American Waterways Operators discuss economic, environmental and commercial issues with members of Congress. (Photo: American Waterways Operators)

The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, will be calling on Congress tomorrow, April 15, during AWO's Barge-In, an annual event that will bring 170 vessel owners and operators together in over 150 meetings with Senators and Representatives. At the Annual Barge-In, members of the American Waterways Operators discuss economic, environmental and commercial issues with members of Congress. "AWO members play a vital role in ensuring the safe and efficient movement of the nation's critical cargo…

21 May 2014

Cape May-Lewes Ferry Celebrates 50th

Captain Billy Ray Phillips - Cape May-Lewes Ferry, 1964

In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson was President; the Beatles first appeared on the Billboard Chart with I Want to Hold Your Hand; the World's Fair opened in New York and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry made its grand debut. On July 1, 1964, the very first ferry vessel departed the Lewes, Delaware terminal at 6:47 a.m. The ferry carried eight vehicles and 15 passengers. Since then, more than 43 million passengers and over 14 million vehicles have made the scenic, 17- mile, 85-minute trip across Delaware Bay to and from Victorian Cape May, NJ and historic Lewes, Delaware.

21 Mar 2014

State leaders christen first Olympic-class ferry at Vigor

State elected, transportation and manufacturing leaders were on hand today to celebrate the christening of the state’s first 144-car Olympic Class ferry, the M/V Tokitae, at Vigor Industrial’s shipyard in Seattle. Lynn Peterson, Washington’s Secretary of Transportation, served as the ship’s sponsor and broke a bottle to christen the new ferry before a crowd of more than 200 people. Speakers at the ceremony explained that the vessels will ensure safe, reliable ferry service, save taxpayers money and provide jobs for the state’s maritime workforce.

30 Dec 2013

Qatar Shipyard, Nakilat, JV's Get US$160-million Funding

Signing ceremony: Image courtesy of Nakilat

Al Khalij Commercial Bank (al khaliji) QSC has provided financing for the two Nakilat shipyard joint ventures: Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM) and Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ) for US $120m and US $40m respectively. Nakilat is a Qatari marine transport company providing the essential transportation link in the State of Qatar’s LNG supply chain. The company says its LNG shipping fleet is the largest in the world, comprising 56 LNG vessels. Nakilat also manages and operates four large LPG carriers.

28 Jan 2013

Evergreen to Launch GTM Feeder Service

Evergreen Line to launch a new container ship feeder service linking Greece, Turkey & Malta (GTM). In addition to meeting regional transportation requirements, the GTM service will connect to Evergreen Line's global service network via the port of Piraeus in Greece.   The 600 TEU container ship Kirsten will service the intra-Mediterranean service. The first sailing is planned from Piraeus on the 28th of January 2013.The port rotation for the 10-day voyage is: Piraeus -Thessaloniki-Gebze -Marsaxlokk -Piraeus   GTM service will also further enhance transhipment connection to Thessaloniki. In addition, the feeder loop adds a direct call to Gebze and offers a convenient transportation link for the neighboring Izmit industrial area.

08 Jul 2013

SF Bay Ferry's Re-schedule After BART Strike Ends

Image courtesy of SF Bay Ferry

With the ending of the BART workers' strike, SF Bay Ferry say they were pleased to do their part, having carried triple the number of commute passengers. Boats carried more than 54,000 passengers‹triple their pre-strike daily average. Below is a cumulative overview of total SF Bay Ferry ridership from July 1-3, 2013. This weekend, July 6 and 7, SF Bay Ferry will be running regular weekend service between Vallejo and San Francisco, and between Alameda Main Street, Oakland, and San Francisco. There will be no service to Harbor Bay or South San Francisco.

21 Aug 2013

New Foss Ferry Begins Work on the Columbia River

Photo: Foss Maritime

A new ferry, the product of a unique partnership between Foss Maritime, a confederation of Native American tribes and state government, began service on the Columbia River after a christening ceremony on August 14, 2013. The new Sanpoil ferry, a 20-car aluminum-hulled vessel with advanced technology for cleaner air, was constructed at Foss Maritime's Rainier, Ore. shipyard in 11 aluminum sections. The new vessel is the largest ever built at the Rainier Yard and measures 116 feet long, 45 feet in beam and has a draft of 6.5 feet.

05 Jan 2012

Foss, State, Tribes to Build Columbia River Ferry

Partnership to create jobs; bring modern vessel to vital transportation link. Foss Maritime Company is joining with Washington state and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to build a state-of-the-art replacement for an aging 63-year-old ferry that's been a vital cross-Columbia River transportation link. The unique partnership between Foss and the Washington State Department of Transportation includes the Confederated Tribes whose members will participate in the vessel's final assembly work. Faber added that Foss is looking forward to working with the Confederated Tribes.

02 Feb 2012

AWO: No Separation for Great Lakes and Mississippi River

Great Lakes, Mississippi River Separation Threatens Jobs and Commerce, AWO Says. The American Waterways Operators strongly believes that effecting permanent physical separation between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins as advocated by the report released yesterday by the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiatives is the wrong course of action for the thousands of people, from Illinois to Louisiana and beyond, who rely on the Chicago Area Waterways System for their livelihoods. The CAWS is the sole marine transportation link for billions of dollars in vital commodities and products moving between the Great Lakes and the entire Mississippi River system.