Features – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Container Handling Equipment: 2023 Update

The global container handling equipment (CHE) market is estimated to reach $10.16 billion by 2030, according to Straits Research. The drive to cut emissions, improve efficiencies and keep people safe are some of the top trends that are influencing the market’s effect on ports around the world. The U.S. is forecast to see significant growth with its abundant electric vehicle infrastructure facilities, coupled with government support. While going all-electric is the predominant trend, a variety of new technologies are coming online for CHE uses. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as part of their San Pedro Bay Ports…

Vessel Propulsion Technology: A Look at the Industry

Veteran propulsion technology merges with new innovations. The propulsion technology space is a dynamic and important one for maritime professionals. Technologies with generations of proven success merge and clash with cutting-edge new inventions in a globe-spanning market with players jockeying for position. New opportunities like the wind-farm industry spring up alongside more traditional operations such as oil-spill response vessels and Alaskan tourism. Here are a few things on our radar. Scania Scania USA, a subsidiary of Scania CV AB of Sweden, is an importer for industrial and marine engines in North America and a provider of transportation solutions both on…

TPM: Container Shipping Outlook

Congestion may finally be clearing at seaports and spot and contract rates may be returning to pre-pandemic levels, but some uncertainty remains for the shipping industry as potential challenges loom, panelists said at a Feb. 27 session at the TPM23 and TPMTech Conference by S&P Global Market Intelligence in Long Beach, Calif. At the session “Container Shipping Outlook: Suddenly and Yet Again, It’s a New World,” panelists reflected on the rollercoaster of the last two years and gave their thoughts on what the new normal could bring. The panel included Wan Hai Lines Vice Chairman Randy Chen, Barclays’ Director, Equity…

TPM Panel Tackles Decarbonization

Decarbonizing the supply chain in the coming years will take a collective effort from stakeholders and the robust availability of green fuel to make that happen, panelists said at a Feb. 28 session on “The Route to Carbon-Neutral Shipping and a Multi-Fuel Future.” The panel, which took place during the TPM23 and TPMTech Conference by S&P Global Market Intelligence in Long Beach, Calif., brought together four experts to discuss the industry’s role and challenges in trying to decarbonize operations. Panelists included Julia Bedanova, chief operating officer of Million Dollar Baby, a Los Angeles-based baby and children’s furniture company; Paolo Montrone,…

West Coast Shipyards: Jobs Big and Small in the Works

West Coast shipyards have been busy recently with everything from minor maintenance to major re-power projects. Some yards are also working on enhancing onshore operations and increasing their equipment’s capabilities. Pacific Maritime Magazine reached out to yards up and down the coast to find out the latest news on yard improvement and other projects. Some updates that stand out include managing double-duty operations; notable work with dual-fuel technology; challenging Tier 4 re-power jobs; the restoration of a historic wooden steamship, and installation of larger lifts and expanded drydocks. Seaspan Shipyards Seaspan, based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, has been busy,…

Vessel Profile: North River Boats’ Sounder

North River Boats has built the new 26-foot survey vessel Sounder for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) of Los Angeles. The Sounder is the flagship for a larger series of customizable workboats at North River Boats, based in Roseburg, Ore., that can be scaled from 23 feet to 60 feet in length with beams ranging from 8 feet, 6 inches to 16 feet. For the company, the combination of the boat hull, trailer-able size, topline outfitting and electronic configuration puts the Sounder in play as the most versatile survey vessel of its size on the market. The vessel…

Shaver Debuts New 80-Foot ASD Tug Equipped with Belgian ABC Engines

Shaver Transportation, which provides ship handling services at all the ports of the lower Columbia River and barge hauling services down the Columbia-Snake River system, has been operating tugs on the Columbia since 1880 when its sternwheel steamboats towed sailing ships up the river to Portland. Today, the Shaver family still owns and manages the company and continues to develop new approaches to tug design in their fleet of 16 tugs and 22 grain barges, ranging from eight ASD (Z drive) ship-handling designs to powerful push tugs in the 90- to 100-foot range. One feature that covers most of this…

High-Tech Techniques Help Spill Response Become More Efficient, Safer, Productive

Above the surface or underwater, oil and hazardous material spill response and recovery in marine environments is making strides, thanks to technological advances and equipment upgrades, resulting in safer and more efficient work. Autonomous systems are gaining traction, helping increase safety and productivity. Drones are helping make the job more efficient and practical. Skimmers, containment vessels and collection systems are showing promising improvements in both volume and recovery efficiency. Crane barges and other supporting craft utilized in responding to incidents are showing strength and maneuverability in recent case studies. Staying on top of technological advances goes hand in hand with…

Regional Update: California Ports

2022 was a wild ride for most major California seaports. The Golden State is home to the nation’s busiest seaports, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, which both have seen congestion-inducing record influxes of cargo, but also drops in market share as consumers emerge from the pandemic to spend their money on services rather than products. The Port of Oakland and Port of San Diego have also seen growth in cargo numbers as both are seen as local alternatives to congested ports. Retaining that market share has been further complicated by outside factors, from COVID-19-related…

Maritime Construction Projects: 2023 & Beyond

The West Coast maritime construction industry never rests. West Coast maritime construction companies have been busy over the last year with projects from Hawaii to Antarctica, as well as from coast to coast. By no means a comprehensive summary, herein is a peek at a few of the notable West Coast-based maritime construction companies and their recent jobs. Whether the work is dredging for a Navy facility pier or replacing the oldest radar tower in the U.S., workers in the industry rarely shy from a high-seas challenge. While many call the work extraordinary, marine construction professionals call it an average…