Several factors are driving innovation in marine shipbuilding, with among the most important ones being the Clean Air Act and subsequent EPA and CARB regulations. In some cases, standards were set before the technology to meet those goals could be developed. Another factor is the need for high-speed vessels with novel missions, such as in wind farm development. This article looks at recent and upcoming propulsion systems within the context of a sampling of new vessels. San Francisco Bar Pilot Boat, Designer: Camarc Design, UK, Builder: Snow & Company, Seattle WA Snow & Company, Inc. of Seattle, Wash. is currently…
As data from the Saildrone Surveyor was still being mapped after her maiden voyage from San Francisco to Honolulu, owners of the uncrewed, autonomous vessel powered primarily by renewable wind and solar energy were already planning a fleet of Surveyors to map the world. “This successful maiden voyage marks a revolution in our ability to understand our planet,” said Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and chief executive officer. “We have solved the challenge of reliable long-range, large-payload remote maritime operations. Offshore survey can now be accomplished without a large ship and crew.” The 72-foot long, 14-ton Surveyor arrived in Honolulu on…
Cruise ship industry traffic is getting a new boost into Southeast Alaska in August with the arrival of the Norwegian Encore at the site of what was once a thriving pulp mill, now transformed in a multi-million-dollar dock facility to accommodate neopanamax sized vessels. It’s one of the latest steps in the long-term transformation of Alaska’s southeasternmost major community, which lies on Revillagigedo Island, a summer fish camp for Tlingit Natives on the southern tip of the Inside Passage, which connects the Gulf of Alaska to Puget Sound. “We’re excited the ships are coming back to Alaska,” said John Binkley,…
The ocean and coastal towing industry is evolving, and one of the companies being aggressive in its efforts to keep up with the times is Crowley Maritime. Crowley, which is based in Jacksonville, Florida, has a significant presence on the West Coast, including locations in Alaska, California and Washington state. The company and its various business arms and subsidiaries, including Crowley Fuels, Crowley Shipping, Jensen Maritime, Crowley Logistics and others – have been engaged in many moves — both literally and figuratively — over the past year-plus. Crowley’s marine services group operates one of the more established fleets of ship…
As bigger ships dominate goods movement, ports along the West Coast know that they must adapt to remain competitive. For years, port officials have been working on various projects to make their ports more attractive to customers, whether it’s improving rail capabilities or building the infrastructure to make shore power possible. But the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t always made that easy. At the Port of San Diego, for example, funding had to be reduced for nine maritime infrastructure projects, pushing completion to a future fiscal year when the port’s revenues recover. Still, ports continue to execute their big picture vision of…
By Karen Robes Meeks Not all planned or maritime-related infrastructure improvement projects are being undertaken by port districts. In Hawai’i, a number of improvements have been embarked on by state and local governments, as well as other entities. One company that’s helping develop a number of them is American Marine Corp., which is headquartered in the Aloha State and also has a large presence California and Alaska. Some of the various projects that AMC has been participating in include: Repair Seal Team Delivery Vehicle Boat Ramp and Finger Pier AMC has been working as a sub-contractor to International Construction, Inc.…
Transportation and clean air officials in California, Oregon, Washington and other states have sent a letter to U.S. Senate and House leaders urging support of federal funding for clean ports. In the letter, the signatories express support for President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan proposal to invest an additional $17 billion in coastal ports, inland waterways, land ports of entry, and ferries. They also call out the need to invest in zero-emission infrastructure and equipment at the nation’s seaports in order to build “a cleaner, better future” and transform the system that moves the nation’s freight, especially as the economy…
Severe congestion problems in global maritime supply chains affect everyone connected in any ways to the flow of containers. In response to the crisis, several institutional and academic experts have published a paper introducing the concept of ‘dynamic time slot management.’ They propose the use of time slots and data sharing to empower different parties to make more informed and flexible plans. The goal is to overcome the disruptions and congestion in the supply chain system – with the understanding that improving supply chain visibility is a key element of the effort. The authors call for an expansion of the…
Besides the impact of COVID19, the news of 2021 has been full of headlines regarding cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. For instance, you’ve probably heard about the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack or the attack on the JBS meat processing plant; however, are you aware that the maritime sector is also under cyber-attack? For instance, as of July 2020, cyber-attacks on the maritime industry have increased by 900% in three years according to cyber defense solutions provider Naval Dome. Basically, threats to maritime computer systems are on the rise, and are here to stay. As such, this magazine has asked me…
By Karen Robes Meeks For the last seven years, Friends of the Morro Bay Harbor Department has galvanized the community to help its harbor department in need, whether it’s refurbishing lifeguard stations or installing a solar-powered emergency phone in a remote part of the sand spit. Now, the nonprofit community group is tackling its biggest challenge yet: raising funds to refurbish a much-needed patrol boat for the harbor department. Friends of the MBHD is working to reach its $100,000 goal to help the department outfit a newer used vessel with a pair of new Yanmar diesel engines and outdrives, updated…