News – Page 3 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Ocean Tech Company MarineLabs Secures Historic Funding

MarineLabs, a British Columbia-based maritime weather intelligence technology company, has received $4.5 million in a seed funding round, marking the largest investment of its kind in Canadian history for an ocean-tech company, it announced in mid-March. The funding, which is expected to directly benefit Canada’s marine industry, was led by BDC Capital’s Sustainability Venture Fund with participation from North Vancouver-based Seaspan Shipyards, a leader in Canada’s ship design, engineering, building and ship repair industry. The $4.5 million is expected to be utilized to accelerate product development, expand market reach and strengthen MarineLabs’ position as an industry leader, the company said,…

Floating Offshore Wind Port & Vessel Summit Set for Sacramento

The inaugural Floating OSW (Offshore Wind) Port & Vessel Summit is scheduled for Feb. 22 in Sacramento, Calif., presented by Oceantic Network, a nonprofit focused on harnessing the power of offshore wind and other ocean renewable energy. The summit, according to Oceantic, is expected to convene key decisionmakers and innovators for a day-long West Coast-centric event to set goals, identify challenges and propose pathways to success for critical port infrastructure and supporting the sector’s vessel demands. Representatives with various entities, including the California Association of Port Authorities, consulting and technology services company ICF, General Dynamics NASSCO and the California Energy…

Crowley Vessels, Crews Recognized for Environmental Achievement

Eighty-five Crowley vessels and their crews have been recognized by the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) for a cumulative 782 years of safe environmental practices and operations. The Environmental Achievement Awards, presented annually by the CSA, commend vessels and mariners that demonstrate an outstanding safety record with no reportable spills, no U.S. Coast Guard environmental citations or other pollution incidents. The latest awards were given out Nov. 14. The Crowley-owned and – managed vessels recognized by the CSA span diverse categories, including tugs, barges, containerships, tank vessels and company-managed government ships operating globally. Crowley has said that its commitment…

Navy Secretary Orders Shipbuilding Portfolio Review

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in mid-January ordered Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition Nickolas Guertin and Commander Naval Sea Systems Command Vice Adm. James Downey to conduct an analysis of the Navy’s shipbuilding portfolio. The intent is to provide an interim progress review to Secretary Del Toro within 45 days of the edict, which would be Feb. 25, according to the Navy. The purpose of the review, Del Toro said, is to provide an assessment of national and local causes of shipbuilding challenges, as well as recommended actions for achieving a healthier U.S.…

Port of Everett Seeks to Expand District Boundaries

For the first time since voters approved the creation of the Port of Everett in 1918, the port is advancing an effort to expand the boundaries of its district. Port commissioners have authorized port staff members to submit a proposition to Snohomish County Council for voters to consider the expansion. A proposal is expected to appear on the August 2024 primary ballot. The port is expected to prepare and file the necessary paperwork with the Snohomish County auditor and the Snohomish County Council to include the measure on the ballot. A simple majority would be needed for approval. The measure…

San Francisco Bay Ferry Opens Renovated Terminal

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the agency that provides ferry service to the San Francisco Bay, announced in January that its Main Street Alameda Ferry Terminal has re-opened for service after a 10-week closure for major refurbishment. The refurbishment project included the repair and replacement of the existing terminal infrastructure to bring the site into compliance with current seismic safety requirements. Improvements include bridge and foundation replacement, gangway replacement, float replacement and utility upgrades. The project design also included elements to facilitate future electrification of the terminal for zero-emission ferry vessels. Direct benefits to passengers…

British Columbia’s Snug Cove Marine Terminal Undergoing Improvements

Updates to Snug Cove’s marine infrastructure on Bowen Island, British Columbia are underway and expected to be complete by the end of March, BC Ferries confirmed in January. The $3.7 million project, which began Jan. 8, is expected to deliver strengthened structural elements, safer walkways, restoration of damaged concrete, new access platforms for maintenance crews and new mechanical components, among other changes. “These improvements,” the ferry service provide said in a statement, “will ensure continued safe and reliable ferry service the community depends on for commuting to work, school, medical appointments and other travel needs.” Due to the upgrades, a…

Kitsap Transit Reports 33% Annual Increase in Ferry Ridership

Kitsap Transit said in January that its passenger-only ferries carried more than a million commuters in 2023, a 33% jump over ridership in 2022, as demand rebounded in the post-pandemic era. The Kitsap County, Wash. public transit agency said its three cross-sound fast ferry routes between the Kitsap Peninsula and downtown Seattle accounted for nearly all the ridership gain, with the Bremerton/Seattle route posting a 54% gain over the prior year. Starting in December 2022, Kitsap Transit temporarily added 14 weekday sailings and 14 Saturday sailings on the Bremerton/Seattle route in an arrangement with the state until Washington State Ferries…

Austal USA Delivers Fast Transport Ship to Navy

Shipbuilder Austal USA, which is headquartered in Mobile, Ala. and has a service office in San Diego, said in January that it has formally handed over the expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Cody to the U.S. Navy. Representatives from the company and Navy recently signed official delivery documentation onboard the ship, Austal said Jan. 11. The vessel is named after the city Cody, Wyoming which itself is named after William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. “Austal USA and the Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program team successfully completed acceptance trials on the (14th vessel) in the Gulf of Mexico in December,…

BC Ferries Awards Contract for New Hybrid Electric Vessels

British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries) said in mid-January that it has chosen Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group to build four new hybrid electric vessels to add capacity and help improve the travel experience for passengers. BC Ferries said that it plans to operate the new vessels exclusively in battery-electric mode, using renewable hydroelectricity. Through a separate contract, BC Ferries is also initiating corresponding electrical upgrades for shore-based rapid charging at the four terminals on these routes in time for ship delivery. “The new hybrid electric vessels will further standardize our fleet, both increasing capacity and improving our flexibility to…