News – Page 56 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Port of Long Beach Debuts Upgraded Fireboat Station

More than a decade after an independent study found that fire safety facilities and equipment at the Port of Long Beach were in urgent need of modernization, a gleaming new fire station has opened at the port. Fire Station No. 15, a 20,000-square foot facility with an 11,200-square foot covered boat bay, is now operational. “This moment has been a long time coming,” Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said. “It’s an important milestone for the safety of the Long Beach community and this critical national economic engine.” Station 15, located on Pier F between Middle Harbor and…

Vigor Delivers Newbuild Pilot Boats to Port of LA

By Karen Robes Meeks After a two-year design and build process with Vigor Industrial and a 1,000-mile trek from Vancouver, Washington, the Los Angeles Pilot Service’s newest boats have made their way to San Pedro Bay and are now in service at the nation’s busiest seaport. Seeing the Angels Pilot and the Angels Navigator in action at the Port of Los Angeles marks a big moment for the pilot service. “We are very happy we were able to work with the port in procuring these boats,” said Chief Port Pilot Captain David Flinn, who oversees the Los Angeles Pilot Service…

Bryton Marine Group Acquires All American Marine

Matt Mullett, owner and CEO of Bellingham Bay, Wash.-based All American Marine, has sold his boat building company to family-owned Bryton Marine Group, a builder of welded aluminum commercial, recreational and adventure boats headquartered in Vernon, British Columbia. All American Marine is expected to continue operating in Bellingham, while Byron Bolton assumes the role of CEO along with Matt Mullett staying aboard in an advisory role. Ron Wille, AAM’s president, will lead the business along with his management team. No changes are expected to AAM’s workforce or 57,000 square foot facility. “We are motivated to start this new chapter by…

Biden Administration Opens Pacific Coast for Commercial Scale Offshore Wind Energy Projects

The northern and central coasts of California are opening up to commercial scale wind energy projects under a plan announced Tues., May 25 by the Biden Administration. White House officials said the move to catalyze offshore wind energy is part of the president’s commitment to build new American infrastructure and a clean energy future that creates good paying jobs. The Interior Department, in coordination with the Defense Department, has identified the Morro Bay 399 area to support three gigawatts of offshore wind on roughly 399 square miles off of California’s central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay. The two areas…

Brix Marine Building Water Taxi for QXMC

Port Angeles, Wash.-based Boatbuilder Brix Marine is currently constructing a 32-foot by 12-foot catamaran for the Qathen Xwegus Management Corp. (QXMC). QXMC is the business arm of the Klahoose First Nation, located on Cortes Island, BC, Canada. The corporation, whose activities include industries such as forestry, aquaculture, tourism, and retail, will operate the twelve-passenger vessel as a water taxi. Completion is slated for Fall 2021. The vessel’s power and propulsion are twin Volvo Penta D4 270hp engines with Aquamatic DPI outdrives. The 3212-CTC model vessel’s full walk around configuration, combined with two side boarding doors port and starboard, allows for…

Greening the Global Maritime Industry

A new report from the World Bank and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) examines better digital collaboration between private and public entities across the maritime supply chain, arguing that these kinds of collaborations result in significant efficiency gains, safer and more resilient supply chains, and lower emissions. Maritime transport carries over 90% of global merchandise trade, totaling some 11 billion tons of cargo per year. Digitizing this sector of the global economy could bring wide-ranging economic benefits and contribute to a stronger, more sustainable recovery. The new report, entitled “Accelerating Digitalization: Critical Actions to Strengthen the Resilience…

HaiSea Marine Goes Green with New LNG Canada Tugboat Fleet

North Vancouver, BC-based HaiSea Marine Limited Partnership, has begun a battery-powered and low emissions tugboat build program to provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat in the unceded traditional territory of the Haisla Nation. HaiSea Marine, which is majority owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC, has a contract with LNG Canada to build and operate escort and harbor tugs required for their export facility in Kitimat. With a supply of clean hydroelectric power available in Kitimat, the harbor tugs will be able to recharge from…

IMO and Singapore Launch SwiFT Project, a Digitized Port Information Exchange System

By Gordon Feller, gordon@GordonFeller.com The International Maritime Organization is partnering with the Government of Singapore to create an ambitious new ship clearance project to establish a digitalized system for electronic exchange of information in ports, the SwiFT, or Single Window for Facilitation of Trade, project. To kick-off the new project, the IMO issued a “call for expressions of interest” from countries with a medium-sized port. The request was to have them take part in a pilot program supported by Singapore via in-kind contributions, and by the IMO via its Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP). Under the terms of the pilot…

Seaspan Marine Transportation Makes Senior Leadership Changes

British Columbia-based Seaspan Marine Transportation has made changes to its senior leadership team following an organizational restructuring, the company has announced. Frank Butzelaar, who most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Seaspan Marine, has assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Washington Companies, Seaspan’s parent corporation. He will work with Larry Simkins, CEO of the Washington Companies, and oversee the strategic direction of subsidiaries Montana Rail Link, Seaspan Marine Transportation and Southern Railway of British Columbia. Ian McIver, previously the senior vice president of corporate development with Seaspan Marine, has been appointed president of Seaspan Marine Transportation,…

Seaspan Shipyards to Build Polar Icebreaker for Canadian Coast Guard

Seaspan Shipyards has been chosen by the Canadian government to design and build a Polar Icebreaker, the flagship of the Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreaking fleet, as part of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy program. The icebreaker, Seaspan’s fourth class of NSS vessel, is to be built at the company’s Vancouver shipyard, Seaspan revealed in early May. The vessel is to be built concurrently with the second Joint Support Ship for the Royal Canadian Navy, one of the largest naval vessels by length ever to be built in Canada, and one of the largest and most advanced ocean science research ships…