Articles – Page 57 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Canadian Government Takes Steps to Reallow Cruise Ships at Ports

Canada says it is now ready to welcome cruise ships back to its waters after the maritime and tourism sectors were hit hard by the global COVID-19 pandemic. On Feb. 7, Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra announced the public health framework the Government of Canada is putting in place to restart cruise ship activity in Canada. “As Canadians continue to do their part by stepping up and rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and practicing public health measures, our government continues to work hard to restart our economy safely and sustainably,” Alghabra said. “We welcome cruise…

Newest BC Ferries Vessel on Its Way from Poland

Later this month, BC Ferries’ fourth and final Salish class vessel, the Salish Heron, is set to arrive in Victoria, British Columbia, where it’s expected to begin service later this year. The vessel began its more than 10,000-nautical-mile trek from Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland on Dec. 22. The ship was scheduled to sail about 10,440 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and up the Pacific Coast of North America, arriving at Victoria’s Ogden Point for inspection. It is then expected to move to BC Ferries’ Fleet Maintenance Unit in Richmond, BC for final preparations,…

Port of San Diego Purchases All-Electric Mobile Harbor Cranes, First in North America

In support of its clean air initiatives, the Port of San Diego has purchased two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes to replace a diesel-powered crane currently in use at the POSD’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, the port revealed in late February. San Diego has said that the all-electric, battery-supported mobile harbor cranes will be the first in use in North America and would support its Maritime Clean Air Strategy and its “Health Equity for All” vision while also increasing the terminal’s productivity and cargo business opportunities. The port has said that it anticipates receiving and putting the…

Maritime Construction: 2022 Update

As consumer demands grow, so do the vessels that bring those goods to West Coast ports. Throughout the U.S. and Canadian West Coasts, seaports are in the midst of planning and building for that growth, whether it’s outfitting terminals with the tallest cranes and newest cargo-handling equipment, or dredging harbors to ensure that these mega-ships can safely arrive. The COVID-19 pandemic-driven congestion at larger seaports has only highlighted the need for more capacity. Here’s a look at a number of projects port officials are planning, or in some cases, are already in progress. PORT OF LOS ANGELES The nation’s busiest…

West Coast Ports Eye Global Partnerships, Electric Vehicles to Battle Climate Change

Industrial giants are often the first to be called upon when the nation demands environmental change. West Coast shipping terminals occupy prime waterfront real estate—each of them operating right on the doorstep of a major metropolis. In the regular course of business, they utilize waterways alongside sensitive marine populations and ecosystems already stressed by human activity. Over the last few decades these ports have made major strides in the move toward greening their operations and being accountable for their impacts on their local environments while servicing goliath cargo ships. The California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach share San…

Crowley Maritime’s Newest Assist Tugboat Begins Working Life in Puget Sound

At the time of this writing, Crowley Maritime’s newest chartered assist tugboat, Athena, is being delivered to Puget Sound for its final sea trials and first days of working life. Athena was built by Diversified Marine and joins Crowley Maritime’s Ship Assist and Escort Services Group. The compact 77-foot assist tugboat is hull number 44 for Crowley Maritime and packs 6,386 horsepower thanks to two Caterpillar 3516E engines. The twin screws are direct drive with two 2,700-mm 4-blade props. According to Crowley, Athena delivers 90 short tons of bollard pull, making the new assist tugboat the most powerful for its…

Seaports and Cybersecurity — An Introduction

For the past six months seaports have been in the news. The stories range from supply-chain disruptions, large numbers of ships waiting to offload their containers, and most recently, a ransomware attack on at least 17 European oil port terminals. Obviously, the news is affecting the day-to-day management of seaports and just adds to the list of “to-dos” for Port leaders and their management teams. This article is intended to offer a high-level introduction to the cybersecurity attack surface offered by today’s modern seaports with some ideas on ways to better prepare your port for future cyber threats and attacks.…

Captain’s Corner

Whether you’re just breaking into the commercial maritime industry, an experienced sailor looking to take that next big step to advance your career, or even a long-haul seasoned veteran at the top, looking for a change to improve salary, quality of life or gain new experience in a particular operation, I believe I have some helpful tips and insight as to the general marine workforce trends and demands both currently, and into the future. My hope is that I can shed some insight to various options that could help mariners reach their full potential while getting the most satisfaction they…

UN Agencies Renew Call to Support Seafarers During Pandemic

Four United Nations agencies on Feb. 28 issued a joint statement urging stakeholders to collaborate to prevent undue hardship to seafarers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The International Labour Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a joint statement asking stakeholders to take action to support the world’s 1.9 million seafarers from being unduly impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The statement came in the wake of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC), which has, once again, caused many countries to close…

Sea Lead Launching New East Asia Container Service That Bypasses the West Coast

Singapore-based Sea Lead Shipping on March 3 revealed that it was launching a new service linking ports in East Asia with ports on the East Coast of the United States, while completely bypassing West Coast ports. “The Asia East Coast (AEC) service will provide shippers with a reliable and timely service that avoids the port congestion that is hampering efficient service at many other (West Coast) ports,” Sea Land said in a statement. The new weekly service commenced March 7 with the first sailing from the Port of Nansha in south China. Port rotation for the service will be as…