Pacific Maritime – Page 53 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

01 Apr

More Alaska Ferry Woes

Pacific MaritimeNews

The Alaska Marine Highway System’s 55-year-old Matanuska suffered a machinery malfunction between Bellingham, Washington and Haines, Alaska in January requiring that it be moved to the Vigor Industrial yard at Ketchikan, Alaska for warranty repairs. The breakdown left a number of Alaskan communities without ferry service and pressured Alaskan lawmakers to advance a proposal for an additional $11.3 million for the ferry operation, which suffered a $43 million budget cut last year that left a number of ships out of service (see Pacific Maritime Magazine, Jan 2020).

01 Apr

Above Board – Maritime news from the seven seas

Pacific MaritimeAbove Board

By Kathy A. Smith The year 2023 could see full implementation of a ban of heavy fuel oil use in commercial shipping in the Arctic, according to the outcome of the IMO’s 6th annual meeting of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR6). The group is also working on identifying the type of fuels to be banned and how and when the stages of implementation will occur. Deadly Disasters and Other Incidents A seemingly routine commercial trip through the Rhône at the locks in Sablons, France, turned disastrous after the Pampero tanker-barge, loaded with 2,200 tons of vinyl chloride,…

01 Apr

A Closer Look: DHS’ Mentor-Protégé Program

Pacific MaritimeGovernment Work

By Tom Ewing In a recent column I mentioned an important resource document for businesses just starting to investigate federal contracting opportunities. That document was from the Coast Guard with the very straightforward title: “Doing Business with the Coast Guard.” I hope you were able to give it a close read and that (most importantly) you found it helpful, that it really does help with next steps. (If not, send me an email; I’ll summarize – and “anonymize” – your comments and forward them to the CG.) In this column I return to an important program introduced on page 16…

01 Apr

LNG as a Marine Fuel –
Our Zero Emissions Future Starts Now

Pacific MaritimeOpinion

By Peter Keller Now that we have passed January 2020, the much-anticipated global sulphur cap is finally a reality. The importance of this clean air initiative for global health is widely agreed and should not be under emphasized. Likewise, the critical role that LNG can play in clean air and global health initiatives must not be forgotten or trivialised as these are still matters of real concern to the world’s citizens. I said 2019 would be the year of acceleration for LNG, and it was! With increasing orders for LNG- fueled vessels and LNG bunker vessels, together with expanding infrastructure…

01 Apr

Workforce Development: A New Generation

Pacific MaritimeNews

By Karen Robes Meeks Whether you are running the nation’s busiest seaport or working to raise the economic profile of an entire state, nurturing a robust maritime workforce is essential to your success. Along the West Coast, port and business leaders are hard at work, fortifying the current workforce with additional skills and developing the next generation of workers who will be able to support waterfront operations and keep the region’s maritime sector competitive. Port of Los Angeles A year ago in his annual State of the Port Address, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka announced a $600,000…

01 Apr

Company Profile: Alaska Logistics

Pacific MaritimeFeatures

Karen Robes Meeks For 17 years, Alaska Logistics has been a steady mainstay as a service provider that difficult-to-reach villages rely on in Western Alaska. Since its inception in 2003, the company has grown from an office with a handful of employees and rented equipment to a fleet of its own assets and more than 50 employees at the height of its busy season, including consolidators, crew members, schedulers and talliers. From May through October – its usual busy season – the company is open at least 12 hours every day at its main yard in Seattle and on delivery…

01 Apr

Two New Ships for NOAA

Pacific MaritimeNews

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects to order two new oceanographic ships before the end of this year as part of its fleet rebuilding effort. Design of the vessels is currently underway, with the first to be named Oceanographer and the second Discoverer. The first ship will be homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii while the second will be assigned a homeport at a future date. NOAA currently has a fleet of 15 active research and survey ships in operation

01 Apr

American Countess Enters Service

Pacific MaritimeNews, News Briefs

New Albany, Indiana-based American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) has placed its newest vessel, the 245-passenger riverboat American Countess, in service on the Mississippi River alongside its American Queen and American Duchess. Converted from the 24-year-old casino boat Kanesville Queen by Gulf Island Shipyards at Houma, Louisiana, the vessel makes use of four Caterpillar 3516 diesel-electric generators of a combined 5,760 kW output powering three 650-hp electric drive motors turning three Schottel SRP 330 rudder propellers to give a service speed of 12-knots. In addition, a pair of Schottel 300-kW tunnel thrusters have been installed to enhance berthing and overall maneuverability…

01 Apr

New Tug for Vane Brothers

Pacific MaritimeNews

Baltimore-headquartered Vane Brothers has taken delivery of the 94-foot by 34-foot push tug Annapolis, the second of four Salisbury Class tugs being built for the company by Salisbury, Maryland-based Chesapeake Shipbuilding. The new vessel, like her earlier delivered sister, is powered by twin Caterpillar 3512 Tier 3 engines delivering a combined 3,000 horsepower.

01 Apr

Navibulgar Orders Bulkers

Pacific MaritimeNews

Bulgarian shipping company Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgar) has ordered four 31,800-dwt bulk carriers capable of entering the Great Lakes from China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, all for delivery in 2021 and 2022, with options for an additional two.