February 2022 – Page 2 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

BAE Provides Zero-Emission Propulsion for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry in Bay Area

Electric propulsion provider BAE Systems has installed a zero-emission propulsion system in the first U.S. hydrogen fuel cell powered marine vessel, the Sea Change, which is set to operate in the San Francisco Bay Area. UK-based BAE revealed in late November that it has provided its HybriGen Power and Propulsion system to hydrogen technology company Zero Emission Industries for integration on the Sea Change. The vessel is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell power package, provided by Zero Emission Industries, that is comprised of 360 kW of Cummins fuel cells and Hexagon hydrogen storage tanks with a capacity of 246…

3 Companies Indicted, Accused of Negligence in Southern California Coastal Oil Leak

Members of the Orange County shoreline cleanup and assessment team conduct cleanup operations near Corona Del Mar State Beach Park in California, on Oct. 6, 2021. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Janessa Warschkow. A federal grand jury in mid-December indicted three companies involved in a large oil leak that disrupted Southern California maritime trade and resulted in a weeks-long cleanup. The three companies, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, are Amplify Energy Corp., Beta Operating Co. LLC—a wholly owned subsidiary of Amplify doing business as Beta Offshore—and San Pedro Bay Pipeline Co., another subsidiary of…

Robert Allan, Svitzer Reach Tug Design Agreement

Vancouver, BC-based naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. has reached a tug design agreement with global towage operator Svitzer for a vessel that they say incorporates several unique elements and combines them in a safer, more efficient package. The pact was announced by the companies in early December. “This tug is a game changer,” Svitzer COO Ingrid Uppelschoten Snelderwaard said. “Our customers expect us to deliver…environmentally friendly towage services at a competitive price and it is our passion to think out of the box and deliver innovative solutions to meet these expectations. I am proud that we are able to…

Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam Resumes Port of San Diego Service

On Dec. 23, Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam cruise vessel returned to service from the Port of San Diego, becoming the second Holland America ship to resume service in the city since the industry-wide pause due to COVID-19. Zuiderdam joins Koningsdam, which resumed San Diego service on Oct. 10. Holland America Line now has six ships cruising again in the Caribbean, Mexico and along the Pacific Coast of the U.S. “San Diego is an important homeport for us, and we are excited to have two ships back in full-time operation here,” Holland America Line President Gus Antorcha said. “We are proud…

POLA Executive Director Seroka Receives Industry Award

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka received the Containerization & Intermodal Institute’s (CII) top honor — the Connie Award — during a December ceremony in Elizabeth, N.J. The award honors outstanding leadership and achievements, as well as advancing the industry and its priorities. “Gene is a world-renowned supply-chain expert and a seasoned industry leader,” Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Jaime Lee said as she introduced Seroka at a CII conference that drew leaders from across the maritime and logistics industry. “Everyone at the Port of Los Angeles is so grateful to work with you,” Lee told Seroka. “The…

Port of Alaska Wins Lawsuit Against MARAD

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims in December ruled in favor of Anchorage in its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (MARAD) concerning the Port of Alaska, which the city operates. In a legal matter that had been pending before the court for seven years, the federal claims court found that MARAD breached its contract with Anchorage by failing to provide design, construction and project management services free of defects for the port’s intermodal expansion project. The project was in the works for more than a decade and originally expected to be completed by 2011. It first…

BAE Systems Wins USN Ship Modernization Contract

BAE Systems has received a $1.9 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernization of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57). The value of the contract, which was competitively awarded, could reach $101.2 million if all options are exercised, according to BAE. BAE Systems, a provider of ship repair, maintenance, modernization, conversion, and overhaul services for the Navy, other government agencies, and select commercial customers, operates three full-service shipyards in California, Florida and Virginia. Under the docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) contract, BAE will dry-dock the ship, perform underwater hull preservation work, support the…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Tours Port of Long Beach

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Jan. 11 toured the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, meeting with local officials while seeing firsthand efforts to deliver goods during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour came as America’s maritime ports are set to receive an infusion of infrastructure funding, with $17 billion allocated for ports and waterways in the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “Thanks to the heroic efforts of supply chain workers and the creativity coming out of our partnerships, we’re making good progress, as shown by the numbers on cargo movement, goods on shelves, and deliveries on time,” Buttigieg said.…

Port of Oakland Launches Program to Expedite Agriculture Exports

The Port of Oakland is launching an interagency effort to improve its flow of agriculture exports. The program involves the use of additional yard space and equipment, restored export ship calls and assistance to export users. The goal is to provide relief to agricultural exporters who are facing shortages of export capacity and skyrocketing logistics costs, the port explained in a Jan. 3 statement. The port said that it plans to open and operate a 25-acre off-terminal container yard equipped to move containers off chassis and store them for rapid pick-up. “The yard will provide access to equipment and provide…