Nov-Dec 2024 – Page 3 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Smaller California Ports Have Major Infrastructure Plans

By Sara Hall Smaller ports in California have some big infrastructure projects in the works. The ports are focusing on increasing cargo capacity, enhancing community experiences and developing facilities focused on sustainability. Pacific Maritime reached out to smaller ports up and down the coast to find out what plans are on tap. Redwood City The Port of Redwood City, the only deep-water port in the South San Francisco Bay, is working on a number of projects that focus on a variety of operations. The port not only services cargo ships, but also community and recreational uses, Port of Redwood City Executive…

Dynamo Twins: Saviors or Just Good Boats Doing a Job?

By Norris Comer Port of Vancouver embraces two new all-electric ElectRA 2300-SX tugboats SAAM Towage Canada, a subsidiary of Chilean parent company SAAM, announced in April that the company’s first all-electric, zero-emissions tugboats were ready for Port of Vancouver service. The new tugboats, dubbed Dynamo and Dynamo II, are the first ElectRA 2300-SX builds based on a design by Vancouver-based naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL). Turkish builder Sanmar Shipyards and Norwegian electric power systems company Corvus Energy are also key collaborators. The official launch of the two tugboats was met with much fanfare from government officials, private sector…

AIS and GPS Spoofing: Can it Happen on the West Coast?

Imagine this scenario. Your ship is operating out of Long Beach, Calif. It’s a sunny day with calm winds and a flat sea. Suddenly your Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) show your vessel off the coast of Nigeria. What happened? Well, this scenario isn’t that farfetched. In June 2019, the offshore supply boat Princess Janice was operating from a Nigerian oil terminal when the AIS abruptly showed the ship circling above Point Reyes, Calif. and then eventually deviating to above Utah. This false AIS reading lasted for almost 400 hours. On that same…

Fred Wahl: A Legendary Life of Boats

The man’s name is on the company sign—Fred Wahl Marine Construction. And the Reedsport, Ore.-based commercial shipyard and boatbuilder, which began with Wahl and his toolbox, celebrates 50 years in business this year. When in his presence on the banks of the Umpqua River, Teddy Roosevelt’s “walk quietly but carry a big stick” stance comes to mind. “Since I’m almost 78, I don’t get here real early anymore,” the soft-spoken Wahl said. “I get here about 9:30 or 10 (a.m.) and I make my rounds. Visit my lead people and see what kind of disasters we’re running into. “Pretty much…

MSC Marie Sets Record for Largest Cargo Vessel Through Panama Canal

The container ship MSC Marie marked a milestone on Aug. 30 by becoming the largest capacity Neopanamax to transit through the Panama Canal. With a length of 366 meters (1,200 feet) and a width of 51 meters (167.4 feet), the MSC Marie boasts a maximum capacity of 17,640 TEUs, a new record for the interoceanic route. This achievement surpassed the previous record held by the Ever Max vessel, which made the transit at a capacity of 17,312 TEUs during its inaugural passage in August 2023. The MSC Marie’s arrival in Panama, coming from Mexico’s Port of Manzanillo, not only highlights…

MOL Adding Wind Propulsion, Investing in U.S.-Based E-Fuels Company

Tokyo-based shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) revealed Sept. 13 that it has an agreement in place with multinational energy corporation Chevron to install the Wind Challenger, a hard sail wind-assisted ship propulsion system, on a new build LNG carrier under long term charter from an MOL subsidiary to Chevron Asia Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. The system was developed by MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding, and the vessel’s addition of it would mark the world’s first LNG (liquified natural gas) carrier equipped with Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion Systems, according to MOL. Wind Challenger is expected to help reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse…