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 while navigating narrow portions of the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.
By Karen Robes Meeks Terry Khile has been named the Port of Port Townsend’s new operations manager, replacing business manager T.J. Quandt, who left earlier this year to work for the Port of Olympia. In the newly created role, Khile will be tasked with overseeing all port facility operations, including three marinas, upland shipyard and the Jefferson County International Airport, as well as 17 port employees. “This is a great move for the port and for Terry,” said Executive Director Jim Pivarnik. “Terry knows the operations of the port forwards and backwards. He’s held just about every job here over his almost 32 years at the port.” Khile is a Port Townsend native who attended the local high school and grew up around his father’s boat building business. His first…
The US Coast Guard on Thursday commissioned its newest Hawaii-based 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, the third FRC to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Honolulu. The Coast Guard Cutter William Hart (WPC 1134) was built by Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana and arrived Aug. 17 in Honolulu. The cutter will assist in covering the 14th Coast Guard District, which includes more than 14 million square miles of land and sea, with units in Hawaii, American Samoa, Saipan, Guam, Singapore, and Japan. “There is no greater reflection of the commandant’s strategic vision and commitment than the fact that as we commission the William Hart today, it will be the fifth Coast Guard cutter commissioned in the last two years here at Base Honolulu that will operate in the heart of Oceania,” said Rear Adm. Kevin…
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay announced that Brandon Collura is the new harbormaster overseeing the Charleston Marina Complex. Collura was director of a marina in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the last seven years. In his new role, he will be managing a staff of 18 in the security and maintenance departments at the marina and overseeing operations and projects at the marina, RV park, shipyard and ice plant in addition to handling commercial lease agreements. The Charleston Marina Complex is the third largest fishing hub in Oregon with more than 400 moorage slips for recreational and commercial vessels, a six-lane launch ramp, various restaurants and businesses, over 100 full-service RV camping sites, and a robust shipyard. “I’m looking forward to my new role at the Port of Coos…
On Saturday, Honolulu-based Matson, Inc. and General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard celebrated the christening of Lurline, the largest combination container/roll-on, roll-off ship ever built in the US. At 870 feet long, 114 feet wide (beam), with a deep draft of 38 feet and more than 50,000 metric tons, Lurline is the first of two new ships being constructed by NASSCO for about $500 million total and the third of four new ships to come online 2018-2020, according to Matson. And with a top speed of 23 knots, it will also be among the company’s fastest, “ensuring on-time deliveries in Hawaii from Matson's three West Coast terminals in Seattle, Oakland and Long Beach,” according to the company. "The great speed, capacity and environmental improvements of this new ship position us well to serve the needs…
This morning, May 17, retired US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Lockwood was awarded the 67th annual Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award for his exemplary service to the Puget Sound maritime industry. The award was presented to RADM Lockwood by RADM Steve Metruck, current Executive Director of the Port of Seattle and former Commander of US Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, at the annual Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast. RADM Lockwood has worked in the Seattle maritime industry for more than 17 years, following a distinguished career in the United States Coast Guard. Overall, he has more than 50 years of maritime expertise. Lockwood has provided outstanding leadership for the region’s maritime community through his work at Vigor Shipyards and with countless local maritime organizations. He is known throughout the Puget…
