Hatteras News

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

Bellingham, Wash. boatbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has launched the newly built research vessel Gannet for NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS).The newbuild is a 52- by 19-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel is based on the proven design elements found in the recently commissioned research vessel Storm Petrel, built for NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine…

Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has taken delivery of the Cape Hatteras and the Cape Canaveral, the two Damen 3013 Multi Cats built by Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, La.“This is a milestone for our company and the U.S. dredging industry,” said Chris Gunsten, Great Lakes’ senior vice president of project services and fleet engineering. “The Multi Cat brings step change safety improvements to Great Lakes’ dredge pipeline operations, which was a prime driver for the investment.

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

Washington-baed shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has won a contract to build a research vessel for the NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS). GRNMS is located 19 miles off Sapelo Island, Georgia, and is one of 14 marine sanctuaries and monuments that make up the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System. AAM will build the research vessel at its Bellingham Bay facility. The vessel is a 52’ x 19’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

Houston-based dredging services provider Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation announced it has received several major dredging awards totaling $132.3 million.The awarded work includes:Coastal Storm Risk Management Rockaway Inlet Beach Fill Subcontract (Coastal Protection, New York, $37.2 million)South Atlantic Division Regional Harbor Dredging Project (Maintenance, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, $25.8 million)Avon Village Beach Nourishment and Buxton Renourishment Project (Coastal Protection…

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a man from the CL Yingdu tanker, around 223 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Saturday. Watchstanders from the U.S. Coast Guard Fifth District command center received notification that a man aboard the CL Yingdu (Ex-Maersk Tianjin) was suffering from an eye injury and needed medical attention. The command center consulted with a U.S. Coast Guard flight surgeon who recommended medical evacuation. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City were dispatched.

Tanker operator Penfield Marine and Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets division announced the execution of Penfield’s first carbon-neutral voyage in a collaboration that will enable Penfield Marine to offer environmentally differentiated freight products to its customers.The structure achieves carbon-neutral freight by retiring carbon offsets sufficient to cover the carbon footprint of an entire voyage, including emissions associated with the vessel’s ballast leg, positioning the vessel to perform the voyage, the laden passage and all in port load and discharge operations.

A bulk carrier rescued two people from a sailboat disabled by rough weather approximately 345 miles east of Hatteras Inlet, N.C., Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders at the Coast Guard’s 5th District Command Center received notification from the International Emergency Rescue Coordination Center at approximately 9:30 a.m. that a GPS alert had been received from a vessel in distress. The alert also stated that the vessel was experiencing severe weather and that both…

A search is underway to locate a crewmember who reportedly fell overboard from a Malta-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier 400 miles off Cape Hatteras, N.C.The U.S. Coast Guard said watchstanders received a report that a man overboard had been reported aboard the 225-meter-long Hellas Gladiator.An Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules aircraft was launched to search for the missing crewmember, along with two good Samaritan vessels which were notified via Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) messages.The 84…

Unmanned Vehicles Collect Data for Improving Storm ForecastsThe influences of ocean conditions and currents on living environments are now more widely appreciated—from the Earth’s climate and severe weather conditions to fisheries and biodiversity. Sustained and widespread measurements are needed to provide essential clues for understanding the oceans, for effective monitoring of environmental changes, and for helping to clarify the long-term effects of global warming.To meet this challenge, ocean researchers have invented various types of unmanned observing platforms.

SCHOTTEL said it has secured a contract to provide propulsion units for two new vehicle ferries ordered by North Carolina’s Department of Transportation, which operates the second largest state-run ferry system in the United States. The US-flag vessels designed by Elliott Bay Design Group are under construction at Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, La., and will be equipped with a total of nine SCHOTTEL Twin Propellers type STP 150 L. The ferries are scheduled for delivery in 2020.Each…

The first two American-made Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP) units have been delivered and installed in the Rodanthe ferry.Rodanthe is a ferry to be operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and used in its service to the Outer Banks, a string of barrier islands between North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.“With the new VSP units installed, the Rodanthe will offer years of smooth, efficient service to the islands. By linking steering and propulsion together, the VSP allows for fast response and precision movement in even the roughest of waters. This helps the operators pilot their ferry better while also keeping passengers and cargo safe thanks to the VSP’s superior handling in comparison to other propulsion systems available on the market…

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) said that Ocracoke Express ferry service between the state’s Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands is slated to debut on Tuesday, May 14.The Ocracoke Express will carry as many as 98 passengers on a speedy 70-minute trip from Hatteras directly into Ocracoke Village.Service will begin with three round-trips each day, with fares ranging from $5-15 round trip depending on time of travel. Children 3 and under can travel free with a parent or guardian.“Frankly, we can’t wait to get the Ocracoke Express underway”, said NCDOT Ferry Division Director Harold Thomas. “Not only will it be an easy way to get to Ocracoke…

US-based tanker shipping company International Seaways (INSW) has completed the acquisition of six 300,000 dwt very large crude carriers (VLCCs) from Euronav NV. The tanker company providing energy transportation services for crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas announced in a press release that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of six 300,000 DWT VLCCs for a purchase price of $434 million, inclusive of assumed debt, from Euronav. The six vessels have an average age of two years and include five 2016-built VLCCs and one 2015-built VLCC, each constructed at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. International…

Shoaling shifts NCDOT’s propulsion needs, prompting a sea change. Thrustmaster waterjets step in to carry the day. In Swansboro, N.C., boatbuilder U.S. Workboats (formerly Armstrong Marine) is assembling the linchpin of the North Carolina Department of Transport’s (NCDOT) business plan for its future Outer Banks ferry services. Separately, in both Hatteras and Ocracoke, crews are preparing to break ground on new parking additions and visitor facilities. The Ocracoke Express passenger ferry project – made necessary by the shifting and unpredictable shoaling on North Carolina’s Outer Banks – will, starting this summer, change forever the way tourists and visitors get to and from these national treasures.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division has ordered a new river class vehicle ferry to be built at Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, La. for delivery by March 1, 2019. Designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, the 183-foot ferry with room for 38 regular-sized vehicles will replace M/V Thomas A. Baum, a 22-year-old Hatteras-class ferry that carries 26 vehicles. The vessel will be the NCDOT Ferry Division’s first new car ferry since the M/V Sea Level christened in 2012 (also designed by Elliott Bay Design Group).

Brunswick Commercial & Government Products (BCGP) has announced Erik Bon Fleur as its new general manager. In this role, Bon Fleur will be responsible for day-to-day operations and business activities, reporting to Boston Whaler Group President, Nick Stickler. Prior to joining the BCGP team, Bon Fleur served in various other roles inside BCGP’s parent company, Brunswick Corporation, including continuous improvement manager for Boston Whaler, and most recently director of operations for Thunder Jet, an aluminum boat builder in Washington state.

A second powerful storm in as many weeks was bearing down on a string of battered Caribbean islands, with forecasters saying Maria would strengthen rapidly into a major hurricane as it ripped into the Leeward Islands on Monday night. Maria's strength was building as it approached the Lesser Antilles, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, estimating its winds near 90 miles per hour (145 kph). "Maria is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves through the Leeward Islands," the forecaster said, marked by "rapid strengthening" during the next 48 hours. Maria is approaching the eastern Caribbean less than two weeks after Irma hammered the region before overrunning Florida.

Duke University said it has received $11 million for the construction and operation of a new state-of-the-art vessel that will expand teaching and research capabilities at its marine lab. The gift to the Nicholas School of the Environment from the Grainger Family Descendants Fund, a donor-advised fund at The Chicago Community Trust, provides $5 million to build the new 68-foot oceangoing research vessel and an additional $6 million to support operating costs. The ship will have wet labs and dry labs, oceanographic equipment, a galley and sleeping quarters. It will be an oceangoing classroom to train undergraduate and graduate students in oceanography and marine biology at the Duke Marine Lab at Beaufort, N.C.

Bollinger Shipyards said it has delivered the USCGC Benjamin Dailey, the 23rd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery of the 154-foot patrol craft on April 20, 2017 in Key West, Fla. The vessel’s commissioning is scheduled for July 4, 2017 in Pascagoula, Miss. The 23rd vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program, USCGC Benjamin Dailey will be the first FRC to be stationed in the 8th Coast Guard District in Pascagoula, Miss. Previous cutters have been stationed in Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cape May, N.J. and Ketchikan, Alaska.

Domestic ferries adjust their business models to met regulatory pressures and exceed environmental standards with an eye towards improved service. And, not a minute too soon. In North America, stalwarts in the ferry business continue to shorten journey times compared to surface alternatives, while at the same time, bring accessibility to barrier and coastal islands that would otherwise be impossible to reach. Established stakeholders continually fine-tune their operations in a…