Gunderson News

Dee Burch is now the sole proprietor of Gunderson Marine & Iron (GM&I). Recently acquiring all shares of GM&I, Burch assumes the role of president, managing day-to-day operations.“My transition to an active role in the organization is both a profound honor and a tremendous responsibility,” Burch said. “We stand on the shoulders of giants that have built a stellar 100-plus year history. I am committed to continuing this rich tradition of excellence in barge building while expanding our capabilities in other complex fabrication including bridges…

Deliveries will begin in 2028 if all goes well. Delays and escalating costs have bedeviled the procurement process up until now.Washington State Ferries on Thursday published an invitation to bid on building five new hybrid-electric ferries, an overdue achievement that promises to eventually bring more reliability to cross-Sound ferry service.It’s the first time in more than 50 years that the state will accept bids from shipyards nationwide to construct its vessels. Going out to bid on this contract also represents a major step toward electrification of the WSF fleet.

“Each Career Connect Washington program is codeveloped with businesses and educators, so each program we build or expand meets the needs of industry and students.” -Andrew Clemons, Grant Administrator, State of Washington.In March, the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced a new workforce development webpage – for electric vehicle job opportunities.A centralized focus, especially from the top, is a big help for an industrial sector looking for tens of thousands of smart and talented people.

Aloha Marine Lines has added a new barge to its fleet to serve customers in the Seattle to Hawaii trade lane.The Makani Loa was constructed at Gunderson Marine & Iron in Portland, Ore., and launched on March 2 as a sister to the Kamakani and Namakani, which were added to the Aloha fleet in 2020. Together, they represent Aloha Marine Lines’ family of Makani Class barges that will continue to maintain regular, bi-weekly barge service between Seattle and Hawaii.Designed by Hockema Group, Inc., the Makani Class barges are 438 feet long, 105 feet wide with a deadweight capacity of 16,900 tons.

Anacortes, Wash. shipbuilder Dakota Creek Industries announced it has opened the application process for its three-year paid apprenticeship program.Slated to begin on July 1, 2024, the formalized, structured program offers both on-the-job training (OJT) and related supplemental instruction through a combination practical, classroom and technical training."Essential skills taught during the program are tailored to meet or exceed industry standards, ensuring that apprentices are equipped with the expertise needed for a successful career in the marine industry…

Portland, Ore. shipbuilder Gunderson Marine announced plans to open a new training center aimed at addressing a demand for skilled trades workers. For many shipyards across the U.S., hiring and retaining a skilled workforce has become a major challenge.Gunderson's new training center, scheduled to open this spring, will serve as a central hub for trades skills development, offering paid training programs in areas such as in basic metals fitting, industrial safety practices and various welding techniques, the company said.

Hornblower Group on Monday announced the promotions of several key members of its leadership team.“These changes within the leadership team represent a significant milestone for Hornblower Group as we forge ahead in working toward our company’s ambitions goals,” said Kevin Rabbitt, Chief Executive Officer for Hornblower Group. “I have full confidence that this group, with their impressive backgrounds and extensive industry knowledge, will significantly contribute to supporting our company's overall business strategy and lead us toward a successful future.

Mike Complita is going on 30 years in the maritime industry. Complita started work at Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) as an intern while attending the University of Washington in his hometown, Seattle. “And since that time, I've served in pretty much every role, from a technical and project management standpoint, all the way up to principal of our organization,” he said. Today, as Principal in Charge and VP of Strategic Expansion, Complita works alongside EBDG’s other principals to help guide the firm’s project managers…

The Port of Portland, in Oregon, is soliciting proposals from U.S. shipyards for the construction of a new dredge tender to replace the decades old W.L. Williams.Designed by Glosten, the new vessel will be a 69-foot-long, twin-screw, multipurpose vessel powered by two Caterpillar Inc. C18 EPA Tier 3 engines. Bids are due by August 30.The tender will mainly be used for towing dredge discharge pipeline strings, pushing barges, and towing barges in support of the port’s dredging operations.

Matson's new flat-deck container barge was christened and launched during a ceremony at the Greenbrier Gunderson Marine shipyard in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, April 23, 2022.The new barge, christened Haleakala, will be deployed in Matson’s Neighbor Island service in Hawaii starting this summer, connecting cargo to and from the U.S. West Coast through its hub terminal in Honolulu.With a carrying capacity of 620 TEU and room for 72 refrigerated containers, the new Haleakala is…

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., supplier of equipment and services to global freight transportation markets, announced on Tuesday that its Board of Directors appointed President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Lorie Tekorius, as the company's next CEO and President, effective March 1, 2022. On the same date, Greenbrier's co-founder, Chairman and CEO William A. Furman will assume the newly created role of Executive Chair until his retirement in September 2022. Furman 's current Board term continues until January 2024.Furman said…

The U.S. Navy’s three Global class oceanographic research ships (AGORs) have received a new lease on life. The ships-- R/V Thomas G. Thompson (AGOR 23), R/V Roger Revelle (AGOR 24) and R/V Atlantis (AGOR 25)-- which entered service between 1991 and 1998--were built with 30-year expected service lives. Thanks to extensive overhauls on all three they have been returned to service with another 15 years of useful service.AGOR 23 is operated by the University of Washington; AGOR 24 is operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography…

Crowley said it recently took delivery of its new 55,000-barrel, articulated tug-barge (ATB), the Aurora/Qamun. The 410-foot vessel is the second ATB in Crowley’s fleet, after the Aveogan/Oliver Leavitt, to be dedicated to the Alaska market. The ATB is specially designed to add efficiency and range to transport clean petroleum products for Crowley Fuels, the company’s Alaska-based business unit.“This purpose-built vessel was specifically designed by our in-house naval architects to safely and effectively operate in the Last Frontier…

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. announced today the launch of Qamun, a 55,000-barrel shallow draft double hull petroleum tank barge built by Greenbrier Marine, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greenbrier. Crowley Engineering Services provided on-site construction management using an Alaska-specific design by Jensen Maritime, its recently integrated naval architecture and marine engineering firm.The 350-foot barge, which will form part of an articulated tug-barge (ATB) unit, will be paired with the tug Aurora being constructed by Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala.

Greenbrier Marine, a division of The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. announced the delivery of OSG 205, a 204,000-barrel capacity oil and chemical tank barge for dual-mode ITB service pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard NVIC 2-81, Change 1. The barge was delivered to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG), a  provider of energy transportation services delivering crude oil and petroleum products throughout the U.S. and internationally. OSG 205 was paired with existing tug OSG Courageous.The new tank barge is the second that Greenbrier Marine has delivered to OSG this year…

Crowley said it overcame a number of challenges to lighter and deliver nearly four million gallons of military specification fuel to Eareckson Air Station on the Aleutian Island of Shemya in Alaska.Shemya’s radar and aircraft refueling station, Eareckson Air Station, and the 180 service members, contractors and civilians who operate it rely on Crowley’s twice-yearly fuel deliveries to supply fuel required for incoming aircraft for the Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force and other state and federal agencies.

Alaska Marine Lines expanded its fleet with the purchase of two cargo barges, the Kamakani and Namakani, from Oregon-based Sause Bros. Sause terminated its Hawaii service in March and Alaska Marine Lines is now serving its customers.The Kamakani and the Namakani are now the largest of all Alaska Marine Lines vessels – each with a 438-foot overall length and 105 feet of width and a payload of 16,869 tons. "For comparison, our railbarges are 420 feet long and 100 feet wide with a payload of 15…

Greenbrier Marine announced Tuesday it has delivered OSG 204, the first of two new 581-foot, 204,000-barrel-capacity oil and chemical tank barges for Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG). The second barge is schedule to be delivered during the fourth quarter of 2020.The new barge OSG 204 will be operated for dual-mode integrated tug-barge (ITB) service pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard NVIC 2-81, Change 1. The unit is paired with an existing tug within the OSG fleet, the OSG Endurance, and will travel to the Gulf of Mexico to service the Jones Act trade.

There’s a barge full of reasons why many operators turn to ATBs.A  mainstay of the U.S. coastwise dirty and refined products trades, articulated tug barges (ATB) have increasingly filled a void left as the fleet of Jones Act tankers (with crew complement requirements exceeding that of tugs) has aged out. With the cargo capacity of the larger ATBs – some with barges exceeding 300,000 barrels capacity – rivalling that of workhorse tankers that had served oil consuming regions, the concept certainly makes sense from a supply and distribution perspective.With 50…

Crowley Fuels has signed construction contracts to build a 55,000-barrel, articulated tug-barge (ATB) that is specifically designed to serve the Western Alaska market with delivery of clean fuel products.The 410-foot ATB will have enhanced performance features for the demanding river and sea conditions of Western Alaska, an area that depends on safe and reliable marine delivery services during the short open-water season. An ATB consists of a tugboat and barge that are connected from the bow of the tug to a notch in the stern of the barge by a hinged connection system…

The newest articulated barge Gunderson Marine is building for Overseas Shipholding Group will be the first in the world to be dual certified as meeting EPA Tier 3 and IMO III emission standards. The barge is reaching this monumental milestone because of the Volvo Penta engines Gunderson and Pacific Power Group recommended for auxiliary engines that power the cargo pumps and the ship’s service generator sets.The 575-foot-long barge will be flagged as a U.S. vessel and will operate in both U.S. and international waters, which requires the engines meet the stringent emission standards.

Portland, Ore. shipbuilder Gunderson Marine announced today that it has secured an order from Tampa. Fla. based energy transportation firm Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. (OSG) for the construction of a 204,000 barrel capacity tank barge for delivery in the second quarter of 2020. The agreement also includes an option to build a second sister barge which would have a scheduled delivery date during the fourth quarter of 2020.The state-of-the-art 581' oil and chemical tank barge will be constructed to pair with existing tugs within OSG's current fleet for operation as an articulated tug barge (ATB) unit. OSG intends to register the barge under the U.S. Flag with a coastwise endorsement, allowing it to be employed in Jones Act trades.The tank barge for dual mode ITB service pursuant to U.S.

Matson, Inc. said its subsidiary Matson Navigation Company, Inc. has replaced one of its three barges dedicated to serving Hawaii's neighbor island ports with a newer, larger barge that will improve service levels. The container barge Columbia, to be renamed Mauna Loa in honor of the barge it replaces, is now Matson's largest barge. At 360 feet long, with a beam (width) of 100 feet and cargo carrying capacity of 12,600 tons or 500 TEU, it is 12 feet longer and 40 feet wider than the barge it replaces, with the capacity to carry 180 more TEU or nearly 8,000 tons more cargo. Built in 2012 by Gunderson Marine and classified as a Deck Cargo Barge with approximately 33,000 square feet of deck cargo space, the vessel's design enables swifter and more fuel efficient transits.