Tampa Bay News

Hurricane Milton closed in on Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, spawning tornados and lashing the region with rain and wind hours ahead of its expected landfall near Tampa Bay, where it could deliver a life-threatening surge of seawater to communities along the waterfront.Millions of people along a stretch of more than 300 miles (483 km) of coastline were under evacuation orders, just two weeks after Hurricane Helene cut a swath of devastation. Authorities issued increasingly dire warnings on Wednesday as landfall…

- An expanding Hurricane Milton churned toward Florida's battered Gulf Coast on Tuesday, where more than 1 million people were ordered to evacuate a day before the monster storm is forecast to slam the Tampa Bay area.Milton, which exploded on Monday into one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record, was forecast to make landfall late on Wednesday, threatening a stretch of Florida's densely populated west coast that is still reeling from the devastating Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.A direct hit on the bay would be the first since 1921, when the now-sprawling Tampa-St.

U.S. shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) has set out to design a new vessel that will transport liquified carbon dioxide (LCO2).In April, the Tampa, Fla.-based company was awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for engineering and design work in support of the project. The award will be used to develop the design of an articulated tug and barge unit (ATB) to be used to transport CO2 captured by emitters in the Greater Tampa Bay region and across…

The collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge has highlighted what engineers say is an urgent need to better protect the piers holding up spans over shipping channels as the size of cargo ships has grown in recent decades.Federal authorities continue an investigation into why a massive cargo ship lost power and crashed into a pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, bringing down the structure and killing six workers who had been filling potholes atop it.The Maryland Transportation Authority did not respond to questions about what…

Marine Towing of Tampa announced it is expanding its ship assist services to Florida's east coast following a deal with E.N. Bisso & Son to acquire towing assets formerly owned by SEACOR Holdings' Seabulk arm.In September 2023, SEACOR divested its U.S. harbor towing operations, selling to Bisso 12 tugs across ports in Florida and Alabama.Under a recently executed asset purchase agreement with Bisso, Marine Towing of Tampa acquired the Port Canaveral operations and assets from the SEACOR-Bisso deal and will operate them in Canaveral under a newly formed affiliate…

The Tampa Bay pilot association has taken delivery of Tampa, a newly refitted Chesapeake Class pilot boat built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in 2003, when the Somerset, Mass. shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots also took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. “After 19 years of hard work, the vessel was showing some wear and tear but she still had a lot of life left so it was definitely worth re-investing in…

Trade group the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) elected a new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sean Strawbridge of the Port of Corpus Christi, last week during its 111th Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, Fla. Outgoing Chairman Mario Cordero of the Port of Long Beach made the formal announcement during his address to members and attendees.AAPA President and CEO Chris Connor remarked on the transition, "Our work at AAPA is bolstered by the leadership and input of our chairperson and board of directors.

The Tampa Bay pilot association has returned its first Chesapeake Class pilot boat to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding. Tampa was built in 2003 when the shipyard introduced the class of mid-size, high-speed launches. In 2015, the Tampa pilots took delivery of the shipyard’s first Chesapeake Class MKII, which incorporates the performance benefits of Volvo Penta’s IPS 2 pod system. With more than 50,000 operating hours, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat will be repowered and undergo repairs after a thorough inspection by the shipyard’s quality control department.

The United States' largest dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Wednesday announced the receipt of $107 million in new contract awards along the U.S. East Coast.The awarded dredging work includes: Norfolk Harbor Navigation Improvements Project (Capital, Virginia, $56.8 million), Charleston Lower Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, South Carolina, $15.4 million), Tampa Harbor Maintenance Dredging 45-Foot Project (Maintenance, Florida, $13 million)…

A man reportedly suffering from hallucinations was medevaced from a U.S. Navy supply vessel off the West Florida coast on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report around 3 a.m. Friday from the Navy offshore supply ship NAWC-38 stating a 33-year-old male on board was reportedly having hallucinations and needed further medical care, approximately 200 miles west of Tampa Bay, Fla.The Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless crew was diverted to assist…

The captain and crew of a Hong Kong-flagged containership came to the rescue of a sailboat crew in distress on Sunday amid severe weather and waves during storm Sally, in the Gulf of Mexico, some 130 nautical miles west of Port Tampa Bay, Fla.The COSCO SHIPPING Lines containership COSCO Malaysia was en route from Mobile, Ala. to Port Tampa Bay when it received a distress call from the sailboat Yes Dear at 8:22 a.m. local time and immediately carried out rescue operations under instruction from local U.S.

Maritime navigational safety near two U.S. Navy installations in Kings Bay, Ga., and Portsmouth, N.H. has been improved thanks to new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems, also known as PORTS, installed by NOAA and the U.S. Navy. They are the first new PORTS in two years, and the 34th and 35th in the nationwide network.The system near Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the East Coast home to America’s Ohio-class submarines, is an integrated series of sensors which will provide critical real-time information on oceanographic and meteorological conditions.

Gothenberg, Sweden based Humphree was founded in 2002 by a team of engineers that sought to leverage their expertise in high-speed marine propulsion – or more specifically, hydrodynamics, electronics and digital controls – to create vessel stabilization packages that would be easy to install and use. And thus, Humphree’s interceptors were created.The compact and robust transom-mounted units feature an adjustable blade that activates vertically into the water stream beneath the hull to create a lift force.

Florida's largest port,  Port Tampa Bay has marking a major milestone and partnership with CMA CGM as Port customers, local officials, and business leaders gather to celebrate the inaugural call of the CMA CGM DALILA at The Ports America Terminal.CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, begin their weekly direct ocean carrier service between Asia and Port Tampa Bay today. CMA CGM's excellent transit times will significantly improve the competitiveness of the region's importers and exporters, transforming Tampa Bay's economic landscape.With a capacity of 8,500 to 9,500 TEUs (container units) per vessel, these are also the largest container ships ever to call at the Port.

Vane Brothers Company is committed to the safe handling and delivery of petroleum and chemical products. John Deere PowerTech marine engines will always be there, when they do.Vane Brothers Company’s white tugboats, distinguished by their large blue “V,” are a familiar sight while pushing barges on the Baltimore waterfront. Founded in 1898 as a quaint ships’ chandlery, Vane Brothers has become a large American marine services firm and a major transporter of oil, asphalt, and other liquid products along the Eastern Seaboard.The company teams 45 robust…

Florida's largest port Port Tampa Bay welcome the announcement by the CMA CGM Group, that it will begin serving Port Tampa Bay in late May 2019 on its Pacific Express 3, or PEX3 service.With a presence in 160 countries and a fleet of 506 vessels, CMA CGM serves over 420 ports across the globe and is a member of the Ocean Alliance. The PEX3 port service rotation will be as follows: Singapore – Vung Tau – Hong Kong – Shekou – Ningbo – Shanghai - Busan – Panama Canal - Houston – Mobile – New Orleans – Tampa – Miami – Singapore."We are delighted with this announcement by CMA CGM," said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay President and CEO. "This is a further testament to the growth of the US Gulf market and the significance of the Tampa Bay/I-4 Corridor region…

The Ferry’s second season this year presents permanent possibilities.The Cross Bay Ferry from Tampa’s Florida Aquarium dock to the dock at the North Yacht Basin in St. Petersburg, Florida is off to a rollicking start, with 3,000 more passengers in it’s debut month of November 2018 than its strongest month during the 2016/2017 test period, and with continued support from Tampa Bay area leadership.“We are very encouraged by the numbers we are seeing so far,” St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said.

Service begins Nov. 1 with new dock at Florida Aquarium and Sparkman Wharf. Six-month season has lower ticket prices and more amenities. The hugely popular Cross-Bay Ferry service is returning to Tampa Bay in just a few weeks, with service starting Thursday, November 1 and six months of scheduled service through April 2019.This season, the ferry will have a new schedule, later evening runs and lower ticket prices: $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-18, and discounts for seniors, active/retired military and college students. In St.

The National Hurricane Center has announced a Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Cuban province of Pinar del Rio. A Hurricane Watch is also in effect for the Alabama-Florida border to Suwannee River Florida.A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Suwannee River to Anna Maria Island Florida, including Tampa Bay and for the Alabama-Florida border to the Mississippi-Alabama borderAt 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Michael was located near latitude 20.9 North, longitude 85.1 West. Michael is moving toward the north near 7 mph (11 km/h).

Initial reports show that the towing industry is adjusting well to the new normal on inland rivers. In fact, it is business as usual for most.July 20, 2018 was a critical date for tow boat operators. That was the deadline for all U.S.-flag towing vessels – over 26 feet, or less if used to assist with transport of oil or hazardous materials – to be in compliance with Subchapter M, the U.S. Coast Guard’s towing vessel safety regulations. It’s been a long time coming. As a regulatory program…

Emerging spill response trends fit into two big categories: technology and a combination of economic and social forces. Both will shape what comes next.Florida’s stunning Tampa Bay stands out as exactly the kind of place where you have to think about hazardous materials emergencies. It was 25 years ago, on August 10, 1993, that a freighter collided with two barges near the entrance of Tampa Bay, causing a fire and spilling over 32,000 gallons of jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline and about 330,000 gallons of heavy fuel, devastating beaches, wildlife and habitat.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued its very first certificate of inspection (COI) under the Subchapter M requirements, which set new rules for the inspection, standards and safety policies of towing vessels.The COI issued to Marine Towing of Tampa's 90-foot tug Endeavor was signed Wednesday by Capt. Holly Najarian, commander of Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., and was presented Thursday morning at the company’s corporate office in Tampa, Fla.The 4,200-horsepower Endeavor, built in 2000 in Lockport…

Hendry Marine Industries, Inc. (HMI) (along with its affiliated companies Gulf Marine Repair Corporation, Universal Environmental Solutions, LLC, and Anchor Sandblasting and Coatings, LLC) offers a broad range of maritime services in Port Tampa Bay, including commercial and government ship repair, steel fabrication, gas-freeing, tank cleaning, slop services, lead and asbestos abatement, brokered waste and blasting and coating. The Hendry family entered the maritime business in 1926 when Captain F.M. Hendry started a construction aggregate business and then later a dredging business.