Texas – Barge Hits Well Head
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur has responded to a report of a tug and barge that struck an inactive production well-head in Sabine Lake during the early hours of Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008.
American Officials Address Piracy
On Nov. 19, 2008, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell today defended the military effort to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden and called on commercial ships to…
New Orleans –IHNC Update
The US Coast Guard issued a Marine Safety Bulletin stating that the safety zone in the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) in New Orleans has been lifted. (11/19/08). (Source: Holland & Knight)
Safety Alert - Watertight Doors
The US Coast Guard issued an alert reminding owners, operators, and masters of the importance of properly maintaining and closing watertight doors. The condition…
California – NMS Regs
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a final rule amending regulations applicable to the Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay, and Cordell…
DOT – Drug and Alcohol Testing
The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final rule amending (again) its regulations pertaining to urine specimen collections as part of the drug and alcohol testing procedures.
Lockport Launches Tug for LA Carriers
Lockport Fabrication has splashed another of their classic gulf-style tugs into the Bayou this month. The 82 by 29-foot model bow tug joins LA Carriers, LLC of Cut Off, Louisiana. The new vessel joins the Bayou LaFourche-based firm founded by Mr. Russell Plaisance in 1986. The firm has achieved success towing general cargos as well as serving the oil industry. With a molded depth of 10 feet and a draft of only eight feet, the tug delivers a total of 1,980 HP.
Anchor / QEA Merge
Anchor Environmental, L.L.C. (Anchor) of Seattle, Washington, and Quantitative Environmental Analysis, L.L.C. (QEA) of Montvale, New Jersey, have announced that…
New Navy Contracts
The General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (GDAIS), Pittsfield, Mass., is being awarded a $52,253,352 modification (#P00013) under previously awarded contract…
Laborde Powers Smith Maritime
Smith Maritime was contracted by a Nigerian company to deliver a 200' lift boat for oil field maintenance. Smith Maritime selected the 5,000 hp tug Rhea and 400' barge Atlanta Bridge for the voyage. The barge was equipped with pumps to allow for controlled sinking and recovery in order to float the lift boat on and off. But they ran into a hitch. Shortly before departing, Smith Maritime discovered the African port was unable to furnish power for the pumps.
U.S.-Flag Cargo Movement on Lakes Slows
The U.S.-Flag Great Lakes fleet hauled 11.1 million net tons of cargo in October, a slight decrease from both a year ago and the month’s 5-year average. The downturn…
Aegean Appoints New Director
Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (NYSE:ANW) announced that it has named George J. Konomos to its Board of Directors. With the appointment of Mr. Konomos, who will serve…
UK MCA Detains Ship in Liverpool
On Friday 14th November the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) detained a vessel in Liverpool. The Panamian flag 41,016 GT bulk carrier Pistis had berthed in Liverpool to discharge a cargo of grain and was boarded by surveyors from the MCAs Liverpool Marine Office, who arrived to conduct an overriding priority Inspection following information received from the UK Border Agency. The inspection of…
Drunk Master Sentenced to Jail
In the UK’s Snaresbrook Crown Court on Nov. 19, Captain Gonchar Volodymyr aged 53, was sentenced to two months in jail, and will be deported upon completion of the sentence after pleading guilty to being the Master of a ship whilst being over the alcohol limit. On the 4th November 2008, Gonchar Volodymyr, a Ukrainian, was Master of the Cypriot registered chemical tanker; Elousa Trikoukiotisa bound for London from Rostock in Northern Germany.
Strategic Marine - Floating Dry Dock
Strategic Marine has successfully launched the base of the floating dry dock it has on order from the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) on schedule from its Vietnamese shipyard. The dock’s 4,400 tonne base was launched flawlessly from the company’s facility at Dong Xuyen Industrial Zone at Ba-Riang Vung Tau at 4pm on Tuesday, November 18. The 99m long and 53m wide base was then lifted aboard a Dockside…
Keppel – 4 Contracts Worth $222.5m
Keppel Offshore & Marine has secured $222.5m dollars worth of contracts through its subsidiaries for the conversion of a floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO), the construction of an internal turret, the refurbishment and outfitting of a semi-submersible multi-service vessel as well as the fabrication, installation and integration of topside process modules for a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).
Shipping Confidence Down
The latest Shipping Confidence Survey by Moore Stephens has revealed a significant drop in overall confidence levels in the market, and an increased expectation that rates in the tanker…
Station Grand Isle Tests the SPC-SW
Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Grand Isle take the unit's newest asset, the Special Purpose Craft - Shallow Water (SPC-SW) for a test trial after receiving the vessel Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008.
This Day in Naval History – Nov. 20
1918 - U.S. battleships witness surrender of German High Seas fleet at Rosyth, Firth of Forth, Scotland, to U.S. and British fleets. (Source: Navy News Service)
Royal Caribbean's Freedom-Class Ship
Royal Caribbean International's newest Freedom-class ship, Independence of the Seas, made her US debut on Nov 19 at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. Sharing the title of world's largest cruise ship with her sister-ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, Independence will be the line's first Freedom-class ship to sail from Port Everglades. At 160,000 GRT and a capacity of 3,634 guests…
