Rail Systems News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers.“Our country has always relied on American waterways to get vital goods where they need to go,” said U.S.

The family of Crandall Dry Dock’s late owner P. Brian Duffy is seeking a buyer for the Bourne, Mass. shipyard engineering and services firm.Originally founded in Boston in 1854, Crandall Dry Dock was acquired by Duffy, a former employee, in 1994. The company, which specializes in shipyard rail systems, is known for its engineering and design work as well as the supply of specialized hardware and equipment for use in marine railway systems.“Crandall designed and installed marine railways all over the world…

The Liberian Registry has awarded an Approval in Principle (AIP) to Anemoi Marine Technologies for their Rotor Sail systems.Anemoi’s Rotor Sails are available with three deployment options - fixed to the deck, a folding type, and on rails that can be moved along or across the deck.According to a press statement released Tuesday, the folding and rail systems were validated on a Newcastlemax bulk carrier design from SDARI and issued an AIP by Lloyd’s Register.The Liberian Registry conducted a technical review of the documentation…

U.S. President Joe Biden will visit the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Congress helps the American people by upgrading ports and strengthening supply chains, the White House said on Sunday.Biden on Saturday called the bill a once-in-a-generation investment.

Samskip has announced a major enhancement in its shortsea and multimodal services between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, with the addition of direct connections between Amsterdam and Hull three times a week. The value proposition to customers will also include barge and rail systems connecting the European hinterland to Amsterdam. With effect from mid-March, and departing from Amsterdam on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, the new calls and the port's European hinterland systems augment Samskip's existing Rotterdam-Hull operation and runs alongside shortsea and multimodal services into Tilbury and Grangemouth. Richard Beales…

When you face various deck equipment challenges, making the right lubricant selection can help lower labor costs, extend the life of the equipment, improve safety and more. The key is to identify deck equipment stresses, then apply the optimum lubricant solution. A trained lubricant specialist has the knowledge to relieve problems and significantly lower your total operating costs. That’s because selecting a specialty lubricant that can maximize the performance of a given deck application brings many benefits…

Brazil's Tiete-Parana waterway, a key transport corridor for soybeans, corn, cellulose, fertilizer and other agricultural products, has reopened after a 20-month closure due to drought and the use of water for electricity, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported late Tuesday. On Monday a barge train passed downstream on the Tiete River through the locks at the Nova Avanhandava hydrodam for the first time since 2014, the paper said. The barges will later head to Sao Simao in Brazil's central western state of Goias where they are expected to load soybeans, which will taken for export from the Port of Santos on the Atlantic coast near Sao Paulo.

President Obama is today, expected to sign a five-year, $305 billion transportation reauthorization bill that Congress overwhelmingly passed yesterday which includes $11 billion in new freight funding grants and programs and other top priorities among America’s seaports. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (H.R. 22) is the first long-term transportation bill in 10 years, and the first ever to make freight a priority and significantly focus on port eligibility throughout the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) funding and planning programs. The following is a statement from Kurt Nagle, president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of America’s seaports.

Continuing voracious demand for mined materials in China, India and other developing nations has led to an associated requirement for increased bulk terminal capacity for both export by suppliers and import by users. Whether developing an existing facility or building from scratch it is imperative that any scheme is planned in advance from engineering, commercial and operational perspectives in order to deliver maximum value to the customer. Rajan Narayan, Technical Director at BMT Consultants India, a subsidiary of BMT Group, provides an overview of current themes in the market.

U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced legislation to establish a multimodal freight investment policy to keep America businesses, farmers and shippers competitive the 21st century global economy. The National Multimodal Freight Policy and Investment Act (S.1680) creates a comprehensive, strategic plan for multimodal freight investment and reduces freight bottlenecks and congestion by investing in the nation’s network of highways, railroads, ports and intermodal facilities. It would also reduce the impact of freight movement on communities and help ensure the vitality of important “last-mile” freight connections. The bill is based, in part, upon the recommendations of the nonpartisan U.S.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the recognized and authoritative voice of the seaport industry, yesterday noted some positive aspects but mostly disappointment over the funding levels and programmatic changes in federal port-related programs that were proposed today in President Obama’s fiscal 2016 budget. “International trade now accounts for fully 30 percent of the U.S. economy,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. The President’s budget includes a $478 billion, six-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal, to be paid for with transition revenue from business tax reform. The proposal would pay for repairs to existing roads and bridges…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced a $10.8 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant for the rehabilitation of the Wando Welch Terminal project, one of 72 transportation projects in 46 states and the District of Columbia that will receive a total of approximately $600 million from the Department of Transportation’s discretionary grant program. Maritime Administrator Paul ‘Chip’ Jaenichen visited the Port of Charleston today to tour the project site and meet with port officials.

Approval clears way to create nation’s largest deepwater containerized cargo transfer terminal, enhancing U.S. competitiveness as Panama Canal expands. Transshipment facility off Louisiana coast intended to improve America’s strained shipping infrastructure, streamline international trade flow and create long-term jobs in 32 states. Louisiana State Senator A.G. Crowe’s vision of making America more competitive and capitalizing on the Gulf of Mexico’s deep-water resources has taken…

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading solutions and services provider, has been contracted to supply propulsion packages for 24 new vessels being built for the Singapore based China Navigation Co. Pte. Ltd (CNCo). The ships are being built at the Chengxi and Zhejiang Ouhua shipyards in China, and the contracts were signed with Wärtsilä licensee Hudong Heavy Machinery (HHM) in 2012 and during the first half of this year. All vessels will be fitted with electronically controlled Wärtsilä two-stroke common-rail main engine systems…

In January 2011, the first step taken by Tognum to establish a new global sales organisation came into force. The new organization is designed to improve the service and support provided for the company’s existing customers and above all to acquire new customers worldwide for its broadly diversified product portfolio. Peter Kneipp (53) joined MTU Friedrichshafen in 1989 as a project manager for marine propulsion systems. At an early stage in his career, Peter Kneipp was involved in projects that enabled him to acquire experience in the Asia-Pacific region, where he has worked since 1997 until the end of 2010. He initially spent several years in Singapore, where he was mainly involved in customer service and after sales.

Nearly 800 young men and women are graduating from the seven maritime academies in the United States this year, and many will be working on a vessel almost before the ink on their U.S. Coast Guard license is dry. U.S.-flag vessel operators are clamoring for qualified deck and engine officers, so the class of 2011 will soon be gainfully employed. “We welcome our new shipmates,” said James Henry, President of the Transportation Institute, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Maritime Partnership. “It is no small accomplishment to pass the extensive U.S. Coast Guard exam required for a deck or engine license. There are seven maritime academies in the United States, one each in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas, and two in New York.

Allure of the Seas, the sister ship of Oasis of the Seas, has been handed over to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) by STX Europe's shipyard in Turku, Finland. The 361 meter long ultra modern vessel is powered by six Wärtsilä 46 engines, including three 12-cylinder and three 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 46 engines in V-configuration, and Wärtsilä 7500-horsepower bow thrusters with a combined power output of some 20 MW that make the vessel easy to manoeuvre. Over the decades, Royal Caribbean International has had several of the world's most innovative ships in its fleet…

MarineNews spoke with Mark Knoy, President of AEP River Operations, about his background in the industry, challenges and opportunities in the inland waterways and how technology is impacting operations. How did you come to be involved in the industry? I grew up in the river business with my father and brother. My dad was a river boat Captain and I started as a deckhand, engineer and then pilot. My father and I started a fleeting business on the Illinois River and things took off from there. I came to work at AEP in 1994. What are the obstacles and opportunities in the market right now?

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the release of fiscal year 2010 grant application guidance kits for 13 DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7b—funds for state, local, tribal and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. “These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” said Secretary Napolitano. The grant program guidance kits announced also incorporate the input of DHS’ state…

Secretary LaHood for the Department of Transportation addressed the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council on July 23, 2009. Consistent with America’s Marine Highway Program’s mandates to reduce congestion, conserve energy, and improve the environment, the Secretary charged the Council to better integrate the Marine Transportation System into the surface transportation system. By relocating freight from highways and urban corridors to commercial waterways (where applicable), the same system which provides the transportation of individuals and families in and between cities can provide a more efficient means to move goods to the shelves of retail stores throughout the United States.

On Tuesday, May 5th, at 6:00 pm, the State University of New York Maritime College will salute the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Kirby Inland Marine and Professor Emeritus William Sembler, ’52 at the College’s annual Admiral’s Scholarship Dinner. The event will be held on the college’s waterfront campus in Throgs Neck, New York. ESPN Sailing Analyst and former America’s Cup sailor Gary Jobson will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. ABS is an international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities. ABS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)  Robert D.

The Sulzer RT-flex engines with the new common-rail technology for fuel injection and valve operation are proving to be popular with shipowners resulting in a steady intake of confirmed orders. The most recent newbuildings to be equipped with Sulzer RT-flex engines are four 110,000 tdw Aframax product tankers contracted at Dalian New Shipbuilding Ltd in the People's Republic of China by the Danish owner A/S Dampskibsselskabet Torm. The ships are for delivery between the first quarter 2006 and the second quarter 2007. The tankers will each be propelled by a Sulzer 7RT-flex58T-B low-speed engine of 14,875 kW (20,230 bhp) maximum continuous output at 105 rev/min. The four engines will be built under licence from Wärtsilä Corporation by Dalian Marine Diesel Works in China.

Sulzer RT-flex96C low-speed diesel engines have been ordered by Odense Steel Shipyard A/S in Lindø, Denmark, for installation in four 3700 TEU L-class container ships building there for the Danish group A.P. Møller - Mærsk, Safmarine and Deutsche Afrika Linien. The ships are due for delivery in 2004 and 2005. These are further examples of the most powerful diesel engines so far announced to have electronically-controlled common-rail fuel injection. The first Sulzer RT-flex96C engines were ordered in April 2003. The eight-cylinder engines will each develop 45,760 kW (62,240 bhp) at 102 rev/min. The engines will be built under licence from Wärtsilä Corporation by HSD Engine Co Ltd in Korea.