Industry News – Page 8 – Professional Mariner

Incat to design renewable diesel Catalina ferry

An Australian-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm specializing in aluminum catamarans has entered a partnership with a Southern California ferry operator to conceive of a renewable diesel-powered ferry as part of the Port of Los Angeles’ ambitious emissions reduction project. Global digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther has been commissioned by Catalina Express ferry service to design a 160-foot, low-emissions passenger…

SCA honors 14 shipyards with annual safety awards

The national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry announced its annual member safety awards for the 2024 calendar year, recognizing 14 shipyards for their achievements in safety. The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) recognized shipyards from Ketchikan, Alaska, to Jacksonville, Fla., for “setting the benchmark for prioritizing the industry’s greatest asset — its people — while strengthening…

FMT delivers Mitsubishi-powered towboat to Maritime Partners

One of the largest providers of maritime assets, vessel leasing solutions and construction financing across the inland river system, Gulf Coast and beyond has added a new towboat to its inland portfolio. In early June, Maritime Partners, a private maritime finance and asset leasing firm specializing in U.S.-flag/kind-of-Jones-Act vessels, added M/V Joan Pluck to the company’s bareboat charter and vessel…

Jack Tanner Towing adds Serodino-built towboat

An Illinois-based towing company and a Tennessee shipyard have teamed up to launch a powerful new tug. Jack Tanner Towing Co. recently took delivery of the 60-foot, 1,368-hp Super Tiger workboat Miss Hazel, adding a new asset to its fleet. Built by Serodino Inc. in Chattanooga, Tenn., the vessel is powered by twin Mitsubishi S6R engines, each delivering 684 horsepower…

Austal USA launches first steel ship at Mobile yard

An Alabama-based shipyard launched its first steel ship in June and the first of three in a series, and one of several dozen navy ships the yard has produced in its history. Austal USA launched USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11) on June 14, marking the first steel product to come off the company’s automated steel panel line. The new…

Mariner Exam Modernization Act aims to streamline credentialing process. Should celestial navigation still be a part of the exam?

In May, legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives that aims to simplify the credentialing process for merchant mariners. The act has been well received among maritime advocacy groups. For years, the onerous, costly, and often baffling MMC process has fueled lengthy rants on online maritime forums. Several working mariners have also told Professional Mariner they’d prefer tests that…

Robert Allan and Schottel partner on 500th tug

A prolific Canadian naval architect and a German propulsion manufacturer recently achieved a production milestone on a breakthrough vessel. Robert Allan Ltd. and Schottel have partnered on their 500th tugboat. That vessel — a Robert Allan RAsalvor 4400-DFM design equipped with Schottel RudderPropellers (SRP) and SYDRIVE-M — is one of a pair of dual-fuel methanol escort tugs purpose-built for KOTUG…

New SOLAS regs mandate fixed firefighting equipment on ro-ro vessels

Starting in January 2026, fire detectors and water-based fire monitors will be required on the weather decks of roll-on roll-off and ropax vessels under new International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations. “The decision follows an increasing number of serious fire incidents involving vehicle cargo, including several high-profile incidents involving electric vehicles (EVs), that have exposed…

Donny Mudgett the first of a new fleet of vessels for Hines Furlong Line

A Midwest inland barge company marked the beginning of its newbuild program with the recent delivery of a 2,400-horsepower towboat. The 78-foot-long-by-34-foot-wide towboat Donny Mudgett is the first of 11 new vessels in Hines Furlong Lines’ newbuild program. Built at Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, La., Donny Mudgett is powered by three Mitsubishi Tier 3 S6R2-Y3MPTAW engines, each delivering 803…

IMO says satellite jamming is a ‘grave concern’ to shipping

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently joined two workers’ unions to express their “grave concern” over the interference and jamming of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) operating in the frequency bands allocated to the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS). The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made a joint statement with the IMO to raise…