Articles – Page 19 – Professional Mariner

MV Troy Bernier joins Maritime Partners fleet

Marine equipment lessor Maritime Partners LLC has added the inland towboat M/V Troy Bernier to its inventory of more than 1,600 inland waterways pushboats, towboats and barges. The largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S., the Metairie, La., headquartered firm took possession of the 84-foot vessel, which was built at the C&C Marine & Repair shipyard in Belle Chasse, La., designed by…

Crescent adding Tier 4 tug; cutting diesel emissions on ten tugs

Crescent Towing has begun construction of a new 6,000-hp, Tier 4 z-drive tugboat at Blakeley BoatWorks in Mobile, Al., that will immediately join its Mississippi River ship-assist fleet of tugs, when completed. This new escort towing vessel was designed by Crowley Engineering Services and will be 92 feet long, 38 feet wide and draw 19 feet. The tugboat will…

Gnots Reserve takes delivery of new towboat

M/V Ryan Anthony is now working the Lower Mississippi for Gnots Reserve Inc. The La.-based company took delivery of its newest towboat from Eymard Marine Construction & Repair’s shipyard on the Harvey Canal. The new towboat - named for Ryan Hayes, Gnots Reserve’s port engineer – is the fourth ‘spindle top’ vessel the shipyard has built for the Louisiana-based…

Illinois Ports Get Funding Boost

Every year, in excess of 1.6 billion tons of freight, valued at $2.5 trillion, flows in and out of Illinois, making it one of the top three states in the nation for freight activity. Earlier this year, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced some $200 million in investment funds to energize 22 projects that aim to improve the movement…

Washington State ferries being converted to hybrid-electric

Washington State Ferries has awarded its first shipyard contract to Vigor for the conversion of up to three Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to hybrid-electric power. While converting WSF’s largest ferries to hybrid-electric power, Portland, Or.-headquartered Vigor “will also update aging propulsion system controls and perform other work to extend the life expectancy of these vessels,” the agency said. Following…

Ground broken on Upper Ohio Navigation Project

Setting the stage for updating the Ohio River’s oldest navigation system, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Pittsburgh District has broken ground at the Montgomery Locks and Dam to officially mark the start of a construction of the Upper Ohio Navigation Project. The multi-billion-dollar construction project will replace locks at the Emsworth, Dashields, and Montgomery locks and dams –…

Conrad launches new YRBM; reports construction backlog

Conrad Shipyard, LLC has launched the first in a series of Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) accommodation barges on order for the U.S. Navy. The 151-foot YRBMs are built to provide temporary berthing for as many as 199 mixed gender personnel and messing for 300 personnel whose ships are in port for repairs and maintenance. The barges also…

Port Freeport moves forward with expansion plans

Port Freeport, Tx. has completed a three-year, $146 million project to expand Berth 8 at its Velasco Terminal cargo facility – to date, the single largest project overseen by a public port on the Texas Gulf Coast. The project included demolition of an existing concrete relieving platform, dry excavation, a combi-wall bulkhead installation, and construction of the new wharf…

A backward tow through the Ballard Locks

Capt. Travis Larsen looked over his right shoulder and then his left while backing through the crowded waters of Seattle’s Salmon Bay. For nearly 30 minutes, he had steered astern while guiding the 200-foot refrigerated cargo ship Coastal Progress toward the Hiram M. Chittendon, or Ballard, Locks. Larsen checked his speed and trusted his instincts as the tug…

New allegations regarding cause of Grande Costa d’Avorio fire

State and federal authorities are working to find the cause of the fatal fire aboard a container roll-on/roll-off ship (con-ro) that started during vehicle loading in Newark, N.J. The fire aboard the 692-foot Italy-flagged Grande Costa d’Avorio likely started in the No. 10 deck in the ship’s vehicle garage shortly after 9:00 p.m. on July 5 during vehicle loading.…