Professional Mariner Staff – Professional Mariner

15 Jan

Tow breaks apart after barge takes on water, rapidly sinks

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — On March 16, 2024, about 0008 local time, the towing vessel Chad Pregracke was transiting southbound on the Lower Mississippi River pushing 34 loaded barges near mile 260.6, about 5 miles east of New Roads, La. The barge PTC 706 at the head of the tow rapidly sank, causing the tow to break apart. Five barges in the…

15 Jan

Study details costly delays on inland waterway projects

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — The Waterways Council Inc. (WCI) has released a study on U.S. inland waterway capital projects – locks and dams – that examines why costs escalate, timelines for completion continue to slip, and economic benefits to the nation from projects’ execution are consistently delayed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission is responsible for constructing the nation’s…

14 Jan

Limestone trade down 5.9 percent last year on Great Lakes

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Ports, shipping

(CLEVELAND) — Limestone shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 26.6 million tons in 2025, a decrease of 5.9 percent compared to the previous year. Loadings in 2025 were below the trade’s five-year average by 6.7 percent. Shipments from U.S. quarries decreased 5 percent from 2024 to 21.7 million tons. Loadings from U.S. quarries were also 5 percent below their five-year…

14 Jan

NTSB cites compromised hatch in sinking of Lower Miss. towboat

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — On June 12, 2024, about 1530 local time, the towing vessel Cajole was upbound on the Lower Mississippi River near Waggaman, La., when the vessel began flooding. The two crewmembers aboard attempted to pump out the vessel but were unsuccessful. They tied off to a nearby barge and evacuated to a good Samaritan vessel. Cajole later sank. There…

13 Jan

Birdon to build small response boat prototype for Coast Guard

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsshipbuilding, U.S. Coast Guard

(DENVER) — Birdon America has been awarded a firm fixed-price contract to build a response boat-small (RB-S) demonstrator for the U.S. Coast Guard. The program is a critical initiative by the service to evaluate advanced capabilities for key missions such as search and rescue; ports, waterways and coastal security; drug interdiction, and migrant interdiction. Birdon’s design was selected for its…

13 Jan

C&C Marine delivers first of four towboats to Canal Barge Company

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, shipbuilding

(BELLE CHASSE, La.) — C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the towboat Al Sloss to Canal Barge Company, completing the first vessel in a four-boat newbuild series currently under construction for the New Orleans-based operator. The 2,600-horsepower, 87-by-34-foot towboat was designed by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering team and constructed on an accelerated schedule, with delivery completed in approximately…

12 Jan

IMO details raft of new shipping rules in force from Jan. 1

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIMO, Licensing and training, Regulation, shipping

(LONDON) — A set of amendments to key International Maritime Organization (IMO) treaties and codes entered into force on Jan. 1. They include the following: Preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and sexual assault Amendments to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) aim to prevent and respond to violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual…

12 Jan

Great Lakes iron ore trade down 12.8 percent in 2025

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Ports, shipping

(CLEVELAND) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.2 million tons in December, a decrease of 8.8 percent compared to 2024. Shipments were also below the five-year average for the month by 7.6 percent. The year-end total for the iron ore trade decreased by 12.8 percent to 43.4 million tons. Iron ore loadings for 2025 were down…

10 Jan

Coast Guard releases report on fatal ship fire at Port Newark

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsPorts, U.S. Coast Guard

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis recently released a report of investigation (ROI) regarding the fire on the Italian-flagged cargo vessel Grande Costa D'Avorio and subsequent fatalities of two Newark Fire Department firefighters. The vessel was conducting cargo operations at Berth 18 at Port Newark, N.J., on July 5, 2023, at the time…

09 Jan

Saronic, Hornbeck partnering on autonomous OSVs

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsAI, Autonomous vessels, shipbuilding, technology

(AUSTIN, Texas) — Saronic has announced a strategic partnership with Hornbeck Offshore Services, a leading provider of technologically advanced, high-specification offshore service vessels (OSVs) serving the energy and defense industries, to accelerate innovation and deployment of autonomous platforms, advanced software, and maritime solutions to those markets. As part of the agreement, Saronic and Hornbeck intend to pursue commercial solutions to…