01 Aug

Changing winds in Washington could boost maritime investment

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
President Joe Biden has set lofty goals for offshore wind power over the next decade. Achieving them will require rapid growth in the offshore wind industry, which in turn could generate billions of dollars in new investment and thousands of new jobs. “First and foremost, what we all need to understand is that this is a generationally changing opportunity for…
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01 Aug

Bouchard pays crewman fired after cooperating in accident probe

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Bouchard Transportation Co. paid $375,000 to a mariner fired after cooperating with authorities investigating a fatal 2017 explosion. Under an agreement with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the payments came from an insurer representing the company and the three executives, Morton S. Bouchard III, Brendan Bouchard and Kevin Donohue. Bouchard Transportation, based in Long Island, N.Y., did…
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01 Aug

US supports accelerated IMO greenhouse gas goals

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
The United States has signed on to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new goal of achieving zero emissions from international shipping by 2050. John Kerry, the Biden Administration’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, in April announced the U.S. supports aggressively reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the maritime industry. He said the country will work toward eliminating them by 2050, rather…
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01 Aug

Professional Mariner magazine appoints new editor

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Professional Mariner magazine has a new editor at the helm.   Publisher Dave Abrams appointed associate editor Casey Conley to the top editorial post effective June 1. He replaces Rich Miller, who last fall announced his intention to retire. Miller will stay with the magazine in a consulting role.  “I’ve been reading Casey’s articles for years now, and I am confident that his past experience as an investigative reporter and…
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01 Aug

Job well done knows no gender on Maine-based McAllister tug

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Palanca Rio backed away from the terminal on a damp and dreary spring morning in Maine. Capt. Sarah Kaplan, helming the tugboat Andrew McAllister, stretched her line and began pulling aft to swing the tanker’s bow to port. The ship, carrying only ballast after offloading its asphalt cargo over the preceding day, spun more than 90 degrees without difficulty. Within…
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01 Aug

East Coast ports gear up for offshore wind development

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
President Joe Biden wants the United States to generate enough offshore wind energy to power 10 million homes by 2030, and his administration is looking to assist the burgeoning sector.  Specifically, the administration has proposed $3 billion in federal loans, quicker permitting and the establishment of an offshore wind power priority zone off New York and New Jersey. The plan…
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01 Aug

Crescent Towing crews use power and finesse to get the job done in Mobile

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Having the right tool for the job can make all the difference, and that is certainly the case for Crescent Towing’s Mobile, Ala., tugboat crews. The company’s 20 or so full-time mariners primarily run the 92-foot tractor tugs Lisa Cooper and J.K. McLean. The two 5,225-hp tugs entered service a decade ago. “This boat has power and maneuverability,” said Lisa…
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01 Aug

NTSB: SEACOR Power capsized as crew prepared to drop legs

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Facing an unexpectedly strong storm, crew aboard the lift boat SEACOR Power began lowering the vessel’s retractable legs in an effort to ride out the weather. Moments later, the 234-foot vessel rolled over as the helmsman turned into the wind, according to preliminary report on the April 13 capsizing in the Gulf of Mexico. “Before the turn was completed, SEACOR…
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01 Aug

Crewmember hurt when N.J. ferry grounds in East River

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
A high-speed catamaran ferry experienced an unspecified mechanical issue in New York City’s East River before running aground in a Brooklyn inlet. The 150-foot Seastreak Commodore had 118 passengers and seven crew on board when it grounded in Bushwick Inlet in Brooklyn on June 5 at about 1615. One crewmember was taken to a hospital for observation. No passengers were hurt, and no…
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