Professional Mariner Staff – Professional Mariner

17 Jul

Tow pilot was distracted by cellphone before hitting moored barges

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — A tow pilot’s distraction caused by personal cellphone use resulted in the tow striking moored barges last year on the Lower Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. The towing vessel William B. Klunk was pushing 22 loaded hopper barges on April 17, 2024, when the tow struck moored barges at a fleeting area near…

17 Jul

Delta pilots tap Gladding’s Venice class for two newbuilds

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — Delta Launch Services, a launch company operating on the Mississippi River, has ordered two of a new class of pilot boats from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. The Venice class launches follow a long history of six larger pilot boats built for the Delta Launch Services by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard. Delivery is scheduled for 2027. The custom…

17 Jul

June cargo down in Long Beach as port navigates tariffs

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPorts, shipping

(LONG BEACH, Calif.) — Cargo moving through the Port of Long Beach slowed in June, but a pause on tariffs could drive a rebound for trade in July. Dockworkers and terminal operators processed 704,403 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in June, down 16.4 percent from the same month last year. Imports declined 16.9 percent to 348,681 TEUs and exports dropped 10.9…

15 Jul

Vigor, Saronic partner to advance autonomous vessels

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsAutonomous vessels, shipbuilding

(VANCOUVER, Wash.) — Saronic Technologies and Vigor Marine Group have announced a strategic partnership focused on rapidly advancing the delivery of autonomous maritime capabilities and strengthening operational support for defense and commercial customers. This partnership brings together two maritime innovators with complementary capabilities, whose combined expertise can help support U.S. government and commercial customers in a rapidly changing environment. Vigor…

15 Jul

Metal Shark delivers next-generation fireboat to Tampa

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsFireboats, shipbuilding

(JEANERETTE, La.) — Metal Shark has announced the delivery of a new 40-by-12-foot welded aluminum monohull pilothouse fireboat to Tampa Fire Rescue. Designed in-house by Metal Shark and built at the company’s Jeanerette, La., production facility, the new vessel is the first of two next-generation 38 Defiant NXT fireboats being built for the department. Powered by triple 300-hp Yamaha outboards…

14 Jul

American christens first vessel in new Patriot class

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding

(GUILFORD, Conn.) —American Cruise Lines christened American Patriot in Newport, R.I., to celebrate Independence Day, simultaneously marking the countdown to the country’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. American Patriot is the first ship in the company’s new Patriot class – a fleet of 130-passenger vessels designed for exclusively cruising the United States. Patriot-class sister ships American Pioneer, American Maverick…

14 Jul

Safety alert: Lithium-ion battery system installations

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsSafety alert, U.S. Coast Guard

14 Jul

Crowley’s newest LNG boxship begins Caribbean service

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding, shipping

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — Crowley’s newest LNG-powered containership began its inaugural service Thursday, adding more options for timely ocean cargo transport around the U.S., Caribbean and Central America. Like its sister ships in the Avance class, Tiscapa features container capacity for 1,400 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), including 300 refrigerated units. This ship was specifically designed to quickly and frequently deliver cargo…

14 Jul

MarAd adds 848 miles to U.S. Marine Highway Program

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, MarAd, Ports, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The Maritime Administration (MarAd) has designated 848 new miles of navigable waterways and approved 14 new sponsors for the U.S. Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The network, which now covers 27,139 miles across 35 designated routes, supports U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure, and maritime workforce development. A key highlight of this expansion is the strengthening of the M-90 route, which…

14 Jul

U.S. cancels contract for two OPCs from Eastern

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding

(WASHINGTON) — Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday announced the partial termination of Eastern Shipbuilding Group's offshore patrol cutter (OPC) contract, cutting two vessels from the shipyard due to construction delays and cost concerns. “This administration is unwavering in its commitment to the American taxpayer and to a strong, ready Coast Guard,” said a senior DHS…