22 Oct

Mariner groups pressing for changes to Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
Capt. Wolfgang Schroder was released in February after spending four months in jail following his conviction under the Seaman's Manslaughter Statute. (Courtesy Jonas Lyborg)   Galvanized by the jailing of Capt. Wolfgang Schroder, U.S. maritime organizations are initiating a lobbying effort to change the Seaman's Manslaughter Statute.The Council of American Master Mariners Inc. and the Seamen's Church Institute began contacting…
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12 Oct

American Salvage Association elects new leaders

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(WASHINGTON, DC –- October 12, 2007) The American Salvage Association (ASA) has announced the election of John A. Witte, Jr. as its president for the 2007-2009 term. Witte, who also acts as executive vice president of Donjon Marine Co., will succeed George Wittich, president of the association since 2005 and vice president of American Marine Corp.   Mauricio Garrido is…
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11 Oct

Capt. Ashemeyer announces retirement after 45 years in industry

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(SAN PEDRO, CA -- October 11, 2007) After 45 years in the maritime industry, Captain Manny Aschemeyer has announced that he will retire as executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California. On March 31st, 2008, at the age of 67, he will be succeeded by Capt. Dick McKenna, currently deputy executive director of MX-SoCal. Aschemeyer and McKenna worked closely…
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11 Oct

U.S. ports support reducing emissions from ships

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(NORFOLK, VA -- October 10, 2007) The members of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) are putting their support behind new, tougher standards for air emissions from both foreign and domestic ships. Representing 160 public port authorities in North and Central America, the AAPA decided on the emissions-limiting agenda at a meeting in Virginia last week.The AAPA is modeling the…
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08 Oct

Two ships being built by Aker Philadelphia to be used as shuttle tankers

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(PHILADELPHIA, PA -- October 8, 2007) Two vessels owned by Aker American Shipping (AAS), a builder of commercial ships, will be the first shuttle tankers operating in compliance with the U.S. Jones Act. The 46,000-dwt Veteran Class tankers will be used at the Chinook and Cascade fields in the Gulf of Mexico.AAS is collaborating with Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), a major…
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03 Oct

Crowley to build larger, faster ATBs

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(JACKSONVILLE, FL -- September 27, 2007) Crowley Maritime Corporation has signed a contract to build three articulated tug-barge (ATB), 330,000-barrel tank vessels, the largest in the company's history and the fastest in their class. VT Halter Marine will construct the 750-class barges in its shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss.  Dakota Creek will build the 45,000 deadweight ton, 600-foot tugs in its Anacortes, Wash.,…
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03 Oct

Crowley introduces bigger, faster ships in Caribbean islands service

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(JACKSONVILLE, FL -- September 28, 2007) Crowley Maritime Corporation is adding two new containerships, Eclips and Ocean, to its Carribbean island services. The vessels are bigger (offering about 200 more TEUs of capacity) and faster (by about 2 knots) than the ships they are replacing, Sea Gale and Sea Cloud. Crowley expects the 18.5 knots speed to result in even better transit times,…
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27 Sep

ACL to acquire Elliott Bay Design Group

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(JEFFERSONVILLE, IN -- September 27, 2007) American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL) has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), a naval architecture and marine engineering firm with offices in Seattle and New Orleans.   With approximately 2,750 employees, ACL will incorporate about 60 architects, engineers, designers, and support personnel from EBDG into its team.…
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