Professional Mariner – American Ship Review 2023

The State of Shipbuilding

Rising costs and labor challenges pose new obstacles for American shipyards At this point two years ago, it was the Covid-19 pandemic that brought unprecedented changes to how American shipyards operated. Last year, it was supply chain issues and an early glimpse at fast-rising inflation that has since taken hold more broadly around the United States. Now, the situation…

2023 Ship of the Year: Mark W. Barker

Interlake Steamship builds flexibility into first US laker in 40 years The Interlake Steamship Co. has been moving freight on the Great Lakes for generations. Its newest ship, Mark W. Barker, will build on that tradition for years to come. The 639-by-78-foot Mark W. Barker is the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes freighter built in almost 40 years, and it’s…

SEA CHANGE

Sea Change charts course toward zero-emission propulsion The world’s first hydrogen-powered ferry could soon enter service in San Francisco, offering a new path for operators looking to eliminate vessel emissions altogether. All American Marine completed the 75-foot Sea Change for Switch Maritime earlier this year at its Bellingham, Wash., shipyard. Incat Crowther designed the 75-passenger aluminum catamaran developed with numerous…

EDDIE SOMERS

Maryland agency updates proven buoy tender platform for the modern era For the past 50 years, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has used the World War II-era buoy tender J. Millard Tawes to mark waterways and occasionally break ice along the state’s Eastern Shore. Eddie Somers arrived in Crisfield, Md., this spring to replace that historic workhorse. Blount Boats built…

SINGING RIVER ISLAND

Sturdy launch keeps Pascagoula pilots all-weather ready Capt. Walter Gautier stood on the aft deck of the new pilot launch Singing River Island in Pascagoula, Miss., as a 30-knot wind blew from the south. “When it’s a sea like this,” Gautier said, gesturing toward the Gulf of Mexico, “this is the boat you want.” The 55-foot Singing River Island…

DORADO

Speedy and nimble, Dorado does it all for the S.F. Bay Ferry fleet Capt. Ryan Boatright backed Dorado away the Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco and spun the bow to the east. Within a moment or two, he had accelerated to 36 knots. “It’s like the Ferrari of ferries,” Boatright said as the vessel crossed San Francisco Bay toward…

CAPT. RICHARD G. SPEAR

Maine State Ferry begins fleet replacement program The Maine State Ferry Service has begun an ambitious fleet modernization program that will add up to four new vehicle ferries in less than a decade. Capt. Richard G. Spear is the first to enter service. Washburn & Doughty of East Boothbay, Maine, delivered the 154-by-38-foot double-ended steel ferry earlier this year using…

SKANA

High-speed Skana whisks travelers toward Alaska’s wildlife and pristine glaciers Glaciers move slowly, but Skana moves fast. Equipped with an advanced adjustable hydrofoil, the 87-foot aluminum catamaran tour boat cruises at around 28 knots, excellent for whisking tourists from its home base in Seward, Alaska, and into an icy world of wildlife and glaciers. Designed by Teknicraft of Auckland, New…

MADISON LYNNE

Westar Marine adds speed and capacity with first-ever newbuild Westar Marine Services has been a fixture on the San Francisco waterfront for more than 40 years. Madison Lynne, a new versatile launch boat that entered service over the summer, is the company’s first ever newbuild. Moose Boats of nearby Vallejo, Calif., delivered the 75-foot crew boat using an Incat Crowther…

COURAGEOUS

Courageous solidifies Seastreak’s fleet as more commuters return to the office The East 35th Street ferry terminal in Midtown Manhattan can be a busy place during the morning rush hour as fast ferries loaded with commuters come and go every few minutes. Amid this hive of activity, the 600-passenger Seastreak Courageous stood out on the horizon as it sailed up the…