The nation’s ferries have received a major financial boost as the Biden Administration has set aside $384.4 million in grants to modernize ferry services. As part of the $350 billion bipartisan infrastructure law passed last fall, the Federal Transit Administration awarded 23 grants across 11 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, reduce emissions and expand service in rural areas. Funds…
As the cruise industry recovers from the COVID pandemic travelers are exploring parts of the world that a relative few people have ever seen, serious safety concerns are being raised after a recent revelation that that four U.S. citizens had died on Antarctic cruises over the course of two weeks. On February 2, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National…
There’s a strong wind blowing as the rush to develop offshore wind energy has reached almost hurricane force with both the U.S. private and public sectors racing to advance the technology at a fever pitch. The U.S. currently has two operating offshore wind energy projects – the Block Island wind farm, four miles off the coast of Rhode Island with…
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together form the largest port complex in the Western Hemisphere and rank as the Nos. 1 and 2 busiest container ports in the U.S. Every day, their combined operations release approximately 100 tons of pollutants into the air with both megaports, since 2006, energetically implementing programs to improve the region’s air quality…
Capt. Mike Minard steered Enhydra toward the west side of Alcatraz Island and eased back on the throttles. Right on cue, the hybrid propulsion system switched from diesel engines to battery power. It’s hard to say if the passengers noticed as they snapped photos of “The Rock” off the starboard side. Engine noise went from a low rumble to a…
The towboat veered to starboard toward the south side of the channel then abruptly came to port, nearly blocking the Intracoastal Waterway near Morgan City, La., with its six-barge tow. Although the pilot helming the 1,700-hp Miss Mollye D. ultimately righted the tow, it didn’t stay that way for long. Less than 15 minutes later it veered to port and…
Authorities are investigating a fire that damaged a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier while it was tied up at a grain terminal near Portland, Oregon. The 623-foot Breeze was docked at the Temco Grain loading dock on the east side of the Willamette River to take on 38,000 metric tons of wheat bound for delivery to South American when the fire started…
Authorities have recovered the body of a deck hand who went missing from the tugboat Smith Invader in early February. Thomas Phillips, 35, of Dulac, La., was last seen aboard the 5,000-hp tug at about 2200 on Feb. 5 while it was underway in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Ryan Dickinson said. Crewmembers reported Phillips missing…
More than 60 barges broke free on the Lower Mississippi River after two towboats collided near Angola, La. The Ingram Barge Co. towboat Carol McManus was upbound pushing 42 barges when it collided with the downbound Florida Marine Transporters towboat Big D, which had 19 barges in tow. The incident happened on January 9, 2023, at about 0200 near mile…
Jalma Topic was upbound on the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans when its rudder became stuck on the port side. Multiple attempts to regain control were unsuccessful, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA) pilot conning the 623-foot bulker took steps to warn personnel aboard a nearby barge as a…