Professional Mariner – December 2023

Kirby Marine’s new eco-friendly Green Diamond

M/V Green Diamond, the first plug-in diesel hybrid electric towboat in the U.S. is now in service. Built by San Jac Marine for Kirby Inland Marine at the company’s shipyard in Channelview, Tx., the new “eco-tug” vessel was constructed with “a focus on efficient operations and reduced maintenance through extended service intervals by leveraging the inherent benefits of a diesel-electric…

Baltic Workboats to deliver vessel to NY customer

Estonia-based Baltic Workboats is building a 56-foot, ice-capable vessel for a customer on an island in the U.S. Northeast that will operate the craft in a workboat capacity. Delivery of the boat is expected in early summer of 2024. “The customer has to come and go from the island in all sorts of weather conditions and they came to the…

San Francisco pilot boat enters service

The San Francisco Bar Pilots has deployed Golden Gate, a new 73-foot boat designed by UK-based Camarc Design and built by Snow and Company of Seattle, Wa. With a refined Camarc aluminum mono hull, the Golden Gate features an extended waterline length that improves seakeeping and efficiency, reduces vertical acceleration and fuel consumption by 10 percent, and a curved forefoot…

Eagle LNG Partners acquires LNG carrier

Woodlands, Tx.- headquartered Eagle LNG Partners LLC has taken delivery of its first LNG carrier, Anthony Veder’s Coral Favia. Eagle LNG says the vessel has a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters of liquified natural gas and is the first in a planned fleet of vessels that will offer LNG supply and bunkering services in the Caribbean basin. The arrival of the 450-foot, 10,105…

University of Hawaii receives new research cat

Washington state-based All American Marine has delivered a new research vessel, Imua, to the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The catamaran was designed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. Ordered from All American in October 2022, the boat was built at All American’s shipyard on Bellingham Bay.…

Glosten’s new oceangoing tug design

Naval architecture and design firm Glosten has unwrapped a new tug design – the CT-120, a tug specially built for long-distance and emergency deep-sea towing and moderate-duty anchor handling. At 120’× 39’× 23’, with over 6,800 horsepower and 95 short tons of bollard pull, the tug is suited for heavy ocean tows, including large deck cargo barges approaching 20,000 deadweight…

Shippers lash out at new California CARB rules

The shipping industry is speaking out against a new rule from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that would expand exhaust standards and necessitate the installation of diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on many ferries and tugboats in operation in the state with leaders calling the plan dangerous and unfeasible. The CARB regulations, which were adopted last year and are being…

MARAD security programs reach full enrollment

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Tanker Security Program (TSP) have reached full enrollment with the addition of three new ships. The two government programs provide the Department of Defense “with access to a fleet of U.S.-flagged sustainment sealift vessels and product tankers during times of armed conflict or national emergency,” the agency said. Under…

St. Louis regional ports back new Port NOLA’s terminal

St. Louis regional ports and the St. Louis Regional Freightway have thrown their support behind the efforts of the Port of New Orleans to strengthen the flow of inland river cargo with the development of a new container terminal project on the Gulf Coast. According to Port NOLA, the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) “will benefit not only residents and businesses…

Jacobsen Pilot Service: Blending old-school values and new technologies

On Dec.26, 2015, the containership CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, bound for a berth at the Port of Long Beach, sailed into a placid San Pedro Bay on its maiden arrival. A cursory glance at the event would evoke minimal interest, seeing as countless ships have called at the Southern California port since it handled its first vessel more than 100…