Professional Mariner – June/July 2024

Start of rainy season improves conditions within Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Authority has increased the maximum authorized draft of ships transiting through the canal system to 45 feet as water levels rise within Gatun Lake. The maximum draft for neo-Panamax ships transiting the canal is 50 feet, but draft restrictions have been in place since last summer after reduced rainfall lowered water levels in the Gatun Lake reservoir,…

All American delivers high-speed tour boat to Alaska operator

Phillips Cruises and Tours of Anchorage, Alaska, has taken delivery of an 84.5-foot high-speed catamaran from All American Marine that will carry tourists into scenic Prince William Sound. The aluminum-hulled Chugach Express was designed by naval architect Nic de Waal of Teknicraft, which is based in Auckland, New Zealand. The design features a dynamic hydrofoil and symmetrical and asymmetrical combined…

Tanker engineers admit to discharging oily waste off NJ

Two engineers who worked on the Greek-flagged tanker Kriti Ruby pleaded guilty in federal court to discharging oily wastewater into the sea near a Sewaren, N.J., oil terminal and then trying to cover it up. Konstantinos Atsalis, 57, the ship’s chief engineer, pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, prosecutors said. Sonny Bosito,…

ECO Edison christened as first US SOV

The first American-made service operations vessel (SOV) will soon enter service for Edison Chouest Offshore, signaling a major milestone for the U.S. maritime industry’s increasing involvement in offshore wind. Edison Chouest shipyards across the Gulf of Mexico helped build the 262-foot ECO Edison, which will serve as a floating “home base” for up to 60 offshore wind technicians tasked with…

Cruise ship arrives in New York with whale attached to bow

Federal authorities are trying to determine how an endangered Sei whale ended up impaled by a cruise ship that reached New York City with the dead mammal still attached to its bow. The 44-foot mature female whale was found attached to the bow of MSC Meraviglia as it arrived in the Port of Brooklyn on May 4. The deceased whale…

ACBL awards contract for 11,000-hp towboat

American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has awarded a contract to C&C Marine and Repair to build a new 11,000-hp towboat capable of moving 56 barges loaded with up to 75,000 tons of cargo. ACBL, based in Jeffersonville, Ind,, selected CT Marine of Portland, Maine, to design the twin-screw vessel, which will measure 198 feet by 50 feet. The pilothouse will…

AWO elects first female board chair

Members of the American Waterways Operators (AWO) have selected Kelly Teichman as their first board chairwoman. Teichman, executive chairwoman of T&T Marine of Galveston, Texas, is the first woman to serve as board chair for the towing industry trade group. She now leads the AWO board comprised of dozens of towing industry leaders from across the United States. Teichman, who…

ULA orders new US-flagged ship to carry Vulcan rockets

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has reached agreement with Bollinger Shipyards and Bristol Harbor Group for the design and construction of a roll-on/roll-off ship that will carry cutting-edge Vulcan rockets. Bollinger plans to build the 356-foot SpaceShip at its Amelia, La., shipyard. Bristol Harbor Group of Bristol, R.I., will design the vessel and oversee construction. Upon delivery in early 2026, the…

Coast Guard launches rare Board of Inquiry to study port safety

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a formal inquiry to study how larger ships and increased congestion pose risks to critical infrastructure such as bridges, cargo terminals and power plants. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Wayne Arguin, the assistant commandant for prevention policy, will lead the Ports and Waterways Safety Board of Inquiry. He expects the body will gather best practices…

Ransomware attacks pose costly threat to US maritime community

The U.S. Coast Guard is raising the alarm about ransomware attacks in the maritime industry as vessel operators increasingly rely on digital tools and interconnected devices across vast and sophisticated networks. “A lot of times there’s that soft underbelly waiting for an attack,” Lt. Benjamin Greene of the U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command told Professional Mariner. According to Cyber Command’s…