Professional Mariner – March 2025

SS United States was set to be moved, then came another delay

After decades of neglect, years of debate and months of setbacks, it looked as though SS United States would finally depart from its long-term but increasingly unwelcome stay in Philadelphia. The plan had been to tow the 990-foot ship to Alabama, then to Florida, where it’s destined to be sunk to create an artificial reef. But a vacillating itinerary has…

Report says China’s ‘targeted shipbuilding dominance’ hurts American interests

Shortly before inauguration day, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released a report stating that China’s targeted dominance in maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors was “unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and is therefore ‘actionable.’” The USTR said the U.S. should impose sanctions on China for violations of existing trade agreements that burden and restrict American commerce. The…

Navigating the Hudson with an abundance of data

New York’s waterways combines navigation data with scientific observations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have collaborated to create the Hudson River Estuary Physical Oceanographic Real-time System (PORTS). NOAA’s web products will deliver “real-time oceanographic and meteorological observations that can improve maritime safety and inform coastal resource management in the region,” NOAA…

All American to build hybrid passenger vessel for L.A. operator

Bellingham, Wash.-based All American Marine (AAM) has been contracted to design and construct a 108-foot, 350-passenger hybrid vessel for use in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. Harbor Breeze Cruises will use the new hybrid vessel for harbor tours, whale watch cruises and dinner events. “This new demonstration project will highlight the latest technological and commercially available systems in the maritime industry,” AAM said in…

Derecktor launches hybrid ferries for Savannah public transit

Derecktor Shipyards recently launched two purpose-built hybrid-electric passenger ferries for the Chatham Area Transit (CAT) to serve commuters in Savannah, Ga. The 65-foot, 149-passenger Juliette Gordon Low II and Susie King Taylor II will operate on short, continuous routes between three key landings in Savannah: City Hall Landing, Trade Center Landing and Waving Girl Landing. The two new vessels, or “Belles,” brings the Savannah Belles Ferry…

Shaver’s new ASD tug scheduled for delivery later this year

Portland, Ore.-based Shaver Transportation, the oldest family-owned and operated tugboat and barge company on the West Coast, announced a new vessel to their current 17-tug fleet serving the Pacific Northwest. Diversified Marine, in partnership with Gunderson Marine & Iron, is building Shaver’s Heather S, a 79-by-40-foot azimuth stern drive (ASD), 7,000-horsepower, Robert Allan-designed tug. The new vessel is due for…

Last year worst on record for seafarer abandonment

A recent report from a global transport union said that cases of seafarer abandonment increased by 87% between 2023 and ‘24. The vast majority of incidents occurred on flag-of-convenience vessels and smaller shipping companies and did not typically affect U.S. mariners, though the abandonment trend exposes blind spots and broader failures in international maritime law. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)…

Fourth NSMV launched for Texas A&M Maritime Academy

The next ship in a series of new national security multi-mission vessels (NSMVs) destined for American maritime academies was launched at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Penn., in late January. Training vessel Lone Star State will be operated by Texas A&M Maritime Academy and is slated for delivery late this year. Lone Star State is the fourth of five NSMVs ordered by the U.S. Maritime Administration…

As political winds shift, offshore wind’s future is uncertain

Within the flurry of executive orders President Donald Trump signed on his first day back in office was a halt to new leases for offshore wind projects in federal waters. The order does not directly impact the 14 already leased and in some stage of construction or development, though it does call for the Department of the Interior to conduct…

Crowley crew rescues four people from stricken sailboat off Dominican Republic

The Crowley cargo ship El Coqui was 100 miles north of the Dominican Republic en route to Jacksonville, Fla., when it received the distress signal on a recent January morning. Nearby, four recreational sailors were in trouble. Capt. Kurt Breitfeller and his crew attempted to hail the 41-foot sailboat Mariposa, whose emergency position indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB, signaled at about 0821 local…