Americans, vigorous consumers to begin with, are benefiting from a strong economy, and that spells good news for the tugboat industry. The U.S. economy, despite all the hurdles blocking its path, has been growing for several years. Despite dramatically higher oil prices, rising interest rates, and a significant deficit in both federal spending and the balance of trade, economic indicators are generally favorable, reflected by the irrepressible American stock markets. The economy is forecast to grow by 3-4 percent this year, a repeat of last year's performance. All this means that, barring a terrorist attack, a doubling of energy prices, or natural catastrophe far greater than those of recent years, Americans will continue their consuming habits and that means more, or at least larger, arriving container ships and more movement…
Capt. Jeremy Harris took his time making coffee in the galley of Grace McAllister. He cracked jokes and methodically worked through the steps at the espresso machine before finally handing over a well-crafted cup. “Is your coffee to your liking?” Capt. Harris asked. It was, rivaling many of the high-end baristas dotted throughout nearby New York City. Three decades earlier, Jeremy’s uncle was throwing coffee cups from the wheelhouse while barking orders at his nephew, then a young deckhand trying to watch and learn. “They yelled at you. That’s just how it was,” Jeremy said. “They told you to find something to do, or they’d find something for you that you’d ‘like a lot less.’” From hard-edged beginnings to hawsepiping his way to the wheelhouse of a modern tractor tug,…
“We’ve got some whales to look out for today,” said Capt. Chuck Elles, a veteran captain in the San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet. “A whale-watching vessel out of Pier 39 called one in just south of Point Blunt,” he said, referring to the southeastern-most point of Angel Island. “We don’t want to hit any whales so we watch out for the spouts,” Capt. Elles said. It was clear that he was just as excited at the prospect of seeing a whale as anyone. It was late June 2024 and a spectacular — if typical — summer day in the Bay Area with bright, cloudless sunshine in Mare Island and Vallejo, where the nearly brand-new, 138-foot, 320-passenger SF Bay Ferry Karl is based. A crisp wind whipped up short chop on…
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 from ports around the United States and consider policy and regulatory changes. In an interview with Professional Mariner, Arguin acknowledged the Dali incident in Baltimore that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge spurred the formal inquiry process. “Ships have gotten a lot bigger, but has the infrastructure associated with handling those ships and the channels originally designed for ships built in the 70s and 80s been able to keep…
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 phased in now, mandate that most workboats in California transition to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 or Tier 4 engine standards. For most, this would require a retrofit with a DPF. The devices remove much of soot-like exhaust that emits from diesel engines. Citing fire risks, DPFs “have a terrible track record when we’ve seen those devices used in trucks,” Peter Schrappen, vice president of the Pacific Coast…
The Great Lakes freighter Mark W. Barker has returned to service after running aground in the Detroit River while carrying a load of salt. The 639-foot self-unloading bulk carrier went soft aground at about 0735 on May 17, 2023, near Belle Isle in Detroit. Its operator, Interlake Steamship Co., said the U.S.-flagged ship experienced a loss of power and maneuverability. “The vessel turned to port unexpectedly and the captain dropped the anchor before the bow grounded on the soft bank of the channel,” according to Interlake Steamship, which is based in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The incident involving Mark W. Barker happened less than a month after another Interlake ship went aground. Kaye E. Barker became stuck near Muskegon, Mich., in late April in an area of heavy shoaling. The 8,000-hp…
Compact and powerful, Eva works where others can’t The goal was challenging: Design, build and deliver a tugboat equipped with the latest propulsion that is powerful and yet smaneuverable enough to take on the most challenging tasks with the added capability of operating in narrow, shallow draft harbor slips. That goal was more than met with the delivery of the 4,426-hp, low-emissions, z-drive tug Eva with a relatively small size — 85-by-38.5-feet — that belies its capabilities and features. Owned by Suderman & Young Towing, the vessel is the first of the company’s new trio of RApport 2600-class of tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, and built at Master Boat Builders shipyard in Coden, Ala. The new Eva, operated by G&H Towing Co., is the second…
The U.S. Coast Guard has alerted ship operators of plans to “phase down” the use of FM-200, a fire suppressant common in extinguishers and overhead sprinkler systems that lets loose a gush of greenhouse gas emissions. FM-200 is still allowed on vessels and there are no plans to prohibit it in the future, Pock Y. Utiskul, a fire protection engineer for the Coast Guard’s Office of Design and Engineering Standards, told Professional Mariner. Rather, the Coast Guard wants the shipping industry to understand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reducing the amount of FM-200, a hydrofluorocarbon also known as HFC-227ea, produced in and imported in the U.S. — meaning it will be harder to procure it in the future. “At this point, there is no cutoff time,” Utiskul said.…
(BOSTON) – Sea Machines Robotics’ SM300 autonomy system aboard the Foss Maritime tugboat Rachael Allen has achieved a key milestone. The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) verified the design of the Foss harbor tug outfitted with the system. This follows the established process of new technology qualification, document evaluation in accordance with ABS Rules and Guides, and a successful product review. Rachael Allen will first leverage the Sea Machines’ autonomy system for routine transit and stand-by operations, and then trial remote piloting from a shore-based command center. The SM300 transit autonomy and stationkeeping are provided by interfacing with the Kongsberg-MTU propulsion system controls. Sea Machines has previously earned full approval from ABS for its SM200 commercial wireless helm for installation aboard a class of U.S.-flag tugboats that support articulated tug-barge…
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