brownwater – Professional Mariner

23 Sep

AWO welcomes three new members to national group

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO) recently announced that the organization has welcomed three new members: • Host Towing LLC – Host operates in the Lower Mississippi River. It is composed of ship agents and marine terminal owners and operators. • Howden US Specialty LLC – Howden US Specialty was started in August to further the building of…

19 Aug

Port NOLA cargo volumes continue to climb in 2025

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, Ports, shipping

(NEW ORLEANS) — The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) has announced continued growth in cargo volumes and trade activity through the first half of 2025, thanks to rising container imports and improved schedule reliability that’s helping shippers gain confidence and plan more efficiently. Through the first six months of this year, Port NOLA’s overall container volumes are up 2…

07 Aug

New inland cutters designated ‘Chief Petty Officer class’

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, Ports, shipbuilding, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that its new fleet of waterways commerce cutters (WCCs) will be designated as the "Chief Petty Officer class." Each cutter will be named in honor of a Coast Guard chief petty officer, recognizing the profound impact and legacy of these leaders within the service. These cutters will replace the Coast Guard’s aging…

07 Aug

Pilot-assist AI system installed on Southern Devall towboat

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, Navigation, technology

(SULPHUR, La.) — Mythos AI, a pioneer in maritime autonomy and situational awareness systems, has completed the first installation of its Advanced Pilot Assist System (APAS) on a Southern Devall tow vessel. This milestone marks the first deployment of this type of technology on the Mississippi River, signaling a transformative step in American inland shipping. The Mississippi River and its…

04 Aug

Pilot overcompensated for cross-current before Iowa bridge strike

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — Anticipating a strong cross-current that never materialized, an experienced tow pilot deviated from the sailing line on the Mississippi River and struck components of the Fort Madison Bridge near Fort Madison, Iowa, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. The towing vessel Joe B. Wyatt was pushing 13 loaded hopper barges and two empty tank barges downriver…

27 Jul

AWO launches new initiative on preventing falls overboard

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, safety

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national association of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry, has released its Falls Overboard Prevention Report, a comprehensive, data-driven study analyzing falls overboard in the industry and strategies for prevention. Developed with insights from AWO member companies and case data, the report identifies common causal factors for falls overboard; offers…

17 Jul

Tow pilot was distracted by cellphone before hitting moored barges

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — A tow pilot’s distraction caused by personal cellphone use resulted in the tow striking moored barges last year on the Lower Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. The towing vessel William B. Klunk was pushing 22 loaded hopper barges on April 17, 2024, when the tow struck moored barges at a fleeting area near…

14 Jul

MarAd adds 848 miles to U.S. Marine Highway Program

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, MarAd, Ports, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The Maritime Administration (MarAd) has designated 848 new miles of navigable waterways and approved 14 new sponsors for the U.S. Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The network, which now covers 27,139 miles across 35 designated routes, supports U.S. supply chains, critical infrastructure, and maritime workforce development. A key highlight of this expansion is the strengthening of the M-90 route, which…

30 Jun

Lack of funding idles Lower Mississippi management study

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently announced that the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study project team has suspended work due to a lack of funding in the fiscal year 2025 work plan. The five-year study kicked off last year and was directed by Congress to identify actionable recommendations for the management of the Lower Mississippi River…

25 Jun

Towboat captain did not identify charted hazard before grounding

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — A towing vessel grounded on a submerged jetty last year after the captain maneuvered too close to a bank of the Ohio River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. The tow vessel Tom Frazier was pushing 15 empty hopper barges near Portsmouth, Ohio, on Feb. 10, 2024, when the vessel grounded, damaging its hull plating, framing…