brownwater – Professional Mariner

22 May

Eastern delivers second hopper dredge to Weeks Marine

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, shipbuilding

(PANAMA CITY, Fla.) – Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) on Monday announced the delivery of R.B. Weeks (ESG Hull 258) a 8,550-cubic-yard capacity trailing suction hopper dredge constructed for Weeks Marine. “It’s our pleasure to once again deliver a quality vessel on time and on budget to our valued customers at Weeks Marine Inc.,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding…

15 May

Pushboat crew rescues two boaters near Brazos Locks

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(HOUSTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard and a pushboat crew rescued two boaters whose vessel capsized near Freeport, Texas, on Friday. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watch standers received a report at 1:10 p.m. via VHF-FM Channel 16 that two men were in the water near the west gate of the Brazos Locks on the Brazos River after their 16-to-20-foot pleasure…

12 May

AWO elects Vane Brothers’ Iuliucci as new chairman

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The members of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national tugboat, towboat and barge industry association, elected a new slate of leaders this week during the association's Spring Convention and Annual Membership Meeting. Rick Iuliucci, vice president, The Vane Brothers Company, was elected chairman; Kelly Teichman, chairman of the board, T&T Marine, was elected vice chairman; and…

25 Apr

Silver Ships delivers survey boat for Tenn-Tom service

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, shipbuilding

(MOBILE, Ala.) — Silver Ships has delivered a custom-built Explorer 26 designed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Mobile District. The 26-foot marine surveying vessel, Miss Agnes, will conduct hydrographic survey analyses along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The Explorer 26 workboat is powered by twin 200-hp Mercury SeaPro outboards and includes a double jack plate which simultaneously controls both…

10 Apr

Coast Guard urges caution during Pascagoula dredging

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, dredging

(PASCAGOULA, Miss.) — The U.S. Coast Guard is advising mariners to exercise caution while transiting the Pascagoula River in Pascagoula, Miss., due to Army Corps of Engineers dredging operations. The vessel E. Stroud is currently conducting dredging operations just north of the U.S. Highway 90 Bridge on the Pascagoula River. The dredging pipe is marked and illuminated at night, and…

10 Apr

Associated Terminals opts for all-Caterpillar lineup for fleet

Rich MillerIndustry Newsbrownwater

(CONVENT, La.) — Grain. Sugar. Minerals. Fertilizer. Steel. Name a product or raw material than comes into the United States, and chances are good that Associated Terminals has moved it. The stevedore and terminal operator, based in Convent, La., handles 25 million to 30 million tons of material on the Lower Mississippi River each year. That requires a big fleet.…

07 Apr

Safety alert: Improper use of onboard heating cables

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, Safety alert, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard recently investigated a fire on board an inspected towing vessel that resulted in the vessel suffering a loss of propulsion. The source of the fire was determined to be heat cables (also referred to as heat tracing cable or heat tape), which were improperly installed to prevent condensate from forming and freezing within hoses…

29 Mar

10 barges break free on Ohio River; three pinned at dam

Rich MillerCasualty Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Emergency teams worked to secure 10 barges that broke loose from a towboat Tuesday on the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky., including a barge carrying 1,400 metric tons of methanol that is partially submerged, NPR reported. "There is currently zero evidence of a tank breach or any leaks, and air and water monitoring resources are in place,"…

27 Mar

NTSB: Incorrect estimate of crane height led to bridge strike

Rich MillerCasualty Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — An incorrect estimate of a crane’s boom height led to contact with the Houma Twin Span Bridge last year in Houma, La., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. On March 6, 2022, the towing vessel Robert Cenac was transiting the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, pushing the crane barge Mr. Dawg and another deck barge. While attempting to…

15 Mar

Laborde repowers Campbell Transportation with Mitsubishi diesels

Rich MillerIndustry Newsbrownwater, propulsion, Tugboats and towing

(NEW ORLEANS) — Campbell Transportation, one of the largest marine transportation companies in the United States, has completed a major repower, moving away from the 850-horsepower Cummins KTA38 and toward the 850-hp Mitsubishi S12A2 marine diesel engine, provided by Laborde Products. “We have had great success with the Mitsubishi engines and are excited to add a few more to our…