brownwater - Professional Mariner

19 Jan

Army Corps details $2.2 billion in new spending on inland waterways

Maritime Newsbrownwater, towing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — On Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its spending plans outlining the specific inland waterways projects that were allocated funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Specifically, the spending plans will fund the following inland navigation construction projects at $2.22 billion: • Kentucky Lock (Tennessee River): $465.49 million (funded to completion) • Montgomery Lock (Ohio…

18 Jan

Chesapeake to build fleet of 12 catamarans for American Cruise Lines

Maritime Newsbrownwater, shipbuilding

(GUILFORD, Conn.) — American Cruise Lines has revealed details of Project Blue, a new fleet of go-anywhere ships for the U.S. market. The company announced plans for 12 identical sister ships that will more than double the nation’s current capacity for domestic coastal cruises. Featuring an innovative hybrid catamaran design, these boats will have unprecedented near-shore operating versatility, according to…

11 Jan

Main Iron Works delivers z-drive Capt. Joseph Bisso

Tugboats & Towingbrownwater, shipbuilding

(HOUMA, La.) — Main Iron Works has delivered another azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tugboat to Bisso Towboat Co. The 6,008-hp Capt. Joseph Bisso is the company’s fifth new delivery in the past seven years. It was built to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter M rules, and already received its certificate of inspection. The 100-by-38-foot tugboat is driven by twin Caterpillar 3516E…

06 Jan

Coast Guard, NTSB investigating barge impact that closed Louisiana bridge

Casualty Newsbrownwater

(NEW ORLEANS) — The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating a barge allision with the Bayou Ramos Bridge near Morgan City and Amelia, La., on Highway 182. On Dec. 23, at approximately 3:26 a.m., a towing vessel pushing six barges was traveling southeast along the Avoca Island Cutoff waterway when one of the lead barges…

22 Dec

Bayou payday: Dredges dig in to bring Lower Mississippi to 50 feet

Brownwater, Uncategorizedbrownwater, dredging, Gulf of Mexico, Head of Passes, Mississippi River, Port of Baton Rouge, ship channel

A long-awaited project to deepen the Lower Mississippi River ship channel to 50 feet from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, La., is now underway. It will eventually allow larger ships to call at ports and refineries farther upriver than is currently possible, reducing shipping costs for exporters. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it will take four…