brownwater – Page 2 – Professional Mariner

03 Feb

Study aims to boost cargo between Great Lakes, inland rivers

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Ports

(WASHINGTON) — The American Great Lakes Ports Association (AGLPA), including members Ports of Indiana, the Illinois International Port District (IIPD) and Port Milwaukee, in partnership with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. (GLS), will begin a comprehensive market analysis aimed at expanding cargo movement between the Great Lakes and inland waterways system. Together, the Great Lakes and inland…

26 Jan

Laborde provides Mitsubishi power for Blessey’s first Tier 4 towboat

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsbrownwater, propulsion, Tugboats and towing

(CHANNELVIEW, Texas) — Capt. Daniel Armstrong, a new-construction 2,600-horsepower towboat and the first Tier 4 vessel in the Blessey Marine Services fleet, has entered service powered by a Mitsubishi S12R marine engine supplied and supported by Laborde Products. The vessel was christened on Jan. 14 at Web Fleet in Channelview. Capt. Daniel Armstrong, built by Vessel Repair of Port Arthur,…

22 Jan

Terral River Service repowers towboat with Mitsubishi Tier 3 engines

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsbrownwater, propulsion, Towboats and towing

(LAKE PROVIDENCE, La.) — Terral River Service has completed a major repower on the towboat Johnny M., upgrading from Caterpillar 3508 Tier 2 engines to Mitsubishi S12R Tier 3 engines rated at 1,260 horsepower at 1,600 rpm. The project reflects Terral’s ongoing commitment to reliable performance, lower emissions and fleetwide efficiency supported by its continued collaboration with Laborde Products. “The…

15 Jan

Tow breaks apart after barge takes on water, rapidly sinks

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — On March 16, 2024, about 0008 local time, the towing vessel Chad Pregracke was transiting southbound on the Lower Mississippi River pushing 34 loaded barges near mile 260.6, about 5 miles east of New Roads, La. The barge PTC 706 at the head of the tow rapidly sank, causing the tow to break apart. Five barges in the…

15 Jan

Study details costly delays on inland waterway projects

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — The Waterways Council Inc. (WCI) has released a study on U.S. inland waterway capital projects – locks and dams – that examines why costs escalate, timelines for completion continue to slip, and economic benefits to the nation from projects’ execution are consistently delayed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission is responsible for constructing the nation’s…

14 Jan

NTSB cites compromised hatch in sinking of Lower Miss. towboat

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

(WASHINGTON) — On June 12, 2024, about 1530 local time, the towing vessel Cajole was upbound on the Lower Mississippi River near Waggaman, La., when the vessel began flooding. The two crewmembers aboard attempted to pump out the vessel but were unsuccessful. They tied off to a nearby barge and evacuated to a good Samaritan vessel. Cajole later sank. There…

13 Jan

C&C Marine delivers first of four towboats to Canal Barge Company

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, shipbuilding

(BELLE CHASSE, La.) — C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the towboat Al Sloss to Canal Barge Company, completing the first vessel in a four-boat newbuild series currently under construction for the New Orleans-based operator. The 2,600-horsepower, 87-by-34-foot towboat was designed by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering team and constructed on an accelerated schedule, with delivery completed in approximately…

23 Dec

NTSB: Unlit barges, reduced visibility led to Lower Miss. allision

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — On Dec. 10, 2023, about 0139 local time, a tow guided by the towboat William E Strait was pushed in to the bank on the Lower Mississippi River near Norco, La., when the towing vessel Steel Skipper, which was reconfiguring the tow, pushed it astern. William E Strait contacted two moored barges upstream at the Shell Norco Refinery…

17 Dec

New study highlights importance of inland waterways jobs

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, Jobs

(WASHINGTON) — The National Waterways Foundation (NWF) has commissioned and released a study conducted by the Center for Ports and Waterways, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, titled "Evaluating Employment by Inland Waterways Operators." Supply chain disruptions since the COVID-19 pandemic intensified focus on transportation workforce availability and employment conditions. This study examines employment characteristics of the inland waterways industry, comparing it…

11 Nov

Maritime Partners pushboat repowered with Mitsubishi engines

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsbrownwater, propulsion, Tugboats and towing

(HARVEY, La.) — Maritime Partners has repowered the pushboat John Austin, replacing Cummins QSK38 engines (1,300 hp at 1,800 rpm) with Mitsubishi S12R-Y3 engines rated at 1,260 hp at 1,600 rpm. After 28,000 hours on the previous platform, the decision to repower was driven by the need for reliability, reduced downtime, and a smarter long-term investment. “At 28,000 hours, it…