brownwater – Page 6 – Professional Mariner

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…

14 Mar

ACBL orders 11,000-hp towboat from C&C Marine

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater, shipbuilding

(JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind.) — American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has announced a contract with C&C Marine and Repair of Belle Chasse, La., to build an 11,000-horsepower towboat. “We are investing in our future by building on the strength of our industry-leading mainline operations. The addition of this new towboat is an example of our continuous efforts to modernize ACBL’s fleet and…

01 Mar

AWO honors heroism of tug and towboat crews with new award

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater, safety

(HOUSTON) — At its Winter Safety Meeting on Wednesday, the American Waterways Operators (AWO) announced the inaugural recipients of the new American Waterways Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award. The award documents and recognizes rescues undertaken by AWO member company employees who demonstrate selflessness, skill and bravery. Qualifying events for the award include, among others: rescuing commercial or…

01 Mar

Marine Highway Program offering $12 million in grants

Rich MillerMaritime Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) – The U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) has announced a notice of funding opportunity making $12.42 million available in fiscal year 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP), previously named America’s Marine Highway Program. “America’s waterways serve as critical links in our nation’s supply chains,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments in our marine highways will…

28 Feb

Towboat pilot never reported hitting Louisiana bridge, NTSB says

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

(WASHINGTON) — A Louisiana barge tow struck and damaged a bridge in 2021 but the towboat’s pilot never reported the incident to authorities, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. In the early morning hours of Dec. 23, 2021, the towboat Miss Mollye D was pushing six hopper barges on the Intracoastal Waterway to New Orleans when the pilot…

16 Feb

AWO applauds passage of Jones Act resolution in Washington state

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater, shipping

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO) commended the Washington state Senate on recent passage of Senate Resolution 8611, recognizing the importance of the Jones Act to the state. The Jones Act – named for its original author, then-U.S. senator for Washington state Wesley Jones – is the federal law requiring that vessels transporting cargo between two U.S. ports…