Tugboats and towing – Professional Mariner

08 Jan

Bulker freed two weeks after grounding in St. Lawrence River

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, shipping, Tugboats and towing

(SOREL-TRACY, Quebec) — A Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier that had been stuck in the St. Lawrence River northeast of Montreal since Christmas Eve was refloated on Tuesday, CBC News reported. The Canadian Coast Guard said M/V Maccoa was being escorted by tugboats to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. The Coast Guard announced earlier in the day that a second attempt to refloat the ship…

03 Jan

Safety alert: Failure of pilothouse alerter systems

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsSafety alert, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — A towing vessel was pushing a barge loaded with aggregate when it struck a bulk liquid transfer terminal pier on the Columbia River. The U.S. Coast Guard’s marine casualty investigation determined that the operator fell asleep at the helm, resulting in more than $1.5 million in property damage to the barge, handling equipment and the facility. The incident…

02 Jan

Towboat sinks, five rescued after collision with bulker on Lower Mississippi

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

(NEW ORLEANS) — The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating a collision between a bulk carrier and a towboat Sunday night that resulted in five mariners being rescued from the Mississippi River near Luling, La., NOLA.com reported. The towboat, the 87-foot Patrick J. Studdert, sank after the collision with the bulker Clara B., according to Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class…

22 Nov

Parted wire forces crew to release barges, causing dock strike

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — On January 29, about 1230 local time, the towing vessel Nell Womack was pushing hopper barges ACL23401 and ACBL2549 upbound on the Lower Mississippi River when one of two facing wires connecting the towing vessel to barge ACL23401 parted. When it became unsafe for the towing vessel to remain attached by one facing wire, the crew released the…

21 Nov

NTSB: Mate misjudged approach to unlit pier before allision

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty Newsbrownwater, NTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — On July 8, 2023, at 2326, the towing vessel Danny Terral was pushing six loaded barges on the Calcasieu River in Louisiana when the starboard lead barge contacted a pier while docking at the Port of Lake Charles. Damage to the pier was estimated to be about $1 million. The tow remained intact, and there was no reported…

20 Nov

Shaver names new VP of sales for ship assist division

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry NewsTugboats and towing

(PORTLAND, Ore.) — Peter Karneus, vice president of sales for the ship assist division at Shaver Transportation, is retiring effective January 2025. He will be succeeded by Bo McCall. For 27 years, Karneus has been instrumental in ship assist sales, including building a new sales team, growing customer relationships, and navigating the changes in the tug and barge industry in…

19 Nov

ACBL appoints former Rand exec Peter Coxon as CEO

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsbrownwater, Tugboats and towing

(JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind.) — Peter Coxon has been appointed as chief executive officer of American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL), effective immediately. This marks a significant step in ACBL’s journey toward realizing its vision of being the trusted leader in marine transportation. Over the past few years, ACBL has made important progress in a challenging market, laying the groundwork for future growth…

14 Nov

ACBL christens most powerful towboat on Mississippi River

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, shipbuilding, Tugboats and towing

(NEW ORLEANS) — American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) christened its latest vessel, ACBL Mariner, during an evening ceremony Wednesday in New Orleans. Delivering 11,000 horsepower, it the most powerful towboat ever built for Mississippi River operations. The 200-by-50-foot towboat has the capability to push up to 64 barges, equivalent to over 75,000 tons of cargo. A tow of this size…

13 Nov

Cortland launches AeroLock synthetic connector

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry NewsTugboats and towing

(ANACORTES, Wash.) — Cortland International has announced the official launch of its AeroLock synthetic connector. After rigorous testing, including extensive in-field evaluations with industry leaders from the towing and freight sectors, AeroLock represents a significant advancement in connector technology. AeroLock has the ability to eliminate common risks associated with traditional steel shackles and knotted synthetic connectors, making it a game-changer…

06 Nov

Lessons learned: Coast Guard publishes new findings of concern

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, safety, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard publishes "findings of concern" to alert stakeholders about safety risks discovered during incident investigations. These findings do not require action but rather are intended to encourage voluntary safety measures or adherence to existing regulations. Unlike urgent safety alerts that require immediate industry attention, findings of concern serve as lessons that should be applied in…