Tugboats and towing – Page 9 – Professional Mariner

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…

05 Nov

Safety alert: Fuel hose chafing can cause catastrophic fires

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

(WASHINGTON) — A recent fire on an inspected towing vessel has highlighted a critical safety concern involving fuel hoses on main engines. While it is standard marine practice to install protective chafing gear on areas prone to wear, there are currently no statutory requirements for inspected towing vessels to install such protections on fuel lines. Failure to prevent chafing on…

31 Oct

St. Johns signs first new vessel deal with U.S. government

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsbrownwater, shipbuilding, Tugboats and towing

(PALATKA, Fla.) — St. Johns Ship Building has announced an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to construct two 140-foot stop-log barges. The contract is the shipbuilder's first new construction project for the U.S. government. “We are excited to embark on this project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and take pride in contributing to their…

20 Oct

Crew rescued after tug loses steering off Washington coast

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsTugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(SEATTLE) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued five people from the 130-foot commercial tugboat Luther after it lost steering off the coast of La Push, Wash., on Friday afternoon. At 4:10 p.m., the tug lost steering and was beset by weather while towing a concrete barge 10 miles off the coast of La Push and requested assistance from the Coast…

17 Oct

St. Johns Ship Building gets two-barge order from Mobro

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding, Tugboats and towing

(PALATKA, Fla.) — St. Johns Ship Building, a Jones Act facility owned by Americraft Marine, has signed a contract with Mobro Marine to construct two 80-foot spud barges. The collaboration marks another milestone for the shipbuilder as it continues to expand its portfolio of vessels. The 80-by-54-by-12-foot barges, built to support various marine construction and operations, will serve in Mobro…

08 Oct

Deck hand asleep at helm led to Columbia River dock strike

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, Tugboats and towing

(WASHINGTON) — A deck hand at the helm of a towing vessel had fallen asleep before the tow struck a dock near Clatskanie, Ore., last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. The deck hand of the towing vessel Cindy B was experiencing the effects of fatigue while at the helm on Nov. 12, 2023. The towing vessel…