U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Professional Mariner

30 Jun

Lack of funding idles Lower Mississippi management study

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently announced that the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study project team has suspended work due to a lack of funding in the fiscal year 2025 work plan. The five-year study kicked off last year and was directed by Congress to identify actionable recommendations for the management of the Lower Mississippi River…

11 Jun

Lakes to receive ‘historic’ funding for navigation work

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, shipping, Towboats and towing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — In late May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its final navigation work plan for fiscal year 2025. The plan outlines resources that will be used for dredging, structure maintenance, and other priorities at every port in the United States. A summary/funding analysis of Great Lakes provisions can be found here. Amounts shown in black are spending…

15 Apr

Army Corps partnering with USMMA to modernize campus

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & TrainingMerchant marine, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) have entered into a long-term agreement for the revitalization and modernization of USMMA’s campus in Kings Point, N.Y. The initial 10-year agreement was signed on April 11 during a ceremony at USMMA by Brig. Gen. John Lloyd for USACE and Vice…

24 Mar

Soo Locks open early for 2025 shipping season

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, shipping, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.) — The Soo Locks officially opened Friday morning for the shipping season, WCMU Public Media reported. The first vessel through was the ATB barge Erie Trader, on its way to Duluth. It was being guided by the tugboat Clyde S. Vanenkevort. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the locks in Sault St. Marie about four…

12 Jun

Main channel fully restored at Port of Baltimore

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, Ports, Salvage, shipping, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(BALTIMORE) — As part of the Unified Command response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U.S. Navy supervisor of salvage and diving on Monday restored the Fort McHenry Federal Channel to its original operational dimensions of 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep for commercial maritime transit through the…

06 Jun

Salvors remove final truss blocking Baltimore channel

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, Ports, Salvage, shipping, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard

(BALTIMORE) — Ten weeks after the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, salvage crews removed the final large steel truss segment blocking the 700-foot-wide Fort McHenry Federal Channel on June 3 and 4. The span collapsed after being hit by the containership Dali on March 26. Using concrete breakers, underwater surveys and oxyacetylene torches, they separated tons of concrete…

02 Jun

Three Illinois Waterway locks closed for repairs

Rich MillerTugboats & Towingbrownwater, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

(ROCK ISLAND, Ill.) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, temporarily closed the Brandon Road, Dresden Island and Marseilles locks on the Illinois Waterway on Thursday to facilitate needed repairs and maintenance. The closures are scheduled to last through Sept. 30 and are being conducted simultaneously to limit impacts to navigation. During the closures, no vessels will…

19 Jan

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

Rich MillerMaritime 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…

01 Jun

Long-sought Houston Ship Channel expansion gets federal go-ahead

Professional Mariner StaffCargo vessels, Containership, Seaways & Waterways, Tanker Ship, Tugboats & Towingmariners, maritime industry, maritime news, Port Houston, Project 11, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, WRDA

After a decade-long campaign by maritime industry stakeholders, Congress has authorized the expansion of the Houston Ship Channel for safer and more efficient navigation. The project will widen and deepen the nation’s busiest waterway, which is accommodating increased traffic and ever-larger ships. The green light came on Dec. 27 with enactment of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2020…

02 May

Towboat loses power, hits Ohio River dam before drifting through

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsBelleville, Coast Guard, Crounse Corp., Edith Tripp, mariners, maritime accidents, maritime news, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Eight crewmembers escaped from an upbound towboat that lost propulsion on the Ohio River and drifted through a dam near Belleville, W.Va. The 1,800-hp Edith Tripp struck the Belleville Dam at about 1300 on March 3 before passing through one of the structure’s open gates. The towboat’s empty hopper barge, which was not identified, became wedged against the dam before…