Business
Professional Mariner
Industry faces hurdles on crew changes, essential staff in pandemic
Signals
7 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Pandemic stalls IMO talks on regulating autonomous ships
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meetings until further notice due to the COVID19 pandemic.
3 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Real estate firm advances plan to restore SS United States
In a significant step toward preserving “America’s flagship,” a prominent New York development company has agreed to proceed with renovating the mothballed ocean liner SS United States, converting it into a hotel, museum, and entertainment and cultural center — if a city agrees to provide a permanent berth.
2 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Report finds shift to LNG could worsen shipping's climate impact
Switching to liquefied natural gas (LNG) is being widely touted as a responsible way for ships to reduce their climate impact, but it’s actually making greenhouse gas emissions far worse, according to an international environmental advocacy group.
3 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Procedural breakdown leads to rupture aboard tanker in Texas
The 479-foot Fairchem Filly berthed at the Vopak Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel to offload hexene, a process that required pumping nitrogen into the vessel’s cargo tanks to maintain the chemical’s purity.
3 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Poor coordination between master, pilot cited in San Juan pier strike
Norwegian Epic sailed into San Juan, Puerto Rico, for repairs to its port-side propeller motor. While docking, the cruise ship’s port bow struck two mooring dolphins, gouging the hull and causing $3.5 million in damage to port infrastructure.
3 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
New Lake Charles launch keeps pace with LNG boom
In front of the Lake Charles pilot station in Cameron, La., the 70-foot Cameron Pilot II went from zero to 28 knots in a matter of seconds, and did it as smoothly as the hand of Capt. Mark Foster advancing the throttles.
3 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Need for tighter port security driving new demand for patrol boats
Security vessels for civilian operators have been getting a lot more attention in recent years, and that has been driving a wave of purchases.
6 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
High-water barge strike knocks Tombigbee bridge out of alignment
Rivers Wilson was pushing six barges up the rushing Tombigbee River when its port-side aft barge hit the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge near Jackson, Ala. The tow spun to port after impact and became pinned against a support pillar.
4 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Expecting the unexpected simply routine for WSF ferry crews
Washington State Fer-ries (WSF) Capt. Joel Michelson barely finished explaining how every Elliott Bay passage is a little different when he got a message proving his point. Down below, a passenger was unconscious and suffering a seizure.
8 min |
June/July 2020
Professional Mariner
Muscular Seaway Guardian has big shoes to fill
SEAWAY GUARDIAN | Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., Washington, D.C.
5 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Versatile Mariner turns heads along Seattle waterfront
MARINER | Western Towboat Co., Seattle
5 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Crowley's rugged ice-class ATB built to withstand Alaska's harsh climate
AVEOGAN | Crowley Maritime, Jacksonville, Fla.
7 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Crowley upgrades LA fleet with first US RApport 2500 tugboat
HERCULES | Brusco Tug & Barge/Crowley Maritime, Jacksonville, Fla.
6 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Texas tug operator builds fleet to handle bigger ships
MAZU | Suderman & Young Towing Co., Houston
5 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Nimbler next-gen Tiger tugs keep Hawaiian commerce moving
TIGER 21 & 22 | P&R Water Taxi, Honolulu
6 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
McAllister Towing solidifies Charleston, Port Everglades fleets
CAPT. JIM MCALLISTER & EILEEN MCALLISTER | McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., New York
6 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
E.N. Bisso & Son welcomes latest ‘go-anywhere tug'
C.D. WHITE | E.N. Bisso & Son, New Orleans
5 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
COVID-19 pandemic clouds construction picture
Around this time last year, the tugboat building industry in the United States showed signs of a rebound. They weren’t exactly the “good old days,” but after some lean years the industry appeared heading in the right direction.
7 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Bisso Towboat adds new muscle on the Lower Mississippi
ANDREW S. | Bisso Towboat Co., Luling, La.
5 min |
American Tugboat Review 2020
Professional Mariner
Towing
Tows running Ohio River get big lift at new Olmsted Locks
5 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
Study finds depression, suicidal thoughts prevalent among seafarers
While Yale University’s recent Seafarer Mental Health Study paints a sobering picture of life at sea, it also should serve as a catalyst for improvements, industry officials say.
3 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
Signals
Jones Act ruling plagued by ‘potential loopholes,’ industry groups say
3 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
TSB faults BC Ferries' crew practices in rescue boat accident
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has determined that informal crew practices and insufficient supervision were contributing factors in a training accident on a BC Ferries vessel.
3 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
Salvors push to dismantle Golden Ray before hurricane season
The vehicle carrier Golden Ray, which capsized in September after leaving Georgia’s Port of Brunswick, remained submerged on its side in mid-February as salvors finalized plans to break it up for removal. The ship was loaded with about 4,200 vehicles when it rolled over.
2 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
New York tugboat family casts century-long line at sea
After John McKay graduated from high school in 1917 and began looking for a job, one docked at his feet.
7 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
New Metal Shark duo speeds Lower Miss. pilot transfers
Belle Chasse Marine Transportation (BCMT) began operations in 1977 on the Mississippi River with one crew boat.
2 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
New age of salvage puts premium on safeguarding environment
The tools and techniques for salvaging ships improved dramatically in the 20th century with the advent of more powerful pumps, safer diving apparatus and a host of other advancements.
5 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
Lobster boat holes tanker in open-sea collision off Martha's Vineyard
A lobster boat and a loaded tanker collided in open water south of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and the Coast Guard is trying to piece together what happened.
2 min |
April 2020
Professional Mariner
Casualties
Three dead after collision sinks towboat on Lower Mississippi
4 min |