Workboat articles from January 2002

Workboat archives from January 2002

Mariners' union shows its ugly side. (Editor's Watch).(Editorial)
January 1, 2002... The push to organize the Gulf of Mexico offshore service industry heated up in 2000 when Offshore Mariners United was formed by David Eckstein. Initially, the group made progress and most in the industry agreed (though not for the record) that...

Mail bag.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2002... Wants financial security for injured mariners Your articles are very informative, even some of (On the Water columnist) Joel Milton's tips on wearing an immersion suit in the Gulf. But besides personal safety, we must also look at...

Inland insider: A one-stop information source is needed. (At a Glance).
January 1, 2002... In the old days there were real telephone operators to direct your calls. In small towns everyone called the operator who was often the focal point of collected information. No such focal point exists for commercial information on the inland...

On the water: Get on board mariners, part two. (At a Glance).(Column)
January 1, 2002... As mentioned in last month's column, the integrity of the new OSV licensing program is largely in our hands. However, the Coast Guard, which is tasked with oversight, and the companies that implement the program must do their part as well. ...

WorkBoat's Composite Index: Index posts strong gain.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Following on the heels of October's 5 percent rise, the WorkBoat Index rose over 8 percent in November. Suppliers and shipyards led the way as winners topped losers 20-13. Most offshore service operators, however, lost ground. Winners...

Captain's Table: More ferry funding needed. (At a Glance).(Column)
January 1, 2002... In the past, Congress has provided opportunities for public and private ferry operators to receive financial assistance for new ferries. But more needs to be done. TEA-21 is entering its final year. Requests are due in mid-2002 for 2003 ferry...

OSV Day Rates: Rates flatten, but rig. upturn looms. (At a Glance).
January 1, 2002... Utilization and day rates for Gulf of Mexico supply vessels changed little from last month, perhaps indicating that the market has bottomed. In fact, the utilization rate of several vessel categories actually increased month to month while day...

Legal Talk: Benefits for injured seamen.
January 1, 2002... A seaman who is injured while in the service of his vessel is entitled to receive maintenance benefits from his employer in addition to medical treatment or "cure." Under most workers' compensation schemes, a non-maritime worker may continue to...

Security focus shifts at U.S. ports. (News Log).
January 1, 2002... Since Sept. 11, safety has become the top priority at everything from sporting events to daily commutes. Security was sometimes taken for granted prior to that day, and law enforcement officials hope attention to security does not fade. ...

Marinette marine to build two more uscg buoy tenders. (News Bitts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... In late November, Manitowoc Company Inc's Marinette Marine subsidiary was awarded options to build two additional seagoing buoy tenders for the U.S. Coast Guard. The options, valued at approximately $60 million, are extensions to an existing...

AWO says tax-cut plan could spur overbuilding. (News Log).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... An economic stimulus package passed by the House and under consideration in the Senate could pose a threat to the towing industry, according to the American Waterways Operators. The House-approved package features tax cuts for individuals...

Cal dive to acquire Rov/Robotics Company. (News Bitts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Houston-based Cal Dive International Inc. announced recently that it has agreed to acquire 85 percent of Canyon Offshore Inc., a supplier of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and robotics to the offshore construction and telecommunications...

Fast ferry terminal dispute now in mediator's hands. (News Log).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A feud between two operators that run high-speed ferries between Maine and Nova Scotia is in the hands of a Canadian government mediator. Bay Ferries Ltd., which operates The Cat between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Bar Harbor, Maine, and...

Cooperation helps minimize spill from barge accident. (News Log).
January 1, 2002... Several groups joined in to help minimize the effects from a November barge accident on the Ohio River that spilled about 125,000 gals. of gasoline into the river. On Nov. 7, one of the tank barges being pushed by the towboat Sherman A....

WB Show job fair mates companies with workers. (News Log).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Recruiting, hiring and keeping good employees is a challenge that continues to test the metal of the workboat industry. Officials at the recent International WorkBoat Show held in New Orleans put together a job fair in an effort to help bring...

Deepwater Drilling Stays Strong. (News Bitts).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The number of rigs working the Gulf of Mexico's deepwater sector continued to hold strong, according to the latest numbers from the Minerals Management Service. As of the middle of November, rigs working in depths of 1,000 or more totaled 47,...

Welcome Mat: Corps revetment program is the only one of its kind in the world. (Focus: Corps Mat Sinking Unit).
January 1, 2002... I parked my car on the crown of the levee somewhere between the Louisiana towns of Burnside and Convent. I found a clearing and walked down to the water's edge. To my right were hundreds of men and women that were working from barges in...

Show Bills. (Focus: The International WorkBoat Show).
January 1, 2002... Trico's Fairley outlasts union hecklers. 12-hour rule needs legal overhaul Fast-ferry industry needs better PR. Marine recruitment woes. Reducing shipboard noise. Repowering decisions. The events of Sept. 11 have affected the workboat...

Master Boat Builders delivers OSV to Abdon Callais Offshore. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Master Boat Builders Inc., Bayou La Batre, La., recently delivered the Harold J. Callais to Abdon Callais Offshore LLC. The boat is the first of a four-boat order for Master Boat's 185-class steel-hulled OSVs. In 1997, Peter Callais,...

Alaska Ship finishes ferry for Ketchikan. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Fast ferries have been receiving a lot of press lately. But more often than not, most routes require a small, dependable ferry capable of making numerous short crossings in a day. That's exactly what the 116'6"X48'x7' Oral Freeman will be doing...

Knight & Carver delivers passenger vessel. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... We couldn't have picked a better boat for our route," said Glen Jacobson who, with his wife Alison, operates Alaska Fjordlines out of Haines, Alaska. The boat is the Flordland, a fiberglass 65'x19'x4'4" catamaran that carries 49 sightseeing...

Bay Shipbuilding constructs new dredge. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Liberty Island is the 49th and newest in a long line of vessels constructed at Bay Shipbuilding Co. Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for Oakbrook, 111.-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. The new trailing suction-hopper dredge measures 315'x59'x28'. ...

Show Boats: From WorkBoat shows in Seattle and New Orleans. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... A record number of boats were on display at The International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans. A small selection is shown here, along with one of the display boats from Fish Expo/WorkBoat Northwest in Seattle. The 2810-V Dauntless (top left)...

Not So Fast: BC's fast ferry program is still mired in controversy. (Cover Story).(BC Ferries)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Pity the PacifiCats. Built at a total cost of nearly half a billion dollars (Can.), the three 400'x95' aluminum ferries are capable of swiftly carrying 1,000 passengers and 250 cars, making them the second largest fast vehicle ferries in the...

Green Canoe: New car-passenger ferry built especially for Southeast Alaska's Prince of Wales Island. (Boats & Gear: Alaska Ferry).
January 1, 2002... Having grown increasingly frustrated by the "blue canoe" ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System for surface transportation, the 5,000 residents of a huge but remote Southeast Alaska island finally decided to paddle their own canoe. ...

True to Form: New mold-building technology saves time and money. (Boats & Gear: Construction Technology).
January 1, 2002... Fiberglass boats aren't a big part of the commercial workboat market, but that may begin to change. One result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has been calls by Congress, law enforcement officials and others for more security on the nation's...

Building Boom. (Workboat's 2001 Construction Survey).(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... The 45 shipyards that responded to WorkBoat's 2001 construction survey delivered or signed agreements to build 544 vessels. The 2000 survey listed 444 vessels and 40 yards. Patrol boats landed in the top position this year, racking up 100...