Workboat articles from July 2006

Workboat archives from July 2006

Scrap the mariner ID plan.(EDITOR'S WATCH)
July 1, 2006... Mariners and the companies that hire them are on the defensive again--all in the name of security. The latest attack comes in the form of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential. The TWIC program is being rushed through the...

Mariners need a break.(MAIL BAG)
July 1, 2006... All you have to do is travel down Interstate 10 along the Gulf Coast and you will see huge billboards from inland and offshore companies seeking entire crews for their vessels. Pick up any newspaper nowadays, look at the help-wanted ads, and...

Outsourcing is a bad idea.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... This is in response to Dave Wright's solution to the manning problem that exists in our industry. ("Temporary visas could ease mariner labor woes," Mail Bag, May 2006.) The industry has been heading down this particular route [outsourcing]...

On the water: a young mariner seeks choices--part II.(AT A GLANCE)(Column)
July 1, 2006... The young man was excited to find out that he could work on the water and have a decent home life at the same time. A two-week on/two-off schedule permits it. "College isn't really for me," he told me. "I want to work on boats again, but I...

Captain's table: construction contract tips.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2006... (Editor's Note: Bernie Jacobson is on medical leave and will be back soon. This column first appeared in the February 2002 issue of WorkBoat.) You've already selected the shipyard to build your new boat. Now, how do you get a written...

WorkBoat Composite Index: Index loses ground in May.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2006... After two winning months, the WorkBoat Composite Index lost 25 points in May. For the month, losers topped gainers by a 2-1 ratio. Global Industries rose 22 percent in May. The company's first-quarter revenues were up 79 percent over the...

OSV day rates: rates rise in May.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2006... Day rates for supply vessels and crewboats jumped during May, particularly for large OSVs and small crewboats. Large suppliers saw average day rates increase to just over $21,000 during May, up from $19,000 in April. The average day rates...

Inland insider: more offered at this year's Corps planning conference.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2006... Imagine being in a foreign country where you understand only a few words that are being spoken and the rest sounds like gibberish. Some people may have encountered the same problem recently in San Francisco when the Army Corps of Engineers...

Legal talk: two-hour rule for alcohol testing raises questions.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2006... In 2006, mariners have had to deal with many new regulations, including one that mandates fingerprinting and making an appearance at regional exam centers for license renewal. On June 20, another controversial regulation goes into effect....

Alcan held responsible in boat-corrosion case.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2006... The aluminum corrosion case that involved damages to hundreds of boats built at Northwest boat yards has finally been settled. On May 22, a federal jury in Tacoma, Wash., awarded $59 million to Alcoa Inc. for the recovery of damages caused by...

Navy renews WestPac Express charter.(NEWS BITTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... One of the longest serving high-speed vessels in service with the U.S military, the Austal-built WestPac Express, has been re-chartered by the U.S. Navy. The new charter is for up to 55 months after the vessel's current charter ends in 2007....

Corps budget moves ahead on capitol hill.(NEWS LOG)(Editorial)
July 1, 2006... A key committee of the House of Representatives has passed a fiscal year 2007 spending plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that is slightly less than the current budget. It also continues reforms aimed at making the agency more efficient...

ACL, Canal Barge join forces in joint venture.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2006... Two major barge operators have teamed up in an effort to increase efficiency and cut down on the amount of time equipment sits idle. In a deal announced in March, Jeffersonville, Ind.-based American Commercial Lines Inc. and Canal Barge...

Allen takes the helm at the Coast Guard.(NEWS LOG)(Thad W. Allen)
July 1, 2006... In late May, Adm. Thad W. Allen officially took over the reins at the U.S. Coast Guard. He becomes the 23rd commandant of the agency. Allen, a 1971 Coast Guard Academy graduate, previously served as the Coast Guard chief of staff and...

USCG Deepwater program contract extended.(NEWS BITTS)
July 1, 2006... The U.S. Coast Guard recently announced a 43-month term extension of the performance-based contract for its Integrated Deepwater System (Deepwater) fleet modernization and recapitalization program. The contract is with Integrated Coast Guard...

Industry prepares for new hurricane season.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2006... The 2006 hurricane season officially began June 1 and everyone from Gulf Coast residents to oil-and-gas companies are getting prepared for what may be another busy season. Last year, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita resulted in billions of...

Deep thinkers: a report from the annual Offshore Technology Conference.(OTC 2006)
July 1, 2006... The 2006 Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston in May drew almost 60,000 people, the highest turnout since 1982. Over 2,200 exhibitors from 31 countries occupied almost 470,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, about the size of 12...

Commercial break: like the U.S., congestion has Britain looking to the water.(BRITISH WATERWAYS)
July 1, 2006... Great Britain's waterways, once bustling with cargo that fueled the country's Industrial Revolution, have been enjoying a modern-day renaissance of late. Keeping with an historic tradition, commercial vessels continue to ply the more than...

Small fries: government market stays hot for small, fast boats.(GOVERNMENT BOATS)
July 1, 2006... Since 9/11, the federal government has gone into hyperdrive on many fronts, including the acquisition of small boats for the Navy, Coast Guard and other federal agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol. In addition, Department of Homeland...

Kvichak building 10 landing craft for U.S. Navy.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2006... Last fall, Kvichak Marine Industries, Seattle, was awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy for the design and construction of 10 MPF (Marine Prepositioning Force) aluminum, monohull landing craft. Called the 40' utility boat, the 44'x14'6"...

C&G Boat Works delivers tug to Crescent Towing.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2006... In May, C&G Boat Works, Mobile, Ala., delivered a twin-screw harbor tug to Crescent Towing, a subsidiary of The Cooper Group Companies, Mobile. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Noon Wednesday measures 75'x40'x16' and works tankers and other...

Steiner delivers latest ferry for North Carolina.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2006... Steiner Shipyard, Bayou La Batre, Ala., recently delivered the 180'x44'x11' double-ended ferry Hatteras to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Morehead, N.C. The $5.8 million boat is designed to help ease congestion on the...

New water taxi for Fire Island, N.Y.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2006... With the busy summer tourist season now underway, Fire Island Water Taxi, a subsidiary of Fire Island Ferries, Bay Shore, N.Y., is making good use of its new aluminum water taxi. The 35'x11' Courier was scheduled to enter service in June. ...

Boatbuilding bitts.(ON THE WAYS)(Leevac Industries signs deal with Hornbeck Offshore Services)(San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority signs contract with Nichols Brothers Boat Builders)
July 1, 2006... United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Miss., recently celebrated the delivery of two 11-meter Naval Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats (NSW RIBs) to the U.S. Special Operations Command. The occasion marked the 100th craft delivered by USMI...

ID scan: the government wants to know more about a vessel's crew and cargo.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... Fair or not, the Dubai Ports World controversy accomplished what billions of dollars and several security initiatives have not been able to do--dramatically raise the profile of U.S. ports. The hubbub over foreign ownership of U.S. port...

On the lookout: high-tech products help vessel operators see and respond.(SECURITY PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2006... Security starts with knowing what's out there. Basically, there are two ways to determine just what is out there: looking and listening. On boats, we mostly look (thus being on watch). From bare eyes to binoculars to radars and...

Buyer's guide.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Footprints International, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and Mill Creek, Wash.; 604-639-6459 or 206-219-0655; www.footprints-international.com. The model CR02 costs $7,500. Add $1,000 for the Smart Remote Control. The CR03 is priced at $17,000...

Catching some Z's: tug operator adds second Z-drive on the Lower Miss.(LOWER MISS Z-DRIVE)(La.'s Main Iron Works Inc.)
July 1, 2006... For Scott Slatten, the decision to build a new tug was as easy as ABZ--Z as in the second Z-drive tug for his New Orleans-based company. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In mid-May, Houma, La.'s Main Iron Works Inc. delivered a new...

New stud welder.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... ARCON Welding Equipment, Salisbury, Md., is marketing a new portable stud welder. The Studhorse 1200DM weighs only 80 lbs. and can weld 1/4" to full-base 3/4" fasteners with 1,200 amps and can be carried through small passageways. Designed for...

Shaft coating.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... Burlington, Ontario-based Thordon Bearings Inc. has introduced Thor-Coat, a new shaft coating specially formulated to fight against traditional coating failures on water-lubricated propeller shafts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thor-Coat was...

Explosion-proof antenna.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... Phoenix Contact Inc.'s new explosion-proof antenna fitting RAD-CON-MCX-RPSMA-EX requires no seal fitting and can easily be installed in a hazardous area. The new fitting limits the amount of energy to the antenna, thereby eliminating the...

Fire detection system.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... Selco USA Inc.'s FMS 3000 is designed as an easy-to-operate fire detection system equipped with eight, 16 or 24 detection loops. Carrying a 24-volt loop voltage rating, the FMS 3000 is compatible to a wide range of fire detectors. It is...

Vessel radars.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... Furuno recently introduced the FR8062/8122/8252 Series X-band radars that are designed for all types of vessels. Offering a variety of power levels and range scales, the new series includes Furuno's 6kw FR8062, 12kw FR8122, and 25kw FR8252. The...

Wiring catalog.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2006... Chanhassen, Minn.-based Waytek Inc. recently released its latest catalog--218C. The new catalog features over 5,000 electrical wiring products including terminals, connectors, cable ties, loom, wire and cable, fuses, circuit breakers, LED...

Seaway Great Lakes Trade Association.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... John Jamian, former acting administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration, has been appointed to develop and lead the newly created Seaway Great Lakes Trade Association. As president of the Michigan-based non-profit organization, Jamian's...

Moran Towing Corp.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Katherine Solomon has been named director of human resources at Moran Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn. She will replace Joseph DeAngelo, who will retire later this year after 33 years with Moran.

Deep Marine Technology Inc.'s.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Jeff McCalla is Deep Marine Technology Inc.'s new vice president of engineering. The company offers subsea technology and customized solutions to its customers. McCalla will lead the emerging functions of engineering, construction and...

Twin Disc Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Twin Disc Inc., Racine, Wis., now represents Swedish waterjet manufacturer MJP in North America, South America and Israel. MJP supplies waterjet propulsion equipment worldwide to the commercial, military and pleasure craft sectors.

Capacity Marine Corp.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Mahwah, N.J.-based Capacity Marine Corp. recently founded Capacity Marine Safety and Loss Control. The new division works independently as a loss control and safety program design, management, and survey report provider to insurance carriers,...

Trico Marine Services Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Larry D. Francois has been named senior vice president of operations for Trico Marine Services Inc., Houston. Francois was the former president of Seabulk Offshore, a subsidiary of Seabulk International Inc. Prior to Seabulk, Francois served as...

Tidewater Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Tidewater Inc., New Orleans, announced recently that Archibald "Archie" M.S. Morgan IV has joined Tidewater Marine LLC as its manager of engineering and technical services. Morgan was previously the operations manager at Alliance Marine...

Global Industries Ltd.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Cindy B. Taylor has been elected to the board of directors of Global Industries Ltd., Houston. Taylor is currently the president and chief operating officer of the oilfield services company Oil States International Inc. She previously held...

Delta T Systems Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2006... Jeremy Cregger has joined Delta T Systems Inc. as an electrical engineer. Delta T, based in Riviera Beach, Fla., creates marine ventilation management products.

Calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... Aug. 23-25 GICA CONVENTION The 101st Annual Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association Convention, Wyndham Canal Place, New Orleans. Tel: 281-996-6915 E-mail: rbutler@houston.rr.com www.gicaonline.com Sept. 6-8 NWC...

WORKBOAT: Looks Back.
July 1, 2006... July 1946 * The recent survey by the Army Engineers of a 40' ship channel across Lake Pontchartrain to create a new Gulf outlet for the Port of New Orleans has revived interest in the long-sought ship canal across Florida. Pre-war...