Workboat articles from July 2007

Workboat archives from July 2007

TWIC? Not so quick.(Transportation Worker Identification Credential program delayed)
July 1, 2007... There's usually nothing good about delays. Whether it's travel, construction, a house closing or a weather holdup at a baseball game, delays are at best inconvenient and at worst extremely costly. Sometimes, however, putting something off...

Says cover will affect how others view the industry.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... With over 17 years of both offshore and onshore experience in the maritime industry, I know firsthand the importance of safety while at sea. Every oil company that hires offshore vessels has a safety policy that the vessel operator must comply...

Veteran mariner won't renew his license.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... Joel Milton's article, "Licensing SOS-Part I," WorkBoat, May 2007, really rang a bell with me. Having been licensed as Master of Steam and Motor Vessels of Any Gross Tons-Oceans since January 1944, I've sat through a lot of exams and have...

TWIC process can catch all those bad guys.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... This is in response to the February 2007 Editor's Watch article ("A TWIC'ing time bomb.") [Editor David] Krapf wrote, "... flawed legislation in 2002 that unfairly targeted a safe and, most agree, rather patriotic bunch--the nation's...

On the water: the Coast Guard stamp of approval--part I.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2007... The U.S. Coast Guard is the government agency that grants approval for equipment of all types so they may be legally used to meet equipment carriage requirements aboard U.S. commercial and pleasure vessels. This includes all of the safety...

Captain's table: Streamlined Inspection Program revisited.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2007... In the late 1990s when I was CEO of a ferry company serving a small island community in New York, I learned there would be a change in the vessel inspection process. The change was designed to save Coast Guard inspectors time. It was also...

WorkBoat Composite Index: index jumps 118 points in May.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2007... The WorkBoat Composite Index had a strong month in May, gaining 119 points. The 7.5 percent gain topped the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes. For the month, winners topped losers by a ratio of more than 2 to 1. Leading gainers included...

OSV day rates: is the market really good?(AT A GLANCE)(offshore service vessel)
July 1, 2007... The "market is still good," a Gulf offshore service vessel operator said recently. The cheerful report came from an operator with a very young fleet and who recently took delivery of two new vessels, both already under contract. Another...

Inland insider: tow spotting around the U.S.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2007... Several U.S. towns and communities have built public viewing facilities for railroad fans to come and watch trains pass along busy stretches of track. The idea of publicly operated "train watching" spots may seem odd, but these communities...

Legal talk: six-long tows and the Seaman's Protection Act.(AT A GLANCE)
July 1, 2007... The Seaman's Protection Act protects seamen from being fired for refusing to perform duties ordered by the employer if the seaman believes that it would result in serious injury to them, other seamen, or the public. This became an issue...

Q&A: H. Merritt Lane III, president & CEO, Canal Barge Co. Inc., New Orleans.(AT A GLANCE)(dialogue with Merritt Lane)(Interview)
July 1, 2007... WorkBoat: The Army Corps of Engineers says that the Inland Waterways Trust Fund will soon run out of money at the current rate of spending. The industry opposes user fees as a way to replenish the Trust Fund. What should be done to make up the...

The 23rd Annual Seattle Tugboat Races took place in May along the shores of Elliott Bay.(NEWS LOG)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The 23rd Annual Seattle Tugboat Races took place in May along the shores of Elliott Bay. Following a narrated parade to post sponsored by Pacific Marine Expo and WorkBoat magazine, more than 40 tugboats took...

Hawaii Superferry startup delayed.(NEWS BITTS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Hawaii Superferry's 353', 866-passenger high-speed catamaran Alakai got underway on its journey from Mobile, Ala., to Honolulu in early June. The vessel, which will run at speeds of up to 40 knots and carry up to 282 cars or 65 cars and 28...

Report paints bleak picture of brownwater's future.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2007... Growth of short-sea shipping will be modest, traffic on the inland waterways will be flat, and "boom and bust" conditions will hurt the inland waterways industry's long-term health, according to a new report. These are some of the gloomy...

Lack of dredging hits Great Lakes shippers.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2007... Shortfalls in the Corps of Engineers' budget are underfunding dredging operations and keeping many Great Lakes vessels from loading to capacity. Reports show that in April, for example, a 1,000' U.S.-flag vessel with a 71,120-ton capacity...

Evaluate security, says former commandant.(NEWS LOG)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The nation has improved security at U.S. ports and along its waterways since 9/11, but the federal government needs to integrate these maritime improvements into a national homeland security plan, a former chief of the Coast Guard said...

Corrections and clarifications.(NEWS LOG)(Correction notice)
July 1, 2007... In the June issue, page 78, we reported that navigation on the Mississippi River was hampered by a new Corps of Engineers Master Manual that shortened the navigation season by 44 days. The new manual shortened the navigation season of the...

Maritime Web site for mariners launched.(NEWS BITS)(Website overview)
July 1, 2007... Capt. Robert L. Johnson recently launched tugboatlife.com, a new Web site designed by and for the maritime and merchant mariners community. The site contains news, discussion boards, a downloads section, and a place where site members can...

New Orleans REC finds a new location.(NEWS LOG)(Regional Exam Center)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The U.S. Coast Guard's New Orleans Regional Exam Center has finally found a permanent home, about 35 miles north of the city. The New Orleans REC has had two temporary homes following the destruction of its eastern New Orleans facility in...

Trust fund spending called 'wasteful'.(NEWS LOG)
July 1, 2007... Spending from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) is inefficient and wasteful and has led to costly delays in completing important navigational projects, according to the Inland Waterways Users Board. In its annual report, the Board...

Charter boat captain headed to prison.(NEWS BITTS)
July 1, 2007... A charter fishing boat captain was sentenced recently to six years in prison for his part in the death of three of his passengers in 2005. Richard J. Oba, Winchester Bay, Ore., was the owner and captain of the 38' charter fishing boat Sydney...

Emission control: the marine industry is receiving more pressure to reduce pollutants.(EMISSIONS)
July 1, 2007... Attention California harbor craft operators: The days are numbered for your dirty old marine diesels. Unless you already have new EPA-certified Tier 2 engines (or Tier 3 when available), you're going to have to get them sometime during the next...

Safety marshal: the NTSB can have a big influence on private and public marine operations.(National Transportation Safety Board)
July 1, 2007... The tragic accident at the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge early on the foggy morning of Sept. 22, 1993, turned a harsh spotlight on the inland towboat industry. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Barges being pushed by the towboat Mauvilla hit a...

'See' Cruise: strong economy is helping stoke the charter and excursion markets.(CHARTER/EXCURSION BOATS)
July 1, 2007... Like just about every other segment of the commercial marine industry, the charter and excursion markets are also enjoying a round of prosperity. Thanks to an economy that is putting more disposable income into tourists' pockets, bookings are...

Eastern Shipbuilding is busy with a boatload of projects.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2007... Business is good at most Gulf of Mexico yards, but some are busier than others. For example, look at what's taking shape in the Florida panhandle at Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc.: five 98' Z-drive tugs, three 150' ATB tugs, 17 90' pushboats,...

Gladding-Hearn delivers its second 40' pilot boat.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2007... Not all that long ago, Peter Duclos realized that some RIB builders were turning out larger boats and making inroads into the pilot boat market for boats under 50' in length. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At that time, Duclos's company,...

Aluminum Chambered Boats delivers more for the military.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2007... On June 5, Aluminum Chambered Boats, Bellingham, Wash., was due to unveil its newest design in Little Creek, Va., at the Multiagency Craft Conference, said Ted Metz, the company's president. Called the Joint Expeditionary Multimission Craft,...

Retros & refurbs: Alaska tug gets new engine room in Louisiana.(ON THE WAYS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A&B Industries, Amelia, La., recently repowered the 82'x28'4"x9' tug Miss Lis for St. Augustine, Fla.-based TradeWinds Towing. Originally constructed in 1982 by Marine Power & Equipment, Seattle, the tug was purpose-built for coastwise...

Boatbuilding bitts.(ON THE WAYS)
July 1, 2007... In Bayou La Batre, Ala., in May, Master Boat Builders Inc. launched the 190'x48'x16' supply boat Seacor Columbus for Seacor Marine LLC, Houma, La. The steel OSV will be delivered in July, to be followed by three more 190-footers for Seacor at...

Card punch: as TWIC readies for roll-out, the marine industry prepares for the worst.(COVER STORY)(Cover story)
July 1, 2007... Any way you look at it, the Transportation Worker Identification Credential is going to be a major headache with significant costs to the maritime industry, maritime workers and the federal government. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After...

Spirited ride: Harvey Gulf goes 'long-distance' with a pair of new DP-2 OSVs.(280' OSVs)
July 1, 2007... With an aggressive building campaign that includes cutting-edge supply boats and tugs, Harvey Gulf International Marine and its new 280'x60' Harvey Spirit embodies the company's forward-looking attitude. With DP-2 certification and the...

Keeping watch: video cameras offer lots of options for security surveillance.(SECURITY PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2007... Fifteen years ago, cameras on ferries were generally divided into two groups: those carried around the necks of passengers and those focused on cash registers, food vending machines or bars. They were to prevent employee pilfering as much as...

Royce C. Wilken, president of American River Transportation Co. (ARTCO), Decatur, Ill., is the new chairman of the American Waterways Operators.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... Royce C. Wilken, president of American River Transportation Co. (ARTCO), Decatur, Ill., is the new chairman of the American Waterways Operators. The Arlington, Va.-based national trade association for the tug, towboat and barge industry also...

In May, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp became the 52nd Chief of Engineers and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... In May, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp became the 52nd Chief of Engineers and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He takes over for Lt. Gen. Carl A. Strock, who retired after 36 years of military service. Van Antwerp's previous...

Autoship Systems Corp.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... Autoship Systems Corp., Vancouver, British Columbia, has completed the 400th installation of Autoload, the company's onboard stability software. Autoload is a type-approved stability and longitudinal strength loading instrument software that...

Steve Welch is the new chairman of the Shipbuilders Council of America, Arlington, Va.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... Steve Welch is the new chairman of the Shipbuilders Council of America, Arlington, Va. Welch, chief executive officer of Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp., Seattle, replaces Boysie Bollinger, chief executive officer, Bollinger Shipyards Inc.,...

Imtra.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... Imtra, New Bedford, Mass., a manufacturer and importer of marine products, has hired Jeff Fisher as its southeast regional sales representative. Fisher will be based in Wilmington, N.C. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

John Deere Power Systems.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Waterloo, Iowa-based John Deere Power Systems has released its new 12.5L marine propulsion engine. The 610-hp 6125SFM75 is the most powerful engine offered by John Deere. The new engine is EPA Tier II certified, meets EU emissions requirements...

Hornblower Marine Services.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... New Albany, Ind.-based Hornblower Marine Services has signed a five-year renewal of its contract to operate the Westpac Express, the U.S. Defense Department's most successful and longest serving high-speed vessel (HSV). The U.S. Navy's Military...

GE Marine.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... GE Marine., Evendale, Ohio, has renewed a contract with Public Works and Government Services Canada to provide maintenance and logistics support services. The five-year contract covers the Canadian Navy's fleet of LM2500 aeroderivative gas...

Hypertherm Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
July 1, 2007... Thomas Hanchette has joined the sales team at Hypertherm Inc., Hanover, N.H.

Performance seating.(H.O. Bostrom Co.'s JX-190 Series Jockey Seat)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Waukesha, Wis.-based H.O. Bostrom Co. has added the new high-performance JX-190 Series Jockey Seat to its SeaPost line of marine seating. The JX-190 Series is designed to reduce rider fatigue and injury in high speed and rough sea boating...

Flush pumps.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2007... CAT PUMPS has added several new 35 Frame Flushed Pumps to its product line. The new C-flushed pump models 3521C, 3531C and 3541C are available with a 316SS cast head that provides strength and corrosion resistance. The special porting in the...

Communications system.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2007... Middletown, R.I.-based SeaWave announced recently that it would provide a communications system that combines the IT management capabilities of the company's Integrator product with the advanced technology of Inmarsat FleetBroadband. The...

Leak detector.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2007... Tracer Products, Westbury, N.Y., has unveiled the OPTIMAX. Tracer calls it the most powerful, portable fluorescent leak detector available. The OPTIMAX makes it easier to find airconditioning and fluid leaks, and there are no cords that can get...

GPS receiver board.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2007... Hemisphere GPS, an Alberta, Canada-based designer and manufacturer of GPS products, has introduced the LX-1, a new L-Band (OmniSTAR compatible) differential GPS (DGPS) receiver board. The LX-1 is designed to improve position accuracy of...

Ballast tank coating.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
July 1, 2007... The new Duraplate UHS Ultra High Solids Epoxy with fluorescing Optically Active Pigments (OAP) from Sherwin-Williams Industrial & Marine Coatings allows shipboard tank lining applicators to efficiently address coatings application issues that...

Calendar.(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... DBC SHOWS July 19 OMSA MEETING The Offshore Marine Service Association quarterly meeting, Hilton Riverside Hotel, New Orleans Tel: 504-734-7622 www.offshoremarine.org Aug. 22-24 GICA CONVENTION The 102nd...

Workboat looks back.(WB ARCHIVES)
July 1, 2007... July 1947 * On this month's cover are three tugs built by Olson Marine Construction Co., Beresford, Fla. The UNRRA China 35, 36 and 37 will work in China, helping rehabilitate the war-torn country's inland waterways. The tugs are each...