Workboat articles from June 2005

Workboat archives from June 2005

A good report card.(EDITOR'S WATCH)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... Each June in our Yearbook issue, we look back at how the industry performed over the last year. Unless there's a recession or depression underway, it is extremely rare to see each industry segment receive a failing grade. At the same time,...

Hawsepipers have firsthand experience.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Although I may have been misread or misunderstood, my intent was not to slander or bash anyone. ("Speak up hawsepipers, before it's too late," Mail Bag, March 2005.) My intent is to ask why is it that in some academies there is little done...

Yes, many hawsepipers can read and write.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I read Capt. (David) Bakara's letter with amusement. He pins all of the industry's ills on uneducated hawsepipers. There are many of us hawsepipers that can read, write, and decipher enough to earn unlimited licenses, operate and repair...

Professionals always put the vessel and crew first.(MAIL BAG)
June 1, 2005... A few days ago, I was talking to a member of the office support personnel team who was advocating that professionalism was based on one's interpersonal communication skills in "telling" and "selling" situations. He wished that production people...

Another has fond memories of the Pirate fleet.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Wow, those letters recalling the days of EuroPirates bring back the memories! ("Reader fondly recalls his days as a Pirate," March 2005) I worked for Billy Sanchez, Charlie Slater's New England manager in the exciting days of drilling on...

On the water: watch out for food poisoning: part II.(at a glance)
June 1, 2005... Mariners should do what they can to become more informed about food safety procedures. There are a number of resources available on the Web where a wealth of information on food safety can be obtained and distributed to vessel crews to read....

Captain's table: how many passengers travel by water?(AT A GLANCE)
June 1, 2005... One of the problems faced by the passenger vessel industry is the lack of full ridership accountability for the different kinds of trips provided by small U.S. vessels for business or recreational purposes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

WorkBoat Composite Index: Index plunges 6 percent.(AT A GLANCE)(Illustration)
June 1, 2005... April was another rough month for stocks. While the Dow fell 3 percent and the S&P 2 percent, the 37 issues that make up the WorkBoat Composite Index posted a whopping 6.2 percent loss. Operators, mainly energy service companies, were hit the...

OSV day rates: supply boat rates up, crewboats down.(AT A GLANCE)
June 1, 2005... As reported in WorkBoat's May cover story on the offshore industry, day-rate increases for supply vessels are lagging significantly behind those being received by Gulf of Mexico drilling contractors. This scenario didn't change much during...

Inland insider: will $100 oil prices eventually seem cheap?(AT A GLANCE)
June 1, 2005... "Cheer up, things could be worse," someone once said. "And things got worse!" The fact that the price of oil is only around $50 per barrel is said to be a bargain compared to the early 1980s when there were shortages. So what will the price of...

Legal talk: written charter agreements are good business.(AT A GLANCE)
June 1, 2005... The timing is right and one of your vessels is idle, so you contract her and a crew for a U.S. Navy survey project. It's a 14-day charter at a very good rate. Sure you're making money, but what is your potential liability? [ILLUSTRATION...

Finance talk: asset protection: part I.(AT A GLANCE)(Liability insurance)
June 1, 2005... Damages from a maritime casualty can easily exceed your liability coverage. This is especially true if you are carrying a lot of passengers who are not employees, if there is substantial environmental damage, or if your insurance company...

On April 28, Coast Guard boat crews from Station Sabine, Texas, rescued three men after the 784' Liberian-flagged oil tanker Genmar Strength.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: On April 28, Coast Guard boat crews from Station Sabine, Texas, rescued three men after the 784' Liberian-flagged oil tanker Genmar Strength and the 110'X24' crewboat Rene I collided in the Sabine-Neches...

Future looks bright in the Gulf of Mexico.(NEWS LOG)
June 1, 2005... High commodity prices have just about everyone in the energy industry happy these days, from oil and gas companies to onshore and offshore drilling contractors to vessel operators. At two industry conferences held in Houston recently,...

Licensing issues top list of offshore concerns.(NEWS BITTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Unless addressed soon, problems with mariner licensing may lead to personnel shortages in the offshore service industry. At a recent meeting of the Offshore Marine Service Association held in New Orleans, OMSA President Ken Wells described the...

Foss Maritime hit with record fine for oil spill.(NEWS LOG)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Washington state has fined Foss Maritime Co. $577,000 for negligence that resulted in a 4,700-gal. oil spill in 2003. The fine was the largest ever for an oil spill in Puget Sound. Seattle-based Foss had 30 days to appeal the fine that was...

Concerns voiced over response plan rule.(NEWS LOG)(Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004)
June 1, 2005... Implementation of a section of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 requiring vessel response plans is causing worry among non-tank vessel operators. The act requires that non-tank vessel response plans be prepared and...

Marine segment pulls down Manitowoc.(NEWS BITTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Manitowoc Company Inc. reported strong sales and earnings in the first quarter despite a lackluster performance from its marine segment. For the quarter ended March 31, net sales increased 30 percent to $536.9 million, from $411.8 million...

Corps funding will be performance based.(NEWS LOG)(Army Corps of Engineers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Much has been made over the years on how much money the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needs to keep the inland waterway system operating efficiently, and how necessary funding keeps coming up short. Maj. Gen. Don T. Riley, the Corps'...

Ferry operators review new security study.(NEWS LOG)
June 1, 2005... The U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration have completed a study to determine how secure ferries are from a potential terrorist attack. Although no specific threat has been discovered against ferries in the U.S.,...

Louisiana bill would allow gambling aboard paddlewheeler.(NEWS BITTS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... A New Orleans-based cruise operator wants to offer gambling to attract more customers on its overnight inland waterways cruises. If a bill introduced in the Louisiana Legislature passes, Delta Queen Steamboat Co. will be able to offer slot...

Italian engine maker cracks U.S. market.(NEWS LOG)
June 1, 2005... Italian engine manufacturer Iveco, which produced 430,000 engines in 2004, is continuing its push into the North American market. The company launched Iveco Motors of North America in January 2004 out of its new North American headquarters...

Catch a wave: puget sound's Rich Passage gets more wake-wash testing.(WAKE WASH)
June 1, 2005... The admonition "don't make waves" is particularly appropriate to high-speed ferry operations that run close to valuable waterfront property. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Washington State Ferries learned this lesson the hard way several...

Deep freeze? Changes in historic program have brought out the Coast Guard's critics.(USCG DEEPWATER PROGRAM)
June 1, 2005... The U.S. Coast Guard's ambitious program to overhaul its aging and ailing fleet of vessels and aircraft is in the midst of an overhaul itself. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In late March, the agency sent Congress a revised implementation...

First pilot boat from Island Boats.(ON THE WAYS)(Island Boats Inc.)
June 1, 2005... Down in the heart of Cajun country in Jeanerette, La., Island Boats Inc. has been really busy of late. It started late last year with the delivery of a 42'X14'X6' pilot boat for the Port Everglades (Fla.) Pilots Association. With the...

Vancouver Shipyard busy with barges and repairs.(ON THE WAYS)
June 1, 2005... The sprawling 40 acres of Vancouver Shipyard in North Vancouver, B.C., continues to be occupied with a variety of newbuild and repair/refurbish projects. Owned by Washington Marine Group, parent company of Seaspan International, Cates Tugs and...

Ingalls lays keel of first National Security Cutter.(ON THE WAYS)
June 1, 2005... Northrop Grumman Ship Systems recently laid the keel for the first National Security Cutter (NSC), a vital part of the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater program. Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations in Pascagoula, Miss., is building the...

Lowell Brothers builds ferry for Chesapeake Bay.(ON THE WAYS)
June 1, 2005... On the last day of April, the 43-foot passenger ferry Elizabeth Thomas left Lowell Brothers in Yarmouth, Maine, on its way to Chesapeake Bay's Tangier Island, Va. The boat's owner, Rudy Thomas, will use it to carry passengers and cargo on an...

Jamestown Metal building Indiana casino boat.(ON THE WAYS)
June 1, 2005... Boca Raton, Fla.-based Jamestown Metal Marine Sales is building a 402'X208' steel-hulled U.S. Coast Guard-certified casino boat on site for Blue Chip Casino and Hotel in Michigan City, Ind. Boyd Gaming Corp., owners of the Blue Chip Casino,...

Boatbuilding bitts.(ON THE WAYS)
June 1, 2005... Master Boat Builders Inc., Bayou La Batre, Ala., recently delivered the Sister Mary Roland, a 145'X36'X12' offshore supply vessel, to Abdon Callais Offshore LLC, Golden Meadow, La. The main engines are Caterpillar 3508Bs rated at 850 hp at...

Tug and barge activity is still about ATBs.(YEARBOOK)(Articulated tug-barges)
June 1, 2005... The big topics in the marine industry during the past 12 months were security issues, OPA '90 construction, and a pickup in the passenger vessel, inland and offshore markets. For certain boatbuilders, it means more business for yards that have...

Shipyards persevere through uncertain times.(YEARBOOK)
June 1, 2005... Times are pretty good for many shipyards right now. The pilot boat, passenger vessel and military markets are going strong. Harbor tug construction is holding steady and there's still some OPA '90-related work out there. Increased safety...

The business current is strong on the inland waters.(YEARBOOK)
June 1, 2005... The past year offered many bright spots and multiple reasons to be optimistic about the nation's inland waterways industry, which appears to be emerging from a succession of difficult years. "People in the inland industry feel really good...

Passenger vessel operators are primed for a good season.(YEARBOOK)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2005... No one's jumping for joy yet, but passenger vessel operators hope the economy will maintain enough steam to finally shake the post-9/11 malaise. And while generally upbeat about the future, operators also are grappling with the high cost...

The news is finally good for OSV operators.(YEARBOOK)
June 1, 2005... Oil service companies should have figured it out a long time ago. Just admit that things don't look good and then they'll turn around. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For several years, industry officials stuck to the mantra that a rebound in...

Sounds of silence: NMFS survey vessels meet international low-noise standards.(NOAA SURVEY VESSEL)
June 1, 2005... Any first-in-its-class boat will have a few wrinkles to iron out. Add to this basic tenet the complications of building a specialized scientific research boat for the federal government, and you've got the still unfolding story of the Oscar...

Lady in waiting: new Chesapeake Bay passenger vessel was built to be elegant and versatile.(65' DINNER/CRUISE BOAT)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... Those who travel to the Chesapeake Bay area this summer may want to consider hopping aboard the new tour vessel Lady Sarah. Locals planning a corporate meeting, wedding or just want to cruise to a crab feast, cookout, or enjoy more...

Interconnect system.(Whitney Blake Co)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Whitney Blake Co., Bellows Falls, Vt., is marketing its inline, moisture-sealed, Passive Latch interconnect system for marine applications. The moisture seal contacts protect against corrosion, rust and debris. The Passive Latch inter-connect...

Filtering system.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
June 1, 2005... Walker Engineering's new CCE AIRSEP system offers the marine industry a high-efficiency, replaceable coalescing filter, an integrated turbo silencer, and a washable air filter. For years, AIRSEPs have kept engine rooms clean from blowby and...

Equipment lock box.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
June 1, 2005... Thybar Corp., Addison, Ill., has developed a new equipment lock box for construction job sites, marinas, and more. Made of 14-gauge Galvalume[R] steel under two coats of paint, the standard-size 30"X30"X48" lock box specializes in on-the-spot...

Plasma cutter.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
June 1, 2005... St. Louis-based TurboTorch's new, portable Firepower[R] PC250 Plasma Cutting System features a 40 percent duty cycle and 1/4" cutting capacity to handle aluminum and mild steel sheet metal jobs. The new torch machine weighs 24 lbs. and can...

Composite spray.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
June 1, 2005... Westech's InfuZene Vacuum Infusion Enabler now comes in a new spray canister. Manufacturers like the way InfuZene replaces spray adhesives during set up, holding layers of dry materials together for bagging. During the curing process, InfuZene...

Searchlights.(PRODUCT LOCKER)
June 1, 2005... Golight Inc., Culbertson, Neb., has introduced a new line of searchlights--the Golight Stryker series. The company's wireless dash-mount control allows for fingertip operation and eliminates the need to route a wiring cable from the searchlight...

Oil change.(Reverso Pumps)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Reverso Pumps, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is marketing its new GP-806 Oil Change System for larger boats including commercial vessels. The GP-806 is AC powered and can service multiple engines, transmissions and generators. With increased lift...

Tidewater Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tidewater Inc., New Orleans, has announced the following promotions: Joseph M. Bennett to senior vice president, principal accounting officer, and chief investor relations officer; William R. Brown IV to vice president; and Craig Demarest to...

GE Transportation.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(GE Transportation appointed Jeff Moll as director, sales and marketing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Jeff Moll has been appointed director, sales and marketing, for Evendale, Ohio-based GE Transportation's aeroderivative marine gas turbine business. Moll is responsible for worldwide marketing and sales for GE's full line of LM marine gas...

Yanmar Marine International.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Yanmar Marine International, Adairsville, Ga., has launched its new Web site: www.yanmarmarine.com. Diversified Business Communications is seeking topic proposals, including abstracts, papers and speakers, for the 2005 conference at the...

Yarde Metals Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Southington, Conn.-based Yarde Metals Inc., a distributor of aluminum alloys 5083 and 5086, extrusions, sheet and plate, have added John Westeyn, Mike Baselice, Rick Marcinczyk and Jim Reeser to its sales team. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

The AMOT XTS-W Bearing Condition Monitoring System has been added to the extent of delivery list for all MAN B&W.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The AMOT XTS-W Bearing Condition Monitoring System has been added to the extent of delivery list for all MAN B&W two-stroke engines under a new cooperative agreement between the two companies. Now an approved option for all new two-stroke...

The American Waterways Operators.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The American Waterways Operators has elected Steven P. Valerius as its new chairman and Dale Sause as vice chairman. Valerius is president of Kirby Inland Marine LP, Houston, and Sause is president of Sause Brothers, Coos Bay, Ore. Each will...

Maretron has earned the National Marine Manufacturers Association's innovation award in consumer electronics.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Maretron has earned the National Marine Manufacturers Association's innovation award in consumer electronics. The Phoenix-based company designed its SSC200 compass with no moving parts so that during hard turns or active seas it responds...

QCI Marine Offshore LLC.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... David Griffin has been hired by QCI Marine Offshore LLC of Houston to manage the company's electrical & mechanical group. In addition, Griffin will play a role in diversifying QCI into the shipbuilding and repair industry for both the...

Wartsila Corp.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Wartsila Corp. was awarded a contract recently from Ulstein Verft AS in Norway to supply gensets, thrusters, control systems and seals for an anchor-handling tug/supply vessel. The 274'X61' AHTS is being built for Bourbon Offshore Norway AS, a...

Fischer Panda Generators U.S.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Fischer Panda Generators U.S., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., through its new subsidiary Megatech-Marine, recently signed an exclusive agreement with Brazil-based Megatech Dumon to market marine propulsion engines for North America. Megatech-Marine...

Calendar.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... June 6-8 LIQUID TERMINALS FORUM The Independant Liquid Terminals Association's 25th Annual International Operating Conference and Trade Show, George R. Brown Convention Center, Hilton Americas, Houston. Tel: 202-842-9200 ...

Work boat: looks back.(WB ARCHIVES)
June 1, 2005... June 1945 * Waterways operators and the federal government have confirmed that VE Day has brought no reduction in traffic on the nation's canals and rivers, and that peak capacity tonnage will continue to move until Japan is defeated. The...