Workboat articles from May 2003

Workboat archives from May 2003

Tighten Title XI oversight. .(shipbuilding loan guarantee program)(Editorial)
May 1, 2003... The ongoing debate over the Title XI I shipbuilding loan guarantee program has always been about economics. Opponents of the program argue that too many questionable projects that wouldn't be able to secure private financing get approved and...

On the water: a tankerman's eulogy. (At a Glance).(Staten Island barge explosion)
May 1, 2003... On the morning of Feb. 21, TV coverage of the barge explosion on Staten Island, N.Y., showed a large plume of dense, black smoke. The barge had been pumping off a load of gasoline when it exploded in a huge fireball, killing both tankermen...

Captain's table: Coast Guard program targets major casualties. (At a Glance).(Coast Guard Passenger Vessel Safety, Prevention and Mass Rescue Operations program)
May 1, 2003... Adm. James Loy, the former Coast Guard commandant, is reported to have said that when he woke at night and couldn't get back to sleep, it was because he was thinking about a major passenger vessel catastrophe. The probability of a major...

WorkBoat's Composite Index: Index continues losing streak.
May 1, 2003... The first-quarter ended the way it started for most companies that comprise the WorkBoat Composite Index--on a down note. For the third straight month, the Index posted a loss. The Index lost about 1 percent in March, with losers topping...

Inland insider: deeper' shallow-draft? (At a Glance).(Mississippi River System)
May 1, 2003... How deep is shallow draft? For the most part, the Mississippi River System is considered to be a shallow-draft waterway. But it might he wiser to think of Ole Man River in terms of two or three sections. The free-flowing Mississippi from New...

OSV day rates: new MMS proposal could spark shelf activity. (At a Glance).(offshore support vessels; Minerals Management Service royalty relief proposal)
May 1, 2003... Last month, WorkBoat reported that certain events bode well for deepwater rigs and, consequently, deepwater supply vessels. Now it's the shelf operators' turn for some good news. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced in late March...

Legal talk: marine salvage; a good deed rewarded. (At a Glance).
May 1, 2003... Marine salvage is the compensation allowed to a salvor who saves a ship or its cargo from impending peril on the sea, or in recovering such property from actual loss, such as a shipwreck. In 1874, the U.S. Supreme Court identified three...

Q&A: a talk with Dennis Kirwin, president of Waterways Work!, Arlington, Va.(Interview)
May 1, 2003... WorkBoat: The goal of your organization is to promote a positive image of the inland waterways system. What have you done so far, and have you been successful in getting the message out? Dennis Kirwin: We have made numerous visits to...

Use of Corps' hopper dredges questioned. (News Bitts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Restrictions on the use of the Army Corps of Engineers' hopper dredge fleet that began in fiscal 1993 have not resulted in proven benefits, according to a General Accounting Office study. The Corps gradually reduced its hopper dredge fleet from...

BC Ferries' PacifiCats sold to Washington Marine Group. (News Log).
May 1, 2003... The PacifiCat ferries may stay close to home after a local company emerged as the buyer of the troubled boats. After trying for almost three years to unload its three PacifiCat fast vehicle ferries, BC Ferries decided earlier this year to...

AWO Vessel Security Plan gets USCG nod. (News Bitts).(U.S Coast Guard approves American Waterways Operators Model Vessel Security Plan)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The American Waterways Operators Model Vessel Security Plan has gotten the OK from the U.S. Coast Guard. The plan, developed in close consultation with the USOG, serves as a template for company-specific procedures to counter terrorism. The...

Shipyard injury rates drop again. (News Bitts).(Shipbuilders Council of America member shipyards)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Injury and illness rates at Shipbuilders Council of America member shipyards were down for the fifth consecutive year, the Washington, D.C.-based trade association announced recently. The average Total Recordable Incident Rates (TRIR) at...

Funding battle for inland waterways looms. (News Log).
May 1, 2003... It's started again-the beginning of yet another budget battle in Congress over adequate funding for operation and maintenance of the nation's aging waterways system. This time, however, inland proponents say the situation is more dire than...

VT Halter Marine to complete contract. (News Bitts).(signs with Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... VT Halter Marine Inc., Gulfport, Miss., announced in April that it had signed a contract with Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines to complete construction on a 579x102 pure car-truck carrier that had been started by Friede Goldman Halter. Vision...

Coast Guard missions may be suffering. (News Log).(drug interdiction and fisheries enforcement )
May 1, 2003... A recent government study shows that some traditional Coast Guard missions are being neglected as the agency dedicates more resources to homeland security. A General Accounting Office report shows that drug interdiction and fisheries...

Shipyard strike at Marmnette Marine hits Manitowoc in the bottom line. (News Log).
May 1, 2003... A 44-day walkout by shipyard workers at Marmnette (Wis.) Marine Corp. has erased first-quarter earnings at Manitowoc Co. Inc., the yard's parent company. Manitowoc announced in April that its original first-quarter earnings estimate of 12-15...

Safe Boats wins USCG response boat contract. (News Log).(Coast Guard places order)
May 1, 2003... The Coast Guard announced in April that it had awarded its RBS (Response Boat Small) contract to Safe Boats International. The new RBS contract is the Coast Guard's first step in standardizing its small boat fleet and will result in a new class...

Funds expected for Corps projects, official says. (News Log).
May 1, 2003... Two projects in the Corps of Engineers New Orleans District face financial hurdles based on the agency's proposed budget for fiscal 2004. However, a Corps official in New Orleans said he expects to find the money for both. The first...

Orderly process: standardization of tug commands could reduce confusion. (Focus Tug Commands).
May 1, 2003... Capt. Vic Schisler is a man on a mission. He wants ship pilots to use standard commands when communicating with tugs during assists and escorts. Schisler, a senior pilot at Jacobsen Pilot Service Inc., Long Beach, Calif., believes that...

Electrified: many operators are sold on the benefits of diesel-electric power. (Vessel Report: Offshore Service Vessels).
May 1, 2003... One of the biggest knocks against using diesel-electric propulsion instead of direct-drive power is the installation cost. Yet two of the oldest offshore service vessel providers in the Gulf of Mexico and a start-up have invested millions...

Nichols Brothers to build first Navy X-Craft. (On the Ways).(Nichols Brothers Boat Builders build fast test vehicle)
May 1, 2003... As the name implies, this boat is stretching the envelope. Dubbed the "X-Craft" by the U.S. Navy, the 265'x73' aluminum catamaran to be built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash., will be the first of its kind. Like the...

Austal USA to deliver dinner cruise boat. (On the Ways).
May 1, 2003... A ustal USA, Mobile, Ala., was scheduled to complete a 135'x30' aluminum monohull dinner cruise vessel for New York City-based Cloud Nine Marine in late April. The Clond Nine, designed by Austal Ships, the yard's Australian parent company, will...

Retros & refurbs: Davis Boatworks overhauls Navy speedsters. (On the Ways).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... "We take the repairs to these vessels very seriously," said Davis Boatworks owner Frank Wagner, as he looked over the hull of a Mk V (Mark V) in for overhaul at his Norfolk, Va., yard. The current overhaul is the eighth Mk V that Davis...

Edison Chouest launches 348-foot anchor-handler. (On the Ways).
May 1, 2003... Edison Chouest Offshore, Galliano, La recently launched the 348'X72'X31' anchor-handling tug/supply vessel Laney Chouest. The company bills the boat as the "largest and most powerful anchor-handling, towing and supply vessel in the world." ...

Leevac Industries LLC. (Boat Building Bitts).(delivered the HOS Bluewater to Hornbeck Offshore Services )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Leevac Industries LLC, Jennings, La., delivered the HOS Bluewater, a 240'X54'X19' offshore service vessel, to Mandeville, La.-based Hornbeck Offshore Services in mid-March. The Bluewater is the first of four deepwater OSVs that Leevac is...

Atlantic Marine Inc. (Boat Building Bitts).(delivered the Meredith C. Reinauer to Reinauer Transportation Companies Inc)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Atlantic Marine Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., recently delivered the Meredith C. Reinauer to Reinauer Transportation Companies Inc., Staten Island, N.Y. The 124'X40'X22' tug is part of an ATB combination which includes the 150,000bbl. RTC 150. The...

Moose Boat. (Boat Building Bitts).(delivers catamaran to Cortez Expeditions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Moose Boats, Nicasio, Calif., recently delivered the Chinaco, a 365" aluminum jet-powered catamaran, to Cortez Expeditions. The company offers whale watching, diving, sportfishing, eco-tours and explores Mexico's Sea of Cortez. The Chinaco is...

Bollinger Marine Fabricator. (Boat Building Bitts).(delivers barge to K-Sea Transportation Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Bollinger Marine Fabricators, Amelia, La., has delivered the DBL 81, an 80,000-bbl. double-hull oil tank barge to K-Sea Transportation Corp., Staten Island, N.Y. It is the second of a four-barge contract for K-Sea. The remaining two barges will...

2002 Construction Survey Update.(includes delivery date and type of vessel)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2003... 2002 CONSTRUCTION SURVEY UPDATE The following is an updated construction survey list from Derecktor Shipyards: Delivery Type Vessel Name * Date Dimensions Vessel Phantom ...

Rigged market: operators search for positive signs in the stagnant Gulf of Mexico.(Cover Story)
May 1, 2003... The Gulf of Mexico rig market may finally have something to cheer about after a year of lackluster drilling activity. Rig activity is rising, partly in response to higher natural gas prices coupled with lower-than-anticipated gas storage...

Gimme Shelter: double-ended ferry for long Island is long, sleek and sturdy. (Boats & Gear: 130' Ferry).
May 1, 2003... It was a beautiful late March day on Shelter Island, N.Y., out on Long Island's East End. The sun was bright as Capt. Jeff Gibbs slowed the Mashomack, traced a smooth, lazy S-curve into the current, and then let the ferry gradually set back...

Beantown boats: Boston Harbor gets its first Z-drive tugs. (Boats & Gear: 92' Z-drive Tugs).
May 1, 2003... Whether it's maneuvering LNG tankers or fuel barges, the 92' tug Freedom can't help but make a big impact on Boston Harbor. It's the first Z-drive tug to operate in the harbor and the first owned by Boston Towing & Transportation Co., according...

Air it out: inflatable PFDs are wearable but demand attention. (Boats & Gear: Safety/Survival Equipment).( personal flotation devices )
May 1, 2003... In his December 2002 "on the Water" column, Joel Milton advised readers to wear automatically inflating personal flotation devices (PFDs) when working on deck. Why? "Because they are lightweight, comfortable, less bulky than the dreaded work...

Medical assistant. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... TeleMedic Systems says its new VitalLink 1200 is "a physician in a bag," bringing immediate, qualified medical attention to remote places where traditional first responders are not available. Once the unit is turned on, audio and visual prompts...

Shallow-draft thruster. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... HRP Thruster Systems, The Netherlands, has added the HRP Shallow Draft Thruster to its line of azimuth thrusters. While all of its other units are based on outboard-type 360[degrees] steerable propellers, the new thruster is based on an inboard...

Marine enclosures. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... EZ2CY, Arnold, Md., is now using Riri zippers on all of EZ2CY's marine enclosure products. EZ2CY manufactures boat cover products that are made from Acrylite acrylic for added strength and cleanliness. Swiss-made Riri zippers are designed to be...

Line fastener. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... Pigtail Fastener Co., Stillwater, Minn., is currently marketing its Pigtail Fastener. The product is a simple metal shaft tipped by a spiral loop at one or both ends, allowing users to quickly secure any line or rope. The Pigtail Fastener is...

Oil pressure switches. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... Boston-based Cole Hersee Co. has a new line of oil pressure switches that fit a wide range of workboats. The heavy-duty switches axe weather resistant and come in a plated-steel case with a molded moisture-repellent insulator. The contacts open...

Depth finder. (Product Locker).
May 1, 2003... Furuno USA Inc. has introduced its new BBFF3 NavNet Network Sounder. The product is made specifically for use on the NavNet Ethernet Network. Designed to suit a wide variety of vessels, the NavNet series of Ethernet networked products allows...

The National Waterways Conference. (WorkBoat Business).(Worth Hager to succeed Harry N. Cook)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Worth Hager will take over as executive director of the National Waterways Conference on May 1. Hager first joined the NWC in 1981, serving two years as convention coordinator and membership development manager. For the next eight years, she...

Inland Marine Service. (WorkBoat Business).(A. Steven Crowley appointment)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Inland Marine Services, Hebron, Ky., has named Capt. A. Steven Crowley as its new vice president of operations. Crowley will manage all of the company's 13 linehaul and harbor towboats. Previously, Crowley had been the director of inland...

Boston Whaler Commercial and Government Product. (WorkBoat Business).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Boston Whaler Commercial and Government Products has opened a new manufacturing facility in Edgewater, Fla. The newly constructed building encompasses 46,000 sq. ft. under roof on 6.3 square acres. The new facility is used to build unsinkable...

The Minerals Management Service. (WorkBoat Business).(2002 District Safety Award for Excellence )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Minerals Management Service (MMS) recently announced the winners of its 2002 District Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) honors. In the New Orleans District, Transocean Inc., drilling operations; Island Operating Co. Inc., production...

Hornblower Marine Service. (WorkBoat Business).(Gary Frommelt)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Gary Frommelt of Hornblower Marine Services was recently elected president of the Passenger Vessel Association. Frommelt was most recently PVA vice president. He is chairperson for the PVA membership committee and co-chair of the PVA/Coast...

The Manitowoc (Wis.) Co. Inc. (WorkBoat Business).(names Keith D. Nosbush to board)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Keith D. Nosbusch has been named to the board of directors of The Manitowoc (Wis.) Co. Inc. Nosbusch is senior vice president of Rockwell Automation and president of Rockwell's control systems business. The Manitowoc Co. is involved in a number...

Seabulk International. (WorkBoat Business).(Gerhard E. Kurz receives award)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Gerhard E. Kurz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Seabulk International, recently received the International Golden Compass Award at a gala dinner benefiting Seafarers' House of Port Everglades. The award is given annually by...

The Corps of Engineer. (WorkBoat Business).(Gregory E. Breerwood)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Gregory E. Breerwood is the new operations division chief for the Corps of Engineers' New Orleans District. Breerwood was formerly the deputy chief of operations and has been with the New Orleans District for 32 years. The New Orleans District...

American Commercial Barge Line LLC. (WorkBoat Business).(Lisa L. Fleming is new general counsel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Lisa L. Fleming is the new general counsel for Jeffersonville, Ind.-based American Commercial Barge Line LLC. Fleming comes to ACBL from Midland Enterprises where she was assistant general counsel and assistant secretary. In addition, ACBL...

Calendar.
May 1, 2003... * Visit www.workboat.com for information on other commercial marine events * May 5-8 OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY The annual Offshore Technology Conference, Reliant Center, Houston. Tel: 972-952-9494 E-mail: service@otcnet.org ...

Workboat looks back. (WB Archives).
May 1, 2003... March/April 1991 * In the immediate months after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, workboat operators had to deal with wild fluctuations in the price of fuel oil. Also on the minds of operators was terrorism. Russell Cheramie...

Mail Bag.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2003... Mariners deserve respect This letter is to address a problem that is prevalent in the marine industry. But first, here's my background. I have 17 years in the marine industry and hold both a master's and engineer's license. I have worked...