Workboat articles from May 2007

Workboat archives from May 2007

The good Gulf.(EDITOR'S WATCH)(Editorial)
May 1, 2007... Eventually, things had to cool off a bit in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Day rates continue to edge downward from their record levels of a year ago, as jackups depart the Gulf. But operators aren't complaining too much. And they shouldn't....

Merchant mariners have been dishonored.(MAIL BAG)
May 1, 2007... I have read with interest the postings to the Mail Bag since I left the merchant marine in 2005. There just isn't much good news. I held a limited chief engineer license for 20 years and worked in the merchant marine from 1978 until 2005. I...

Doing right by right whales.(MAIL BAG)
May 1, 2007... With shipping lane and vessel speed restrictions already imposed on the Atlantic seaboard to protect the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale, mariners who traverse the North Pacific would do well to follow the fishing industry's lead...

Tug or towboat: which is it?(MAIL BAG)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Does anyone other than a person working on the inland waterways know the difference between a tugboat and a towboat? I've been working on the waterways for over 20 years now, and to this day it hasn't changed--a towboat is flat on the...

On the water: licensing SOS--Part 1.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... Over the years, mariners have experienced all types of problems while going through the renewal process for U.S. Coast Guard-issued licenses or merchant mariners documents. In the last few years, the number and severity of the problems seem to...

Captain's table: passenger vessels and emergency evacuation.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... Several studies are examining the role of transit operations, including passenger vessels, in evacuating people from dangerous locations and situations such as terrorist attacks, hurricanes and earthquakes. The Transportation Research...

WorkBoat Composite Index: index jumps 109 points.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... March was a big month for the WorkBoat Composite Index, rising over 7.5 percent. Helping boost the 109-point jump in the Index were oil service issues, which were up almost 9 percent for the month. During March, winners topped losers by a ratio...

OSV Day Rates: rates dip, rigs leave.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... Gulf of Mexico service vessel operators continued to see day rates for their workboat fleets fall in March, while utilization stayed the same or dipped slightly for most vessel categories. A year ago, rates rose in March. The U.S. Gulf...

Inland insider: uncertainty ahead for new growth markets for barges.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... They say real estate value is based on three things--location, location, location. But the market sets real estate prices. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's what buyers are willing to pay and sellers are willing to accept. And property...

Legal talk: Jones Act seaman status.(AT A GLANCE)
May 1, 2007... The Jones Act means different things to different people. For a fleet owner, the most important aspect may be the legal requirements to construct vessels in the U.S. For a mate or deckhand on a towboat, it is how the Jones Act protects them in...

Q & A.(AT A GLANCE)(dialogue with Steve Ellis)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... Steve Ellis, vice president, Taxpayers for Common Sense, a budget watchdog group dedicated to cutting wasteful government spending and subsidies. WorkBoat: Your organization acts as a fiscal watchdog, monitoring federal spending and...

Bumpy road continues for LCS and Deepwater program.(NEWS LOG)
May 1, 2007... The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard are reining in contractors on two showcase projects to keep the tab down and the political fallout from growing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Navy and Lockheed Martin Corp. have been negotiating since...

Foss Maritime to build 5,000-hp 'green' tug.(NEWS LOG)
May 1, 2007... In March, Seattle-based Foss Maritime Co. announced plans to build the world's first true hybrid tug. According to Foss, the tug will be a 'green' vessel that will significantly reduce harmful nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, sulphur...

New security ID cards hit technical snag.(NEWS LOG)
May 1, 2007... The first step in implementing the controversial Transportation Worker Identification Credential program was delayed in March due to technical problems. TWIC enrollment was scheduled to begin for workers at the Port of Wilmington, Del., on...

Report on B.C. ferry sinking leaves gaps.(NEWS LOG)
May 1, 2007... Shortly after midnight on March 22, 2006, while on a routine 18-hour run down the Inside Passage from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, British Columbia, the Queen of the North failed to follow its intended course, ran aground and sank. Of the...

More study needed on LNG tankers, GAO says.(NEWS LOG)
May 1, 2007... Concerns persist about the safety of tankers carrying liquefied natural gas. Meanwhile, the federal government is moving ahead with a flurry of applications to build new LNG import terminals designed to meet growing demand for natural gas. ...

Tour boat owner and captain plead guilty.(NEWS BITTS)
May 1, 2007... The owner and captain of an upstate New York tour boat involved in a 2005 accident that killed 20 have plead guilty to violating the state's navigation law. Lake George, N.Y.-based Shoreline Cruises Inc., owner of the tour boat Ethan Allen, and...

Coast Guard meets SAFE Port deadline.(NEWS BITTS)
May 1, 2007... The U.S. Coast Guard said it has met the April 1 deadline mandated by the SAFE Port Act of 2006 to track all large commercial vessels within U.S. waters. "Using the full range of classified and unclassified vessel tracking information available...

Losing trust: the Inland Waterways Trust Fund needs a revenue boost.(FOCUS: INLAND WATERWAYS)
May 1, 2007... The Inland Waterways Trust Fund may soon be broke. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] One one hand, spending down the trust fund has always been a goal of the inland waterways industry. This means that money is being spent for its intended purpose:...

Union label: House proposal could rekindle efforts to unionize workers in the Gulf.(FOCUS: LABOR)(Employee Free Choice Act)
May 1, 2007... A major victory by union advocates in the U.S. House of Representatives has set the stage for an end to secret ballot elections for union recognition. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The bill, the Employee Free Choice Act, faces a possible...

Float master: transport specialist moves everything from yachts to workboats to rigs.(IN BUSINESS: VESSEL TRANSPORT)
May 1, 2007... While waiting for the loading order, the 228'x44' Grand Luxe slowly circled Nanaimo Harbor on the east side of British Columbia's Vancouver Island. Two small pleasure boats hovered in the background. A few moments later, the Grand Luxe floated...

Buildup: construction of new OSVs is currently strong, but uncertainty lies ahead.(VESSEL REPORT: ocean station vessel)
May 1, 2007... New offshore supply vessels are rolling off the ways in impressive numbers. Even more impressive are the number of boats set for delivery through 2008 and beyond. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to WorkBoat's 2005 Construction Survey,...

Orange Shipbuilding delivers Corps towboat.(CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS)
May 1, 2007... Orange Shipbuilding Co. Inc. recently delivered the 124'x34'x10' towboat General Warren to the Corps of Engineers St. Paul (Minn.) District. The Corps likes to say that its experience with towboat construction over the years has resulted...

Bender building ATBs for Overseas Shipholding.(CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS)
May 1, 2007... Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. Inc., Mobile, Ala., is building six articulated tug-barges for New York-based Overseas Shipholding Group Inc. The ATBs were designed by Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering, Milford, Mass. CT Marine, Edgecomb, Maine,...

Master Boat delivers OSV to Abdon Callais.(CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS)
May 1, 2007... Master Boat Builders has designed and delivered another of its steel-hulled supply boats to Abdon Callais Offshore (ACO), Golden Meadow, La. The DP1, ACO Keith Duggan is a 205-class OSV that measures 185'x46'x15'. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Almar delivers patrol boat to the Port of Seattle.(CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS)
May 1, 2007... The Port of Seattle may only operate one patrol boat, but the new one it just acquired is loaded. In early April, the port's police department took delivery of a new 37'x12' aluminum patrol boat designed and built by Almar Boats, Tacoma,...

MetalCraft Marine.(BOATBUILDING BITTS)
May 1, 2007... MetalCraft Marine, Kingston, Ontario, recently delivered a FireStorm 36 aluminum fireboat for Annapolis, Md. The new boat, the Annapolis, is powered by twin 490-hp Cummins engines and Hamilton 292 waterjets. Top speed is 43 mph. With the Darley...

Seacraft Shipyard Corp.(BOATBUILDING BITTS)
May 1, 2007... Seacraft Shipyard Corp., Amelia, La., recently delivered the Ms. Cordelia, a 140'x38' all-aluminum catamaran seismographic vessel. Main power is supplied by a pair of Lugger diesels developing 700 hp each at 2,100 rpm. The diesels turn 48"x 40"...

Aries Marine Corp.(BOATBUILDING BITTS)
May 1, 2007... Lafayette, La.-based Aries Marine Corp. recently took delivery of its second DP2 platform supply vessel, the Kylie Williams. The 220'x54'x19' PSV was built by ThomaSea Boat Builders, Houma, La., and has a 2,660-dwt load capacity. Tankage...

Guido Perla and Associates Inc.(BOATBUILDING BITTS)(Guido Perla and Associates Inc., contracts)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Guido Perla and Associates Inc., Seattle, announced that Trico Marine Services, Houston, has ordered two GPA 640 platform support vessels. The PSVs will be built at Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. in Mobile, Ala. Each 210' DP2-certified vessel...

Steady going: Gulf OSV operators remain upbeat despite sluggish jackup rig activity.
May 1, 2007... Supply vessel operators in the U.S. Gulf remain generally optimistic about future prospects despite fewer shelf rigs and a generally flat rig activity forecast for at least the next year or so. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Several OSV...

Old school: tug's clever design is both traditional and innovative.(BOATS & GEAR: 3,000-HP OCEAN TUG)
May 1, 2007... In an era when new tugs seem to be drifting away from their design roots, the Treasure Coast is a reminder that it's possible to create a high-eye-level, versatile tug with traditional lines and plenty of crew comfort features. The...

Lifesavers: new survival devices can make all the difference.(BOATS & GEAR: SAFETY AND SURVIVAL)
May 1, 2007... In 2005, a marine surveyor and a deckhand quickly discovered the limitations of being rescued with so-called life rings. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the surveyor was going from a launch to a bulk freighter in San Francisco harbor, he...

Austal USA. Mobile Ala.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Bob Browning has been named chief executive officer of Austal USA, Mobile, Ala. He will be based in Mobile and assume his post in mid-August. Browning has been a non-executive director of the company since September 2003. He will step down as...

Vigor Marine LLC.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Ore., a Vigor Industrial LLC company, has opened an office in the San Francisco Bay area to provide ship repair operations. Steve Lambert has been appointed general manager of Vigor Marine's Bay Area operations....

Performance Fibers Inc.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Torben Wetche has been named vice president and chief financial officer at Performance Fibers Inc., a Richmond, Va.-based producer of polyester fibers, fabrics and materials. Wetche brings over 23 years of financial experience to the company,...

Army Corps of Engineers.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The Army Corps of Engineers is building a new sub-office in Venice, La., to replace the one Hurricane Katrina destroyed in 2005. The $6.05 million office will feature a cast-in-place pile supported foundation and utilize pre-cast, reinforced...

FUSION Electronics.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Todd Crocker is the new North, South and Central America general manager for FUSION Electronics. The Phoenix-based company is a worldwide manufacturer of marine audio and display products.

Marine Resources Group.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Marine Resources Group, a Seattle-based marine services holding company, recently announced that Kirstin Sandaas has been promoted to chief financial officer and Kevin Orstad has joined the company as group controller. Sandaas joined MRG in the...

Radio Holland Group.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Radio Holland Group, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, has purchased Seacoast Electronics Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Seacoast has 24 employees. Radio Holland has 54 offices in 18 countries.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Fifteen offshore energy companies have been named national finalists for the Department of the Interior's 2006 Safety Awards for Excellence (SAFE) competition. The SAFE awards are presented annually to Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil-and-gas...

Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Linthicum, Md.-based Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) recently opened its new marine simulation technology center. The facility features an upgraded full-mission shiphandling simulator and a full-mission towing...

West Marine.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Watsonville, Calif.-based West Marine recently reopened its rebuilt store in New Orleans. The store had been closed since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Zodiac of North America.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Zodiac of North America, Stevensville, Md., has a newly designed Web site. The Zodiac site can be accessed through two different addresses: www.zodiacmarineusa.com and www.zodiacnorthamerica.com.

OTESAT-Maritel.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Iridium Satellite, Bethesda, Md., recently named OTESAT-Maritel as an authorized service provider for Iridium voice and data services. OTESAT-Maritel is a supplier of satellite communications equipment and services to Greece and other...

Terry Taylor is the new director of sales and marketing for Night Vision Technologies.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Terry Taylor is the new director of sales and marketing for Night Vision Technologies, a multiple sensor vision systems manufacturer based in Irving, Texas.

Foss Maritime Co.(WORKBOAT BUSINESS)
May 1, 2007... Gulf Caribe-EI Segundo is now fully integrated with its parent company, Seattle-based Foss Maritime Co. The El Segundo Calif., office and its 25 employees will now operate as a Foss regional office. Foss purchased Gulf Caribe Maritime in 1999,...

Charting system upgrade.
May 1, 2007... SI-TEX's new ColorMax Pro charting system with GPS/WAAS receiver is now available on a high-resolution 10.4" color active matrix LCD display. The 800x600 pixel display offers enhanced color and clarity even in bright sunlight. The ColorMax Pro...

Pushbutton switches.
May 1, 2007... APEM Components Inc., a Haverhill, Mass., manufacturer of industrial switches, has expanded its line of IP (ingress protection) sealed pushbutton switches. The new IPP series features the addition of a flat-top plunger switch and allows for...

Improved floor grinders.
May 1, 2007... Blastrac has introduced the BMG-2500MKII plug-style diamond grinder that features an improved dust control system and a new line of beveled segment diamond plugs. The new plugs reduce vibration when grinding and also reduce scratch marks from...

Air/water reels.
May 1, 2007... Coxreels has introduced a new Little Giant (LG) series specifically designed for tubing and air/water applications. The LG series is equipped with a continuous radius grommet style tubing guide constructed of bearing grade, unique FDA compliant...

Plunger pump.
May 1, 2007... Cat Pumps is marketing its new 6762 Triplex Reciprocating Positive Displacement Plunger Pump for desalination systems. The 6762 features Duplex stainless steel head and valve assemblies that provide added corrosion resistance, higher strength,...

Low power source.
May 1, 2007... Mastervolt, Hanover, Md., a manufacturer of marine, mobile and renewable energy technology, has released the latest addition to its line of power inverters--the AC Master. The AC Master line consists of four 230V/50Hz models ranging in power...

Calendar.(Calendar)
May 1, 2007... April 30-May 3 OFFSHORE CONFERENCE The 2007 Offshore Technology Conference, Reliant Center, Houston. Tel: 972-952-9494 www.otcnet.com May 14-17 GAS TURBINE EXPO ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)...

Workboat looks back.(WB ARCHIVES)(Chronology)
May 1, 2007... May 1947 * On this month's cover is the Coast Guard cutter Fern, at work on the Tennessee River near Knoxville, Tenn. * The White House may ease the ban on funding for waterways development. John Steelman, assistant to the president...