Workboat articles from October 2004

Workboat archives from October 2004

Who's accountable for safety?(Editor's Watch)
October 1, 2004... The August indictment of New York City's director of ferry operations in last year's Staten Island Ferry accident sent a clear message to passenger vessel operators: Top executives can be held accountable for passenger safety. (See story on...

Spending a 'ton' on port security 'enhancements'.(Mail Bag)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I read with great interest (and agreement) your excellent editorial and cover story in the August edition of WorkBoat magazine, both dealing with "port security issues" that are besetting the nation's ports nowadays. Indeed, you hit the...

... more on port security.(Mail Bag)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I was fortunate to receive a copy of your August 2004 cover story and editorial via an e-mail distribution. Firstly, I wish to congratulate you on a concise and timely article that invites speculation on the role of security expenditures in...

Employees have a voice.(Mail Bag)
October 1, 2004... I'm writing in response to the Mail Bag letter that appeared in the April 2004 issue, "Mariners do speak up" written by Capt. T. Napoleone. I would like to begin by stating that the offshore marine transportation industry as a whole has...

Retired towboat engineer says many are not happy.(Mail Bag)
October 1, 2004... I retired from the U.S. Navy in 1982 and started my second career as a Mississippi River towboat engineer. For about the first 10 years of my second career, those hardworking respectful Southern country boys were standing in line on the...

Politics behind Title XI woes.(Title XI multi-vessel contracts)
October 1, 2004... As the contract manager for Bethlehem Shipbuilding's 15 yards from 1974 to 1989 and yard contract administrator before that, I have administered dozens of Title XI multi-vessel contracts. As handled by the Maritime Administration back then,...

Proud of his U.S.-built and U.S.-designed boat.(Mail Bag)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... In the On the Ways section in the July 2004 issue on page 26 ("First U.S.-built Damen design at Eastern Shipbuilding"), your publication reported: "What convinced them was when they went over to Europe and saw these boats perform," said Monroe....

On the water: mariner advancement blocked--Part II.(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... Formal classroom training will soon be necessary for STCW qualification as an Officer in Charge of a Navigation Watch. This new IMO requirement is for anyone who wants a license as master/mate of vessels greater than 200 GRT (U.S.) on near...

Captain's table: a slew of meetings for passenger vessel operators.(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... This fall and winter there are dozens of meetings, conferences, and exhibits that passenger vessel operators should consider attending. The meetings will feature product information as well as speakers discussing industry problems, solutions...

WorkBoat composite index: stocks take a dip.(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... The third quarter downturn continued for the Index as stocks lost 14 points, or 1.7 percent. For August, losers topped gainers by more than 2-1. Leading gainers included K-Sea Transportation Partners, Global Industries, American Electric...

Inland insider: are higher oil prices here to stay?(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... The good old days of cheap gasoline, under $2 a gallon, appears to be over! Prices for commodities such as oil are set by supply and demand, and recent oil prices--over $47 a barrel--indicate that world oil supply is stretching to keep up with...

Legal talk: presumptions in admiralty law.(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... The recent casualty in Louisiana involving a container ship and an offshore service vessel along with vessel/bridge collisions in other states, bring to the forefront the importance of presumptions in maritime law. Presumptions in the law can...

OSV day rates: some good news ... for a change.(At a Glance)
October 1, 2004... There finally appears to be some good news to report after several months of writing about the bleak outlook for the Gulf of Mexico. Vessel utilization increased during August for both classes of supply vessels reported in our monthly...

Fatigue wasn't behind I-40 tow accident, NTSB says.(News Log)
October 1, 2004... The National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that fatigue was not a factor in the May 2002 Interstate 40 bridge accident. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In its report, the NTSB found that the accident was caused by a sudden loss of...

Container-on-barge could boost waterways.(News Log)
October 1, 2004... Successful container-on-barge services could be the shot in the arm the inland waterways need to get more recognition and funding. "It [container-on-barge] could help Congress wake up to the fact that this system needs to be funded and...

Bush administration dashes dam breaching.(News Log)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Tug-and-barge operators on the Columbia/Snake River System breathed a sigh of relief at the end of August when the Bush administration announced it would not remove four federal dams on the Snake River to protect endangered salmon. President...

Maritime security gaps cited in 9-11 report.(News Log)
October 1, 2004... The 9-11 Commission report, which offered some troubling findings about lapses in U.S. security and intelligence before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, also highlighted significant weaknesses in the nation's maritime security. ...

Data piracy suit filed over navigation charts.(News Log)
October 1, 2004... Two Italian companies, Navionics Inc. and C-Map Inc., are holding back royalty fees to Nautical Data International Inc. (NDI), St. John's, Newfoundland, claiming that NDI is simply selling charts provided by the Canadian federal government. ...

Global Industries to sell liftboat division.(News Bitts)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Global Industries Ltd., Houston, has agreed to sell the assets of its liftboat division to Mercury Offshore Assets LLC. The transaction, which is subject to certain conditions, is valued at approximately $53 million and is expected to close in...

Commerce Department penalizes Japanese engine companies.(News Bitts)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Commerce recently issued a preliminary determination of "dumping" by Japanese outboard engine manufacturers and has ordered a 22.52 percent import bond be posted for each Japanese engine brought into the U.S. The DOC's...

Hedge your bets: operators are doing what they can to lower fuel costs.(Focus: Fuel Prices)
October 1, 2004... Drivers of SUVs and other big rigs aren't the only ones who have been hit in the wallet by high fuel costs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Operators of tugs, ferries, dinner boats, OSVs and other vessels are coping with high fuel prices...

Blame game: indictments in N.Y. ferry crash go beyond the wheelhouse.(Focus: Ferry Accident)
October 1, 2004... A criminal indictment that reached into the executive suite of Staten Island Ferry could reverberate well beyond New York City. The case involving last October's fatal ferry crash in Staten Island, N.Y., will make both owners and operators...

Fire trap: many cities and their fire departments need boats, whether they know it or not.(Vessel Report: Fireboats)
October 1, 2004... The Coast Guard has a message for municipalities: "We no longer have the equipment and personnel to fight your fires. We recommend that you get your own boat and some proper training." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It may seem hard to...

Kvichak delivers first of four East Coast pilot boats.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)
October 1, 2004... This fall, three East Coast pilots associations will be running new aluminum vessels built by Seattle's Kvichak Marine Industries. The first to go into service was the Georgia, a Carmac-designed pilot boat built for the Savannah Pilots...

Bay Shipbuilding busy with OPA '90 work.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)
October 1, 2004... What a difference a year makes. Last summer, Bay Shipbuilding Co. resembled a ghost town. Now, there is hardly any room to breathe. The shed and graving docks at the Sturgeon Bay, Wis., yard are bursting at the seams with OPA '90-compliant...

Steel casino boat under construction at Eastern.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Fla., is building a steel-hulled 186'X38'X11'6" casino boat for the Big M Casino Inc., Fort Myers, Fla. The new 500-passenger boat, which is described as a casino vessel and day cruiser, will...

Bollinger completes first of two OSVs for L & M Bo Truc.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bollinger Shipyards Inc., Lockport, La., recently completed the 191'X46'X15' Cheramie Botruc 38 for L & M Bo Truc Rental, Golden Meadow, La. The DP-1 offshore service vessel features a 120'X36'6" rear cargo deck with a capacity of 900 LT...

More catamarans from Allen Marine in Alaska.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)
October 1, 2004... After several years of working 10 hours a day, six or seven days a week, the crew at Allen Marine Inc., Sitka, Alaska, is finally taking a breather. From late 1999 to mid-2003, the family-owned boatbuilder supplied 19 aluminum passenger...

Conrad to build towboat for the Corps of Engineers.(Construction Activity at Workboat Yards)
October 1, 2004... If you travel much up and down the Mississippi River, you've probably seen the Lipscomb, a 126-foot towboat built in 1958. The aging vessel has been worked hard by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg, Miss., MAT-sinking unit. In the...

Boatbuilding bitts.(On the Ways)
October 1, 2004... Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, Somerset, Mass., has delivered a 149-passenger, high-speed ferry to Bay State Cruise Company, Boston. The new ferry provides service between Boston and Provincetown, Mass. The vessel, the...

Reality check: pilots take the sticks at New Orleans training facility's vessel simulator.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... In late August, Capt. Rick Veeder, a 40-year towboat veteran, was pushing two tank barges--one full of jet fuel, the other containing unleaded gasoline--along the Houston Ship Channel heading for berth 12 at the ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown,...

Lake effect: Great Lakes shipbuilder is making a big splash in the Midwest and beyond.(In Business: Manitowoc Marine Group)
October 1, 2004... Located on Lake Michigan, the small city of Manitowoc, Wis., has deep roots in shipbuilding and repair. It's where The Manitowoc Company got its start over 100 years ago as a wooden-ship repair facility and where it launched its first vessel in...

Workboat workhorses: engine designs that have stood the test of time.(Boats & Gear: Propulsion)
October 1, 2004... Tried and true. If you can wrap that phrase around the diesels in your boat, you probably associate it with durability, reliability and consistency whether it's pushing a tow of fuel barges or running a ferry. Some engines quickly gain a...

Show room: Fish Expo WorkBoat Atlantic Show and Conference.(Fish Expo WorkBoat Atlantic)
October 1, 2004... This year marks the third installment of the WorkBoat Atlantic Show and Conference at Fish Expo. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Presented by WorkBoat and National Fisherman magazines, Fish Expo WorkBoat Atlantic focuses exclusively on the...

Logic controller.(Product Locker)
October 1, 2004... AMOT, a Houston-based manufacturer of actuated control valves and sensors for monitoring of hazardous materials, has introduced the TomaHawk 8635A, which combines the power of a programmable logic controller with the ease of an embedded...

Patented winches.(Product Locker)
October 1, 2004... W.W. Patterson Co. recently received a patent for its 40-ton manual barge connector winches. According to the company, the patented mechanism improves operator safety, payout control, and ease of use. It allows operators to achieve higher...

Radar series.(Product Locker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Furuno recently launched two new radar series in association with the company's Voyager-style IBS (integrated bridge system). The FAR-28X7 series features a 23.1" display and is targeted at SOLAS vessels above 10,000 gt. The FAR-21X7 series...

Metal epoxy.(Product Locker)
October 1, 2004... Sherwin-Williams Co. has released its new Dura-Plate MT moisture tolerant epoxy, a low VOC, two-component, bisphenol A epoxy amine coating designed especially for application directly to damp or dry metal surfaces. The low-odor coating can be...

Diesel engines.(Product Locker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Volvo Penta is marketing its D9 diesel engine and high-performance versions of the new generation medium-heavy D4/D6 diesel engines introduced in 2003. The D9, which is being launched in 500-hp and 575-hp versions, is an inline six-cylinder...

Retrofit torch.(Product Locker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Hypertherm Inc. has introduced its new RT60 retro torch designed for Powermax and MAX systems. The RT60 is manufactured for mechanized and manual Hypertherm Powermax600/800/900 and MAX42/43 plasma systems. The new torch's coaxial-assist jet...

Rigdon Marine LLC.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Rigdon Marine LLC, Houston, has signed a long-term contract to provide offshore vessel services in the Gulf of Mexico to Terra Seismic Services, a Norwegian oil and gas seismic company. Rigdon Marine's Orleans-class platform supply vessels are...

Blessey Marine Services Inc.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Blessey Marine Services Inc., Harahan, La., has named Jo Ann Salyers safety manager. Salyers is a 26-year veteran of the maritime industry, six of which have been with Blessey. Other personnel moves at Blessey include Andy Norval, safety...

Wesmar.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Woodinville, Wash.-based Wesmar is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its mechanical division and the manufacture of bowthrusters for workboats. Over the past 10 years, Wesmar has introduced models ranging from 5 hp to 350 hp, all of which are...

Bollinger Shipyards Inc.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bollinger Shipyards Inc., Lockport, La., has relocated its research and development engineering office and high-speed vessels group from Lockport to the James Business Park in St. Rose, La.

Buffalo Marine Service Inc.(WorkBoat Business)(Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has awarded a $1.89 million pollution reduction grant to Buffalo Marine Service Inc., Houston. The grant was part of $81 million in awards that will remove over 13,000 tons of ozone producing...

Conrad Industries Inc.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Cecil Hernandez is the new executive vice president and chief operations officer for Conrad Industries Inc., Morgan City, La. Hernandez has been a member of Conrad's board of directors since 1998 and was Conrad's chief financial officer from...

Voith Schneider America Inc.(renamed as Shaprut Marine Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Great Neck, N.Y.-based Voith Schneider America Inc. has been renamed Shaprut Marine Services Inc. The new company has ended its association with Voith Marine but will continue to offer engineering, contracting, consulting, supervisory, and...

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has appointed Glenn Ashe vice president of government operations for its ABS Americas Division. He will lead the class society's work with the U.S. Navy and other military organizations from the company's...

U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Raymond Barberesi, director of the Office of Ports and Domestic Shipping at the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, retired in June after 28 years of service. Barberesi oversaw major Marad and departmental programs...

Rolls-Royce.(Rolls-Royce North America Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Rolls-Royce MT30 marine gas turbine has completed endurance testing for American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) certification and is well positioned for two new U.S. Navy programs. The engine has been selected for initial production versions of...

Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico Region.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Jim Grant has been named chief of staff, office of the regional director, for the Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico Region. He will work with the regional director in planning, organizing, and overseeing program initiatives. Also, Joe...

Charles Marine & Industrial Group.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Jeff Kaiser is the new engineering manager for Charles Marine & Industrial Group, Rolling Meadows, Ill. Kaiser will assist the electrical products company in product design, development and technical support operations.

Hagglunds Drives Inc.(WorkBoat Business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... George Knezic has been named aftermarket sales manager for North America for Hagglunds Drives Inc., Columbus, Ohio. Hagglunds is a supplier of complete hydraulic drive systems, motors and pumps for marine, offshore, and a broad range of other...

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... Sept. 30-Oct. 1 SNAME CONFERENCE The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers Maritime Technology Conference & Expo, Hilton Hotel, Washington, D.C. Tel: 800-798-2188, ext. 3035 www.sname.org Oct. 6-8 AWO...

WorkBoat looks back.(WB Archives)
October 1, 2004... October 1954 * Equitable Equipment Co. has delivered the 51'X14' crewboat Erline to Robbin Rental Service, Harvey, La. The crewboat is certified for 32 passengers. Power for the Erline is provided by a pair of GM Detroit Diesel 6-110...