Rapp Marine Develops Winch for Baydelta

By Mark Edward Nero

Rapp Marine has developed a unique, fully electric driven double drum tow winch for a new 110 foot by 40 foot tractor tug for Vessel Chartering, a division of San Francisco-based Baydelta Maritime.

Driven by a single 100-HP motor, the winch can pull more than 75 tons and utilizes pneumatic cylinders in place of hydraulics, keeping fluid off of the deck. The brakes offer a force of 250 tons on the barrel layer, according to Rapp Marine.

The main drum can store 2,500 feet of 2.5-inch steel wire, and the storage drum can store 2,200 feet of 2.25-inch steel wire. Both drums are equipped with level winds, and can spool 90 feet of three-inch chain on top of the steel wire.

Another feature is an electric ‘come home’ drive to serve as a backup to the main drive train. The winch’s main control station will be situated in the wheelhouse, with secondary controls located on the winch.

The main control station will employ Rapp Marine’s Pentagon Tow Control System, which provides more efficient and safer operations for towing vessels. The Pentagon System features a touchscreen with tension and wire length readouts, auto-tension capability, and automated haul-in and pay-out settings.

“We view this project as a big step forward,” Rapp Marine US President Johann Sigurjonsson said. “Working closely with Baydelta has resulted in developing an ideal tow winch for the market.”

Rapp Marine, which is headquartered in Norway, but has branches in Seattle and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, offers a line of electric and hydraulic driven mooring winches, anchor windlasses, capstans and cranes.

SD Port Commissioner Earns National Planning Award

By Mark Edward Nero

Port of San Diego Commissioner Ann Moore has been selected by the American Planning Association for the 2016 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Advocate.

The Planning Advocate award recognizes citizens or public officials whose work has advanced the cause of planning—the endeavor of creating and enriching communities—and is presented to just one individual nationwide each year.

Moore received the award as the result of her work in launching a planning initiative overseeing the San Diego Bay waterfront.

As chair of the Board of Port Commissioners in 2013, Moore campaigned for a better approach to planning for the port’s 6,000 acres of land and water, which spans five cities. Many previous planning efforts were largely developer driven, posing a challenge in balancing multiple priorities for the greater good.

In launching the Integrated Planning initiative, she focused on ensuring a meaningful civic engagement process. She personally conducted outreach to multiple stakeholders and the general public on the importance of planning for the port, emphasizing that better planning would increase financial return on investment.

In August 2014, the Board of Port Commissioners unanimously adopted the Vision Statement and Guiding Principles that Moore helped shepherd.

“Through her tireless and ambitious efforts in creating a proactive, long-term plan for the Port of San Diego, Ann has been instrumental in driving consensus among multiple divergent interests and ensuring a sound vision for the port’s future,” said Port Commissioner Bob Nelson, who nominated Moore for the award.

Moore was honored during a special April 4 luncheon at the APA National Planning Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tour Boat Crashes Into Dock

By Mark Edward Nero

The cruise vessel Adventure Hornblower suffered damage to its bow, and seven passengers were hurt, on the afternoon of March 31 after the tour boat crashed into a walkway on a San Diego dock.

The vessel, which was carrying about 140 passengers and four crew members returning from a three hour whale watching cruise, was attempting to dock at the San Diego Embarcadero just before 1 pm when it is believed that the vessel’s throttle became stuck in the forward position.

Three of the seven injured passengers were taken to hospital with various injuries, including the neck, back or leg. None of the injuries were life threatening, however tugs were needed to pull the vessel apart from the walkway, and the passengers on board were forced to wait about two hours to disembark.

The Adventure Hornblower, built in 1994, is 150 feet long and has three decks. It is owned and operated by Hornblower Cruises & Events, a San Francisco-based charter yacht, ferry service and dining cruise company.

The US Coast Guard and harbor police are investigating the incident, but this is just the latest in a string of incidents for the vessel over the past two years.

In October 2014, the Adventure Hornblower hit another tour ship, the Cabrillo, before then slamming into a pier. The following month, just a few days after being cleared to return to normal operations, the vessel lost all engine control, requiring the crew to manually manipulate the engine from the engine room to avoid a mishap on the water.

The US Coast Guard later determined both incidents were caused by error codes in the engine control system.

A video of the latest crash, taken by a pedestrian bystander on the damaged walkway, can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrrDLdeL2HQ

Longshore Worker Killed at POLA

By Mark Edward Nero

The Everport Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles was temporarily closed for a time on March 31 after a longshore worker was killed in an industrial accident at the port.

The worker, a 71-year-old man, had been working in a staging area at Berths 226-236 within the Everport Terminal on Terminal Island when, according to a port spokesman, the worker was run over by a tractor trailer around 2:45 pm.

Also according to the port, the victim had been working in the area where truck chassis queue up to load containers being removed from cargo ships for delivery.

The man’s name and other details have yet to be publicly released.

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is investigating the incident along with port police, but it is being looked at solely as an accident, according to the port.

As is customary in the event of a serious accident on the docks, the terminal was closed down out of respect for the victim after the incident, but reopened later that night.

When contracted, the International Longshore & Warehouse Union had no comment on the incident, citing the in-progress status of the investigation.

Port of Olympia Names Environmental Director

By Mark Edward Nero

Rachael Jamison has been named to the role of director of environmental programs for Port of Olympia and takes over the job on May 2, according to the port’s executive director, Ed Galligan.

She replaces former environmental programs director Alexandra Smith who left the port near the start of the year. Barb Tope, who has been with the port since 2012, has served as acting environmental director since Jan. 8.

“The port received many excellent applications for this position,” Galligan said. “And while the competition was close, we found Rachael to be the best fit for the Port of Olympia. We are looking forward to having Rachael on the port’s leadership team and working with her to continue to build upon and broaden the port’s commitment to environmental stewardship throughout Thurston County.”

Jamison most recently worked at the Weyerhaeuser Co. as manager of sustainable forestry. Previously, she was executive policy analyst for the Washington Dept. of Natural Resources, and earlier, was the green building program lead at the Washington Dept. of Ecology.

“Jamison brings the port a strong background in environmental management, policy and sustainability, as well as strong relationships with leaders in these fields on the state and federal levels,” the port said in a March 31 statement announcing the hire.

Jamison earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Environmental Studies degrees from The Evergreen State College in Olympia.

Inaugural Supply Chain Efficiency Meeting Set

By Mark Edward Nero

The Federal Maritime Commission’s Supply Chain Innovation Team Initiative is expected to officially launch May 3 at FMC headquarters in Washington DC, the Commission announced March 24.

The two-day event is expected to bring together by invitation, academia and industry leaders from across the international ocean transportation supply chain, including port officials, marine terminal operators, drayage truckers, ocean transportation intermediaries, ocean carriers, chassis providers, railroads, and US exporters and importers.

Participants will work on developing commercial solutions to supply chain issues that interfere with the effective operation of the U.S. international supply chain.

This collaborative team effort, led by FMC Commissioner Rebecca Dye, aims to provide a forum and structure for supply chain participants to directly engage with each other. Team meetings will focus on identifying and prioritizing supply chain challenges from a systemic perspective. Teams will also begin to collaborate and explore possible solutions to high-priority challenges, plus identify next steps in this process.

More information and updates are available on the Maritime Commission’s Supply Chain Innovation Initiative webpage: http://www.fmc.gov/supplychain.aspx

Judge Orders New Review of Rail Project

By Mark Edward Nero

A Superior Court judge on March 30 ruled that BNSF Railway Co.’s planned Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) project at the Port of Los Angeles must undergo a new Environmental Impact Report because the previous one was inadequate.

The court case pits the Port of Los Angeles against the City of Long Beach. The city filed the lawsuit in June 2013 on behalf of residents of the city’s west side who could be impacted by air pollution caused by the proposed $500 million, 153-acre SCIG.

The city contends in its lawsuit that the project doesn’t comply with the California Environmental Quality Act, a statute requiring state and local agencies to identify the significant environmental impacts of their actions and to avoid or mitigate those impacts.

The proposed project would sit just outside West Long Beach, alongside the Terminal Island Freeway on land owned by the Port of LA.

If built, the project would serve on-dock rail facilities at both the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles, but the City of Long Beach claims that the SCIG would adversely affect its residents, businesses and schools by bringing more noise and air pollution to an area that has already suffered plenty over the years due to nearby port-related operations.

“The negative effects of the rail yard project will be borne almost entirely by the residents of West Long Beach,” the legal complaint states in part.

In his March 30 ruling, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Barry Goode said that the Port of Los Angeles failed to perform an adequate environmental analysis.

In a statement, the Port of Los Angeles said it was disappointed with the ruling, plans to study it, and that staff will discuss next steps with BNSF and the port’s harbor commission.

Meanwhile, the Port of Long Beach said it applauds the judge’s ruling.

“The Southern California Intermodal Gateway project directly impacts the residents and businesses of West Long Beach and since the beginning the port has believed more should be done to mitigate the effects of the project on the Westside,” the POLB said in a statement.