By Mark Edward Nero
Vallejo, California-based Moose Boats, a subsidiary of Lind Marine, said March 11 that it has been awarded a contract for the construction of a series of 75-foot semi-displacement US Coast Guard Subchapter-T passenger aluminum catamaran crewboats for Westar Marine Services in San Francisco.
Production of the first vessel is expected to begin this spring.
According to Northern California-based Lind Marine, the vessels’ propulsion will be provided by twin Volvo D13 turbo diesel engines with Volvo IPS3 drives, giving a service speed of 25 knots and exceptional close quarters maneuverability.
Also, engine, steering and joystick maneuvering controls in both the raised pilothouse and the upper level aft steering station are designed to provide captains with optimal visibility for bow and stern operations.
The vessels will be capable of carrying 28 passengers and 20,000 pounds of cargo to and from anchorages and piers within San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay and the Sacramento River Delta as well as offshore.
Westar Marine Services, a women-owned and operated company, has been headquartered in San Francisco since 1976 with a Seattle operation for the past five years. The company’s offerings include marine construction support, tank barge assist and escort, specialty barge services, ship stores deliveries and water taxi services.
Westar has said the new vessels will allow it to expand its cargo and passenger carrying capabilities.
Moose Boats designed the cabin superstructure and general arrangement of the vessels in-house with collaborative input from Westar.
Lafayette, Louisiana-based Incat Crowther is providing naval architecture services for the final design.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Maritime Commission Establishes Regulatory Reform Task Force
By Mark Edward Nero
On March 13, acting Federal Maritime Commission Chair Michael Khouri designated the agency’s managing director, Karen Gregory, to oversee a regulatory reform task force that will work to identify burdensome, unnecessary and outdated directives, and recommend how they should be remedied.
“Relief from regulatory requirements that have outlived their usefulness is one of the easiest contributions the Federal Maritime Commission can make to increased efficiencies and creating economic benefits,” Khouri said in a statement.
“The positive response from what the Commission ordered recently in terms of creating more realistic filing requirements for service contract amendments demonstrates the benefits that can be achieved from simply asking if there is a better way to do this,” he said.
The FMC says the designation of a regulatory review officer and establishing a regulatory reform task force is consistent with the intent of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on February 24, the deregulatory spirit of the Shipping Act of 1984 as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, and agency regulatory review initiatives ongoing since November 4, 2011.
On March 13, acting Federal Maritime Commission Chair Michael Khouri designated the agency’s managing director, Karen Gregory, to oversee a regulatory reform task force that will work to identify burdensome, unnecessary and outdated directives, and recommend how they should be remedied.
“Relief from regulatory requirements that have outlived their usefulness is one of the easiest contributions the Federal Maritime Commission can make to increased efficiencies and creating economic benefits,” Khouri said in a statement.
“The positive response from what the Commission ordered recently in terms of creating more realistic filing requirements for service contract amendments demonstrates the benefits that can be achieved from simply asking if there is a better way to do this,” he said.
The FMC says the designation of a regulatory review officer and establishing a regulatory reform task force is consistent with the intent of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on February 24, the deregulatory spirit of the Shipping Act of 1984 as amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, and agency regulatory review initiatives ongoing since November 4, 2011.
Hood Canal Bridge Work Begins March 18
By Mark Edward Nero
A project to rebuild and replace the internal mechanics of the Hood Canal Bridge draw span begins in western Washington later this week, and is expected to require some bridge closures and marine vessel limitations.
Starting Saturday, March 18, contractor crews working on the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge special repair project will begin rehabilitating the structural, electrical, mechanical and hydraulics systems of the floating bridge, which connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas.
Crews will replace or rebuild the mechanical devices that open and close the bridge; replace the hydraulic hoses and fluid; and adjust the wheels that allow portions of the bridge to move. The maintenance is expected to help prevent breaks and malfunctions in the bridge’s mechanisms, which can multiply if not prevented or addressed early.
Marine vessels may be affected by this project because although bridge operators will still be able to open the drawspan up to 300 feet, there will be times during the project when they will not be able to open it up to its maximum 600 feet.
The work requires up to 12 long-term overnight closures between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and a maximum of 20 short-term closures of up to an hour each between midnight and 4 a.m., according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The initial overnight closures begin Saturday, March 18 and continue nightly through Saturday, March 25. Additional periodic closures are expected to be announced as dates are scheduled.
The project is expected to be completed this fall.
A project to rebuild and replace the internal mechanics of the Hood Canal Bridge draw span begins in western Washington later this week, and is expected to require some bridge closures and marine vessel limitations.
Starting Saturday, March 18, contractor crews working on the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge special repair project will begin rehabilitating the structural, electrical, mechanical and hydraulics systems of the floating bridge, which connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas.
Crews will replace or rebuild the mechanical devices that open and close the bridge; replace the hydraulic hoses and fluid; and adjust the wheels that allow portions of the bridge to move. The maintenance is expected to help prevent breaks and malfunctions in the bridge’s mechanisms, which can multiply if not prevented or addressed early.
Marine vessels may be affected by this project because although bridge operators will still be able to open the drawspan up to 300 feet, there will be times during the project when they will not be able to open it up to its maximum 600 feet.
The work requires up to 12 long-term overnight closures between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and a maximum of 20 short-term closures of up to an hour each between midnight and 4 a.m., according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The initial overnight closures begin Saturday, March 18 and continue nightly through Saturday, March 25. Additional periodic closures are expected to be announced as dates are scheduled.
The project is expected to be completed this fall.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Maritime Commission Amends Maritime Supply Chain Rules
By Mark Edward Nero
On March 6, the Federal Maritime Commission voted unanimously to amend its rules involving service contracts and non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) service arrangements in an effort to ease regulatory burdens and make the agency’s rules more consistent with how the ocean shipping business is practiced.
The approved rulemaking makes the following changes to Commission regulations:
• It allows the filing of sequential service contract amendments with the Maritime Commission within 30 days of the effective date of an agreement between shipper and carrier.
• It allows up to 30 days for filing NVOCC service arrangement agreements with the Maritime Commission after their effective date.
• It allows additional time to correct technical data transmission errors from 48 hours to 30 days; and,
• It extends the period in which one can file a service contract correction request from 45 days to 180 days.
This is the first substantive revision to NVOCC service arrangements since being introduced in 2005, according to the FMC.
“The Commission examined regulatory requirements for service contracts and NVOCC Service Arrangements in light of current commercial practice and has eliminated a number of burdensome regulatory requirements that served as obstacles to efficient ocean transportation arrangements, added unnecessary transactional costs, and served no regulatory purpose,” Acting FMC Chairman Michael Khouri said.
“This regulatory adjustment will help expedite commerce through streamlining the contractual relationship between carriers, NVOCCs, and shippers,” added Commissioner William Doyle. The Commission first initiated action in the matter in February 2016 with the publication of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was issued in August 2016.
On March 6, the Federal Maritime Commission voted unanimously to amend its rules involving service contracts and non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) service arrangements in an effort to ease regulatory burdens and make the agency’s rules more consistent with how the ocean shipping business is practiced.
The approved rulemaking makes the following changes to Commission regulations:
• It allows the filing of sequential service contract amendments with the Maritime Commission within 30 days of the effective date of an agreement between shipper and carrier.
• It allows up to 30 days for filing NVOCC service arrangement agreements with the Maritime Commission after their effective date.
• It allows additional time to correct technical data transmission errors from 48 hours to 30 days; and,
• It extends the period in which one can file a service contract correction request from 45 days to 180 days.
This is the first substantive revision to NVOCC service arrangements since being introduced in 2005, according to the FMC.
“The Commission examined regulatory requirements for service contracts and NVOCC Service Arrangements in light of current commercial practice and has eliminated a number of burdensome regulatory requirements that served as obstacles to efficient ocean transportation arrangements, added unnecessary transactional costs, and served no regulatory purpose,” Acting FMC Chairman Michael Khouri said.
“This regulatory adjustment will help expedite commerce through streamlining the contractual relationship between carriers, NVOCCs, and shippers,” added Commissioner William Doyle. The Commission first initiated action in the matter in February 2016 with the publication of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was issued in August 2016.
Former Research Vessel Partially Sinks Near Willapa Bay
By Mark Edward Nero
The 125-foot, 300 gross ton ex-research vessel Hero partially sank at the pier in Bay Center near Willapa Bay, Washington this week.
On Monday, March 6, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River personnel were notified of the sunken vessel, and Coast Guard personnel alongside the Washington Department of Ecology personnel responded to assess any pollution risks.
A light sheening was reported, and response crews deployed sorbent booms and pads around the vessel to contain any residual product.
The Coast Guard has now opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund in the amount of $25,000 to minimize pollution potential from the incident. The trust fund was utilized to contract Global Diving and Salvage resulting in the removal of more than 70 gallons of diesel fuel and lube oil from the vessel on Tuesday, March 7.
Coast Guard and the Department of Ecology personnel say they plan to continue monitoring the vessel for any further pollution.
Hero, which is named after the sloop that Nathaniel Palmer sailed when he sighted Antarctica, operated in Antarctica for the National Science Foundation between 1968 and 1984, after which she was laid up.
The 125-foot, 300 gross ton ex-research vessel Hero partially sank at the pier in Bay Center near Willapa Bay, Washington this week.
On Monday, March 6, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River personnel were notified of the sunken vessel, and Coast Guard personnel alongside the Washington Department of Ecology personnel responded to assess any pollution risks.
A light sheening was reported, and response crews deployed sorbent booms and pads around the vessel to contain any residual product.
The Coast Guard has now opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund in the amount of $25,000 to minimize pollution potential from the incident. The trust fund was utilized to contract Global Diving and Salvage resulting in the removal of more than 70 gallons of diesel fuel and lube oil from the vessel on Tuesday, March 7.
Coast Guard and the Department of Ecology personnel say they plan to continue monitoring the vessel for any further pollution.
Hero, which is named after the sloop that Nathaniel Palmer sailed when he sighted Antarctica, operated in Antarctica for the National Science Foundation between 1968 and 1984, after which she was laid up.
Truck Platooning Demo Held at POLA
By Mark Edward Nero
On March 8, federal, state and local government and private industry partners conducted a demonstration of partially automated truck platooning, or Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC), at the Port of Los Angeles and along Interstate 110.
The technology was demonstrated as trucks drove the freeway safely in closer proximity than usual by using forward-looking sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle communication to maintain automated speed and spacing.
The demonstration simulated “real world” conditions as three big-rig trucks drove 50 feet apart at speeds of 55 miles per hour while hauling cargo containers, like those that shuttle between the port and industrial centers throughout Los Angeles County. Radar detected automobile cut-ins by a staged vehicle to demonstrate how the system handles traffic.
The technology was developed by the University of California, Berkeley Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH), in coordination with Volvo Group of North America’s platooning activities.
The demo aimed to give partners and stakeholders a first-hand experience of the technology that could enhance safety, increase transportation system capacity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CACC technology aims to significantly increase the capacity of dedicated truck lane facilities while reducing congestion, potentially resulting in significant benefits for goods movement to and from major ports, and long-haul cross-country routes. Other potential benefits include reduced emissions, improved traffic flow, and faster responses to hard braking while maintaining safety.
PATH plans to test truck driver preferences among multiple gap settings on San Francisco Bay Area freeways this spring, and simulating impacts on traffic and energy savings on the Interstate 710 corridor.
“This technology will become available for use in the coming years, and when it does it should be embraced due to its numerous benefits,” PATH representative Steve Shladover said.
On March 8, federal, state and local government and private industry partners conducted a demonstration of partially automated truck platooning, or Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC), at the Port of Los Angeles and along Interstate 110.
The technology was demonstrated as trucks drove the freeway safely in closer proximity than usual by using forward-looking sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle communication to maintain automated speed and spacing.
The demonstration simulated “real world” conditions as three big-rig trucks drove 50 feet apart at speeds of 55 miles per hour while hauling cargo containers, like those that shuttle between the port and industrial centers throughout Los Angeles County. Radar detected automobile cut-ins by a staged vehicle to demonstrate how the system handles traffic.
The technology was developed by the University of California, Berkeley Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH), in coordination with Volvo Group of North America’s platooning activities.
The demo aimed to give partners and stakeholders a first-hand experience of the technology that could enhance safety, increase transportation system capacity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CACC technology aims to significantly increase the capacity of dedicated truck lane facilities while reducing congestion, potentially resulting in significant benefits for goods movement to and from major ports, and long-haul cross-country routes. Other potential benefits include reduced emissions, improved traffic flow, and faster responses to hard braking while maintaining safety.
PATH plans to test truck driver preferences among multiple gap settings on San Francisco Bay Area freeways this spring, and simulating impacts on traffic and energy savings on the Interstate 710 corridor.
“This technology will become available for use in the coming years, and when it does it should be embraced due to its numerous benefits,” PATH representative Steve Shladover said.
POLB Cargo Declines in February
By Mark Edward Nero
Reduced economic activity in Asia associated with the Lunar New Year contributed to lower container volumes at the Port of Long Beach last month compared to the previous February, according to newly released data from the POLB.
Overall, traffic totaled 498,311 TEUs last month, a decline of 11.2 percent compared to the same month last year, which happened to record the highest-volume February in port history: cargo in February 2016 ballooned 35.9 percent year-over-year.
The Lunar New Year holiday began Jan. 28, almost two weeks earlier than in 2016. The Lunar New Year typically results in slower trade since businesses in China – Long Beach’s primary trading partner – close for a week or more in observance of the holiday. The impact on the port is normally seen two weeks afterwards, accounting for the time it takes vessels to cross the Pacific.
Import containers were down 15.6 percent in February to 249,759 TEUs, according to data released March 8. Exports were slightly lower, 119,811 TEUs, off 2.6 percent. Empty containers sent from Long Beach docks totaled 128,742 TEUs, a drop of 9.7 percent.
More than a million containers moved through the Port of Long Beach in the first two months of 2017. For the fiscal year to date, which began in in October 2016, Long Beach has seen a total of 2.74 million TEUs, which is a 6.4 percent drop from the 2.93 million containers moved during the same five-month period in the previous fiscal year.
The port’s latest monthly cargo numbers are available at http://www.polb.com/economics/stats/latest_teus.asp; more detailed cargo numbers can be found at www.polb.com/stats.
Reduced economic activity in Asia associated with the Lunar New Year contributed to lower container volumes at the Port of Long Beach last month compared to the previous February, according to newly released data from the POLB.
Overall, traffic totaled 498,311 TEUs last month, a decline of 11.2 percent compared to the same month last year, which happened to record the highest-volume February in port history: cargo in February 2016 ballooned 35.9 percent year-over-year.
The Lunar New Year holiday began Jan. 28, almost two weeks earlier than in 2016. The Lunar New Year typically results in slower trade since businesses in China – Long Beach’s primary trading partner – close for a week or more in observance of the holiday. The impact on the port is normally seen two weeks afterwards, accounting for the time it takes vessels to cross the Pacific.
Import containers were down 15.6 percent in February to 249,759 TEUs, according to data released March 8. Exports were slightly lower, 119,811 TEUs, off 2.6 percent. Empty containers sent from Long Beach docks totaled 128,742 TEUs, a drop of 9.7 percent.
More than a million containers moved through the Port of Long Beach in the first two months of 2017. For the fiscal year to date, which began in in October 2016, Long Beach has seen a total of 2.74 million TEUs, which is a 6.4 percent drop from the 2.93 million containers moved during the same five-month period in the previous fiscal year.
The port’s latest monthly cargo numbers are available at http://www.polb.com/economics/stats/latest_teus.asp; more detailed cargo numbers can be found at www.polb.com/stats.
