Horizon to build two Tier IV escort tugs for McAllister

JANUARY 11, 2016 — McAllister Towing, New York, NY, reports that its latest newbuild plans will see Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc., Bayou La Batre, AL, build it two new 100 ft x 40

Boskalis, KOTUG to merge harbor towing ops in Europe

DECEMBER 23, 2015—Mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures are a relatively common occurrence amid downturns in the marketplace. That lastest is between Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) and KOTUG International B.V. (KOTUG), who

Marcon brokers sale of 1988-built deck barge

The 5,450 dwt chip barge was built as a flat deck barge by West Gulf Marine Works in Galveston, TX in 1988 and brought around to the West Coast by Zidell Marine of Portland, OR. The barge was constructed with ½” plate deck, hull and bottom plate with two longitudinal and six transverse bulkheads forming 21 watertight compartments. In the late 1990s, Dunlap fitted the DT-250 with a 237′ long x 65′ wide steel chip bin. It installed a new wood wear deck in 2014.

Island Tug & Barge is renaming the barge ITB-253 and plans to shorten the present 22′ high bin walls and remove the existing wood wear deck, replacing it with concrete and rebar which will also increase the barge’s existing 1,500 lb/sq.ft deck load.

The barge is classed ABS +A1 Barge, Unrestricted Service through February 2018 and carries an International Load Line Certificate.

Marcon acted as sole broker in the sale and has represented the buyers in dozens of sales and purchases. It has also worked with Dunlap for many years and sold its 3,000 HP tug Suiattle earlier this year.

Marcon has brokered twenty-nine sales and charters to date this year, including seven ocean deck barges totaling 34,964 dwt. Several additional sales are pending.

Canada’s Atlantic Towing wins tidal energy support contract

Cape Sharp Tidal is a joint venture between Emera Inc. and OpenHydro, a DCNS company, which aims to deploying a fully grid connected 4MW tidal array in the Bay of Fundy in 2015. The project has the potential to be one of the world’s first multi-megawatt arrays of interconnected tidal turbines, initially providing energy to over 1,000 customers in Nova Scotia. Longer term, the project is looking towards delivering 300 MW of tidal turbine generated power to Nova Scotia in the next decade.

The Atlantic Towing contract covers the provision of specialized services including harbor and terminal towage, ocean and coastal towage, barging services, and offshore support such as anchor installation. These services, as scheduled, will employ up to 28 seafarers currently working for Atlantic Towing.

Three Atlantic Towing ASD tugs—the Atlantic Hemlock, the Atlantic Bear and the Atlantic Spruce— and the Irving Beaver Barge, will support the project in the strong Bay of Fundy ocean currents.

In addition to anchor and cable installation, the tugs will transport two 1,000-tonne tidal turbines on their journey from Pictou to the Minas Passage on a purpose-built 1,150 tonne capacity OpenHydro barge, the Scotia Tide.

Once in position, the tugs will maneuver the barge and turbine while crews lower the turbine to the seabed and connect the cables to the Nova Scotia power grid.

The subsea cables, on-shore transmission lines and power infrastructure belong to the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) in Parrsboro.

“We’re pleased to be working with the skilled crew of Atlantic Towing on the marine operations for Cape Sharp Tidal,” said James Ives, OpenHydro’s Chief Executive. “The company shares our commitment to safety and offers real-life experience in the Bay of Fundy that will help us achieve this ground-breaking project.”

“We have safely operated in challenging sea conditions like the strong Bay of Fundy currents and tides for more than 50 years,” said Gilles Gagnon, Atlantic Towing Vice President and General Manager. “Working on the Cape Sharp Tidal project is a perfect fit for our local team’s expertise and capability.”

Other Nova Scotia companies are also providing services and expertise to the Cape Sharp Tidal project. In May, a $25-million contract was awarded to Aecon Group Inc. and naval architect firm Lengkeek Vessel Engineering. Two hundred and fifty Aecon employees are currently building and assembling the turbine components and the Scotia Tide barge in its facilities in Dartmouth and Pictou while Lengkeek, based in Dartmouth, earned the contract for barge design. In July, Chester-based Hawboldt Industries was awarded a $4.6-million contract to design and manufacture three heavy lift winches for the barge.

Kirby back at Nichols for two twin screw tugboats

The two tugs just ordered will each be powered by twin Caterpillar 3516C engines delivering 2,447 bhp at 1,600 rpm with Reintjes reduction gears turning two NautiCAN fixed pitched propellers with fixed nozzles. The vessels will also have two C7.1 Caterpillar generators for electrical service.

Deck machinery includes one TESD-34 Markey tow winch, one CEW-60 Markey electric capstan, and one Smith Berger Tow Pin.

Keels will be laid for both vessels this fall with delivery of the first vessel from the shipyard scheduled for May 2017 and the second vessel scheduled for delivery in November 2017.

The tugboats will carry an ABS loadline, and will be compliant with USCG regulationsJensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle WA, will provide the ABS Class and functional design for the tugboats. , as required at delivery.

Historic “Boblo boat” heads for renovation

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 — The Great Lakes Towing Company has been completing a historic contract for the SS Columbia Project — towing the 113 year old “Boblo boat” SS Columbia from Toledo,

Donjon Marine gets $44.5 million Navy award

AUGUST 2, 2015 — Donjon Marine Co. Inc., Hillside, NJ, is being awarded a $44,500,000 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-11-D-4002 for salvage, salvage-related towing, harbor clearance, ocean engineering, and point-to-point towing

E.N. Bisso takes its IT to the cloud

MAY 8, 2015 — New Orleans headquartered tug and towing services supplier E.N. Bisso & Sons, Inc. has taken its IT to the cloud. The fifth-generation business had previously supported its fleet

Louisiana International Marine opts for Helm CONNECT

MAY 5, 2015 — Ocean towing service provider Louisiana International Marine, L.L.C., Gretna, LA, has chosen Helm CONNECT preventive maintenance software from ClassNK subsidiary Helm Operations, Victoria, BC, Canada, for its six

Crowley sells 1982-built tug to Island Tug & Barge

APRIL 29, 2015 — Shipbroker Marcon International, Inc, Coupeville, WA, reports that Crowley Marine Services, Inc. of Seattle has sold a second sister-tug of the Point Class to Island Tug & Barge

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