Tag: tugs

These new vessels will begin operating in the Gulf of Mexico The Maritime Administration​ has approved a $346,129,000 Title XI guarantee to Vessel Management Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crowley Holdings, Inc., for the construction of three 330,000 barrel double hull tug/barge units. VT Halter Marine, Inc. in Gulfport, Mississippi is constructing the barges and Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington has been retained to build the tugs.The Title XI Loan Guarantee program provides funding to promote the growth and modernization of U.S. shipyards and the U.S. merchant marine.VT Halter Marine has a separate contract with Vessel Management Services to design and build three 330,000-barrel, 750 series ATB barges.These new vessels, which will begin operating in the Gulf of Mexico starting in late 2011, will redefine the ATM industry. Designed to carry 330,000 barrels of refined product, with a double wall hull construction in compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, they provide a combination of carrying capacity, seaworthiness and speed unmatched by any class of ATB.-Twin Screw 16, 320 hp tug with Intercon notch connection-Redundant engine rooms in accordance with ABS requirements-Redundant steering system with oversize rudders for maximum handling capabilities-Approximate sea speed 15 knots-Meets full SOLAS ...

A barge and tug boat got stuck A barge and tug boat got stuck in the Intracoastal Waterway at Fox Cut north of Flagler Beach this morning after running aground and destroying a dock.The barge got stuck at 3 a.m. and when the tide rose the boat was able to be on its way after noon.The U.S. Coast Guard investigated to see if the barge created hazard, which would have required the Coast Guard to issue an advisory to boaters, a spokeswoman said.Flagler County sheriff's spokeswoman Debra Johnson said it was an empty fuel barge on its way to Jacksonville.Robert Santacroce, who lives in Painters Walk north of Flagler Beach, said he heard a loud noise about 3 a.m. today andrealized something large was stuck."I knew it was something big," Santacroce said. "It had taken out my neighbor's dock and it's up on Island Estates. It would have taken a bridge out if it had hit a bridge," Santacroce said. "It's a huge barge and a huge tug."Source: Daytona Beach News Journal

The tugboat sank in 1963 but concern grew after an oil sheen was discovered above the wreck site Environmental officials feared the worst: Was a long-sunken tugboat a looming environmental disaster?For the past week, commercial divers braved the dark, cold depths of Lake Champlain to try to find out just what the tugboat wreck held. Was it the 14,000 gallons of diesel fuel that represented the worst-case scenario?The answers were revealed Tuesday: The tug's tanks contained no diesel fuel at all, though a small amount of lubricating oil was found trapped within the wreck's high spots.Buckley McAllister, vice president of the company that paid for much of the effort, seemed chagrined."In the process of this project, I estimate that we burned tens of thousands of gallons of fuel. ... There were no reported injuries. We are relieved that the project was completed safely," he said.The tugboat, the William H. McAllister, sank in 1963 and represents the last significant commercial shipwreck on the 120-mile lake between Vermont and upstate New York. It sat on the bottom unmolested for decades, but concern grew after an oil sheen was discovered above the wreck site in 1997.Working tugs used about 800 gallons of fuel ...

Tug Malta has specified the Royston ''enginei 'fuel consumption monitoring system Maltese towage operator Tug Malta has specified the Royston ''enginei 'fuel consumption monitoring system for its newest tug, currently under construction at the Zamakona yard in Spain.The enginei(which is how the companyasks for the name to be written)system will supply data from all five diesel engines aboard the tug. These comprise two Caterpillar 3516 main engines, two Caterpillar 6.6 auxiliary engines and one Deutz BF4M1013M harbour genset. The enginei datataker will receive and process both digital and analogue data from sensors and flow meters on each of the engines. Royston says that this represents an advance in the technology that is enabling it to offer a more compact and cost effective product.The Royston enginei system can be applied to any diesel-powered vessel and works by measuring fuel flow and matching the data with its GPS location. Fuel consumption reductions of up to 20% have been achieved by enabling the operator to continuously calculate a vessel's "miles per gallon" and to correlate the information with its activity and speed. Because enginei is a measurement system it does not impose itself upon the vessel's controls in any way. However, by providing ...

Four tugs were put in place as a result of the oil spill from the tanker Braer Britain is abandoning its first line of defence against oil tanker pollution disasters, four ocean-going tugs stationed around the coastline to help vessels in distress.The four tugs, put in place as a result of the calamitous oil spill from the tanker Braer, which ran aground in Shetland in 1993, are to come out of service in a fortnight as part of the Government's public spending cuts.The move, which will save 8m a year - vastly less than the cost of dealing with any major oil spill - goes against the clear recommendations of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and is being described by concerned MPs as "inviting disaster" and "crazy".The Government hopes that commercial tug operators will fill the gap when needed, but there is great concern that while this may happen in the Channel and the Southwest Approaches, it will be impossible in Scotland's Northern and Western Isles - which are both the most environmentally sensitive waters around Britain and the most dangerous to shipping.The four tugs, or emergency towing vessels (ETVs), have been stationed since 1995, at public expense, in four ...

Increase in such incidents over recent years The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre issued a Special Report on hijacked/missing tug boats and barges in Asia. Five incidents of hijacking and missing tug boats towing barges were reported during the period March-June 2011.This represents a significant increase in such incidents over recent years. Owners, operators, and masters of tugs operating in Asia should adopt best management practices to minimize the risk of hijacking.To view the Special Report please click hereSource: ReCAAP