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Viega press fittings win additional NAVSEA approval

VIEGA, THE FIRST PRESS FITTING SYSTEM to meet the standard for use on U.S. Navy combat ships, has won approval for additional components to be used onboard

Last year, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) approved the use of Viega MegaPress CuNi press fittings in sizes 1⁄2 to 2 to be used in surface combatant vessels for a variety of systems, including chilled water, potable water, electronic freshwater cooling, seawater cooling, washdown countermeasures, drainage and many others. ProPress copper 1⁄2 fittings were also approved for potable water and various drains. Now, a new extended approval from NAVSEA includes the addition of MegaPress CuNi 90° elbows, 45° elbows, straight tees, reducing tees and reducer couplings. This allows shipbuilders and Navy personnel to better integrate Viega fittings into onboard systems.

“NAVSEA is arguably the toughest standard in the world, and we’re proud to have won additional approvals for our system,” said Viega LLC’s Director of Marine TJ Tracy. “We make the most reliable press fittings in the world and this is proof of that.”

MegaPress CuNi is made of a 90/10 copper nickel alloy specifically designed to withstand harsh marine environments.

Two significant benefits

Pressing pipe offers the Navy, shipyards and contractors two significant benefits.

The first is mitigation of fire, which is one of the greatest dangers in ship construction, repair and maintenance. Because pressing does not require heat, flame or an external power source, it eliminates the danger of fire when joining pipe. It also makes it unnecessary to post a fire watch or to prepare a job site for hot work.

The second benefit is cost and labor savings. Pressing can reduce installation time by 70% over traditional methods of joining pipe, says Viega, adding that when coupled with savings when testing the systems, the cost and schedule advantages easily outweigh the investment.

Viega MegaPress CuNi is made of a 90/10 copper nickel alloy specifically designed to withstand harsh marine environments.

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE A FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE FOR THE ISLAND OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD

CONTRACT NO. 10-2022

The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority (the “SSA”) has issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) from responsible and eligible proponents who wish to be considered for a license agreement to provide a freight transportation service for the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Proposals will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at the SSA’s Procurement Office, which is located on the second floor of the SSA’s Administrative Offices, 228 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, Massachusetts 02540.

The SSA has established this deadline for submitting proposals so that potential proponents will have sufficient time to submit questions and suggestions regarding the RFP after reviewing both the RFP and the documents referred to therein. The SSA asks that such questions and suggestions be submitted as soon as possible so that the SSA in turn has sufficient time to respond to them well in advance of the deadline for submitting proposals. The SSA’s hope is that the successful proponent’s new freight service will become a long-term part of the marine transportation network providing the island of Martha’s Vineyard with adequate transportation of persons and necessaries of life. Towards this end, although the SSA anticipates that most proponents will submit proposals to provide a conventional roll-on/roll-off ferry service to carry freight trucks and other vehicles between the mainland and the island of Martha’s Vineyard, the SSA encourages the submission of proposals to provide other methods of transporting freight to and from Martha’s Vineyard that might be more efficient, economical and/or ecofriendly than a conventional ferry service. If a proponent would like to submit such a proposal and is not certain whether its proposal would be considered responsive to the RFP or suitably evaluated under the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP, the proponent should contact the SSA so that this RFP can be appropriately revised well in advance of the due date for the submission of proposals without prejudice to fair competition.

In order to receive electronic versions of the RFP and all subsequent addenda issued by the SSA to the RFP, please email the SSA’s Procurement Officer, Peggy Nickerson, whose email address is pnickerson@steamshipauthority.com. Electronic versions of those documents may also be requested by calling Ms. Nickerson at (508) 548-5011, ext. 515, during the SSA’s regular business hours.

The SSA is utilizing a RFP procurement process for this License Agreement. Under such a process, the selection of the most advantageous proposal will be based upon proposed compensation and other evaluation factors specified in the RFP. The RFP fully details the procurement process and the requirements for each proposal, and persons interested in submitting proposals for the License Agreement must comply with the provisions thereof. Unless all proposals are rejected, the SSA shall award the License Agreement to the eligible and responsible proponent who offers the most advantageous proposal to the SSA, based upon the RFP requirements and the evaluation criteria established for the License Agreement.

The SSA is soliciting competitive proposals pursuant to a determination that such a process best serves the interest of the SSA and the general public, and not because of any legal requirement to do so. The SSA reserves the right to accept or to reject any and all proposals, to modify or amend with the consent of the proponent any proposal prior to acceptance, and to waive any informality, all as the SSA in its sole judgment and discretion may deem to be in its best interest.

Issued: March 18, 2022

Jones Act IMR vessel to get W2W system for offshore wind role

DUTCH OFFSHORE ACCESS SYSTEM PROVIDER Ampelmann has signed its first contract for the U.S. offshore wind market. It is to supply an E1000 motion compensated walk to work (W2W) system to Des Allemands, La., based Otto Candies LLC.

In December last year, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) said that it would use the Otto Candies Jones Act-compliant offshore IMR (inspection, maintenance and repair vessel) Paul Candies, during the construction phase of the South Fork Wind project, offshore New York.

Ampelmann says the W2W system will be fitted to the Paul Candies in third quarter 2023, to support the hook-up and commissioning of turbines and that the vessel will be used during the construction of the South Fork, Revolution and Sunrise offshore wind farms.

As the system compensates for all six degrees of freedom in relation to the vessel and turbine, it will enable safe, consistent, and reliable offshore access in sea states up to 4.5 meters Hs during its year-long operation, says Ampelmann.

Along with providing safe access for personnel, the system will also be used to hoist cargo, equipment, and tools and the gangway’s fuel transfer capabilities will allow for the testing of the generators and turbines.

By converting the Paul Candies into a W2W vessel, says Ampelmann, the E1000 will enable the servicing of multiple turbines at once, greatly increasing the speed and efficiency of operations.

“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Otto Candies for choosing us to facilitate this important operation,” says Steven Kaub, Ampelmann’s business developer for American offshore wind. “Over the years, we have developed a solid relationship with Otto Candies, and their enduring trust in our systems and services allows us to showcase what we can offer to the U.S. offshore renewables market.”

Ampelmann has more than a decade of experience in the American offshore access market, but this will the first time that the E1000 will be used in U.S. offshore wind.

E1000 W2W system

Navy Shipbuilding Budget Hearings Could Get Contentious

The U.S. Navy’s documentation in support of its FY2023 budget request is now available. While the Navy says its request procures nine battle force ships in FY 2023, it actually doesn’t. Here’s what a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report released on April 27, says:

“The Navy’s proposed FY2023 budget requests $27.9 billion in shipbuilding funding for, among other things, the procurement of eight new ships, including two Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines, two Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, one Constellation (FFG-62) class frigate, one LPD-17 Flight II class amphibious ship, one John Lewis (TAO-205) class oiler, and one Navajo (TATS-6) class towing, salvage, and rescue ship. The

Navy’s FY2023 budget submission shows a ninth ship—the amphibious assault ship LHA-9—as also being requested for procurement in FY2023. Consistent with both prior-year congressional authorization and appropriation action and Section 126 of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act...CRS reports on Navy shipbuilding programs, including this report, treat LHA-9 as a ship that Congress procured (i.e., authorized and provided procurement—not advance procurement [AP]—funding for) in FY2021. Navy officials have described the listing of LHA-9 in the Navy’s FY2023 budget submission as a ship being requested for procurement in FY2023 as an oversight.”

That kind of “oversight” is likely to upset many in Congress. Something else that will not go unchallenged is that the Navy also proposes retiring 24 ships, including nine LCS vessels.

So, if the Navy aims to decommission more ships than it builds, how will it get to its force-structure goal that calls for achieving a fleet of 355 ships of certain types and numbers? Though the 355-ship goal was made U.S. policy by the FY2018 NDAA, the CRS report notes it “does not reflect the new fleet architecture (i.e., new mix of ships) that the Navy wants to shift toward in coming years. This new fleet architecture is to feature a smaller proportion of larger ships, a larger proportion of smaller ships, and a new third element of large unmanned vehicles (UVs). The Navy and the Department of Defense (DOD) have been working since 2019 to develop a successor for the 355-ship force-level goal that would reflect current national defense strategy and the new fleet architecture.”

Something else that has irked Congress in the past has been the Navy’s failure to submit a 30-year shipbuilding plan with its budget request. This year, it has, in a sense, produced three plans in one. The FY2023 30-year (FY2023FY2052) plan presents the results of three studies on possibilities for the Navy’s successor force-level goal.

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TUGS TOWBOATS BARGES Readying the Fleet and Workforce for the Future 2022

On March 29-30, 2022, the tug, towboat and barge industry gathered in Mobile, Ala., for networking and discussions on ways to improve business.

Caitlin Dunckel (Phoenix) and Mike Complita (EBDG)

Zulema Franco and Carlos Guerra - Gulf Copper Keynote speaker Jennifer Carpenter of AWO shares a laugh with the audience

Conrad Shipyard gets set for booth visitors Bruce Strupp of ABB at the podium

Arcosa’s Neal Langdon

Zack Melancon and Logan Taylor at the Panolin Booth

Del Wilkins (Canal Barge), Kasey Eckstein (Ingram Barge) and Jenny Johnson (Crowley)

Arthur Seaman of Sea Machines presents

Serious discussions at MSHS booth

Garrett Rice of Master Boat Builders talks tugs

Glosten’s Maggie Moon (center) and Morgan Fanberg (right)

Shival Sapre presents for Kongsberg Maritime Conference sessions got serious attention

Curt Leffers of Crowley with Jack Nash of Maritime Partners and ABB’s Ed Schwarz

Getting down to business at the EBDG booth Phoenix booth attracts visitors

Gregg Baldassarre of Rix Industries with EBDG’s Mike Complita

Another busy session in the conference room

Hydrogen One will use reformer technology to generate hydrogen for the fuel cells that will power it.

New Tug and Towboat Technologies Open Up More Options

By Jonathan Hawes

Today’s tugs and towboats are increasingly offering future-facing features, most notably including powering solutions with future upgrade paths designed. But, while current generation vessels provide better fuel economy, a lower carbon footprint, and other improvements, such features are not cheap, and customers have to be able to justify the expense.

Noting one major trend, David Lee, senior account manager for ABB Marine & Ports says that the adoption of hybrid and electric drivetrains has finally started catching on in the United States.

“Collision avoidance, auto parking and [other features] are now at our disposal,” adds Lee. “Systems such as the ABB Marine Pilot Control and Marine Pilot Vision are installed to take the pressure off our mariners so they can focus on the task at hand.”

Crowley’s eWolf tug–the first fully electric harbor tugboat in the U.S., built for sustainable and safe operations at the Port of San Diego in California, will feature an integrated electric propulsion system and advanced vessel control technology package from ABB.

“The eWolf is part of Crowley’s push to be the most sustainable maritime company in the country,” said Paul Manzi, vice president for Crowley Shipping. “It’s a first of class, not a one-off.”

ABB also is working on the initial design of the Maritime Partners Hydrogen One towboat that will use reformer technology to generate hydrogen for the fuel cells that will power it. The M/V Hydrogen One is being developed by Maritime Partners with Elliott Bay Design Group, e1

Spartan is the first of two hybrid diesel electric sister tugs ordered from Master Boat Builders by Seabulk.

Spirit prior to launch at Master Boat Builders.

Marine, and ABB.

In both of these cases, ABB was chosen as the integrator for the propulsion system.

Master Boat Builders’ recently delivered Spartan tugboat is one of two hybrid diesel electric sister ships it will be delivering to SEACOR group member Seabulk.

“The performance [of the vessel] is really fantastic,” said Garrett Rice, president of Master Boat Builders. “The lifecycle cost is significantly lower—there’s a chance they’ll never have to overhaul their main engines because they won’t be running them as much.”

Master Boat Builders also has a battery hybrid tug in its portfolio. Part of the time during operation, that vessel is a zeroemissions boat.

Goals & Needs

Choosing one of these eco-friendly models should be weighed with one’s needs for the vessel closely in mind. Again, the cost of these features, ahead of purchasing and for decades afterward, must make sense to the owner to justify the cost.

“What are your goals?” Rice asks. “It’s a question of balancing [ecological goals] with the task of the tug, and its cost and performance.”

These innovative ways of decreasing a vessel’s carbon footprint make sense if the costs to have them can be justified by savings. Before such a consideration, any new vessel must be shown to be more environmentally friendly than the vessel that it will replace, ABB’s Lee said.

“We work with the customer to truly calculate what emission reduction can be realized to make sure they’re getting the reduction they expect,” he added. “Sometimes a hybrid system is not more environmentally friendly than their current workboats because of how they operate it.”

Regulations Forecast

Sometimes regulatory requirements override pocket book considerations, and as detailed and ever more stringent government regulations evolve they must be factored into vessel designs. As a result, increasingly tugs and towboats are being designed to be retrofitted later when better technology is available.

“Hybrid tugs are the wave of the future. Getting there, is the big problem,” Rice said. “People are asking, ‘What’s the tug of the future?’ I don’t think that we’ll have one type that dominates. You’ve got to look at the application—the type of job it will do.”

“Regulations are at the core of every design decision that is made on these workboats,” Lee said. “We are working closely with the USCG to make sure the systems meet the intent of the rule as we progress.”

Regulations in one part of the country, like California, can be expected to be adopted elsewhere in the country in the future, experts say.

The push for more ecological vessels also is producing benefits that weren’t

always expected from those designing the vessels. Crowley’s all-electric eWolf.

“There are some unexpected windfalls,” Manzi said. “Diesel is up, but the price of electricity hasn’t gone up….As the renewable energy world becomes a more reliable source, our operation costs are going to go down.”

Also, maintenance costs can be greatly reduced by the new technology. Removing and replacing parts on an electric tug is easier and cheaper. The savings can be about 20% of total maintenance costs.

“Advances in the automotive industry have allowed us to take this path forward,” said Bryan Nichols, director of Business Development for Crowley.

To cover more potentially growing markets, tug and towboat manufacturers also are doing some pivoting towards offshore wind developments,

“For anyone in the marine industry, [offshore wind] is a new industry that helps them diversify their offering. The marine industry is very volatile and those of us that have been in it for some time have seen highs and lows,” Lee said. “The offshore wind industry can help take some volatility out of the market.”

A leaner mindset in terms of environmental impact of vessels is resulting in leaner designs, too. Part of the plan is for expected obsolescence of some engine parts, which will be replaced later on. “A tug or a towboat is a 30-year asset,”

Rice said. “How do we build that, anticipating the changes in technology going forward….Methanol is becoming a fuel of choice. Building a tug for methanol will look nothing like a battery tug.” 2014 WM & BC Ship.pdf 1 06-26-14 12:51 PM Jonathan Hawes is a freelance writer.

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Q & A WITH

Paul Matthews is the first African-American port director in the history of the state of Louisiana.

PAUL MATTHEWS

CEO Spotlight: Matthews takes the helm at Port of South Louisiana.

By Heather Ervin, Editor in Chief

PAUL MATTHEWS took over as the new executive director of the Port of South Louisiana this past January. Matthews replaces long-time Executive Director Paul Aucoin, who served the port for over eight years and led the organization through record growth. Matthews is the first African-American port director in the history of the state of Louisiana.

Matthews has several years of port experience in the Gulf region. Prior to joining the Port of South Louisiana, Matthews served as deputy port director at Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District. He joined Plaquemines Port in 2017 after serving as the community affairs manager at the Port of New Orleans.

As deputy director, he helped negotiate multi-million-dollar terminal leases and facilitated the development of a privatepublic partnership to expand rail service at the Plaquemines Port. He also assisted in securing millions of dollars of federal port security and dredging funds and was involved in attracting grants for critical port infrastructure projects among so many other things.

When he took over at the port, Matthews said that he looks forward to leading the Port of South Louisiana by maintaining so many of the port’s successes and growth through focus on infrastructure, agriculture, and the energy transition. Here’s what else he had to say in a Marine Log exclusive:

Marine Log (ML): Prior to your designation as the Port of South Louisiana’s new executive director, you held roles at Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District and at the Port of New Orleans. Can you tell us a bit about those roles and what you learned that you plan to keep in mind as you lead the Port of South Louisiana?

Paul Matthews (PM): During my tenure at the Plaquemines Port, I helped negotiate multi-million-dollar terminal leases and facilitated a private-public partnership to expand rail service. I also assisted in securing millions of dollars of federal funds for port security and dredging and was involved in attracting grants for critical port infrastructure projects. As I spent more time at Louisiana ports, I quickly realized that community outreach was lacking.

The people knew there were ports but didn’t know exactly where they were or what they did. I spearheaded a community outreach plan to bring awareness to our maritime operations and have continued to advocate for the connection between residents, industry, and the actual ports. I’m likely the only individual to have spent time working at three ports in the same region. I plan to use the perspective I gained from working at those ports with great leaders as I work with my team at the Port of South Louisiana. Regionalism is necessary for us to all achieve our full potential in the maritime industry.

ML: How did you get your start with ports? Is it a career path that you saw coming or did you happen into it like so many of us?

PM: I began my journey in the port industry in 2012, when I joined the Port of New Orleans to spearhead community affairs. My efforts led to engaging more than 6,000 civic, business, academic leaders, and local, state, and federal-elected delegations with maritime-related issues, such as economic and workforce development and infrastructure improvement.

I think if it hadn’t been for the advice and mentorship of then-Executive Director Gary LaGrange, a career in the maritime industry would not have been on my radar.

ML: As many of our readers know, Paul Aucoin is your predecessor. Have you had the chance to talk to him about your role and was there anything valuable he instilled in you in preparation for you taking over?

PM: I know I have big shoes to fill as executive director of the Port of South Louisiana. Paul Aucoin’s accomplishments and the impact of the port on the regional and national economy are inarguable.

His advice was simple: acknowledge shortterm and long-term challenges, establish goals, formulate a plan while leaving room for adjustment, rely on your staff, and understand the board. Paul helped to continue

The general cargo dock at the port’s public facility, Globalplex Intermodal Terminal, which was recently outfitted with two high-capacity Konecranes.

the Port of South Louisiana’s success. My approach will be different but no less impactful, of course.

ML: The Port of South Louisiana is one of the country’s largest tonnage ports. What’s going on at the port that our readers might find of interest? Any new expansions or projects in the works?

PM: Transportation is our business. We are truly multimodal, with access to land, air, road, and rail. We’ve been focused on upgrading the road aspect and taking advantage of some of the federal funding available.

Infrastructure improvements to our Globalplex Intermodal Terminal include: • Installation of two Konecranes Gottwald

Model 6 Portal Harbor Cranes that will expand our cargo capacity to help win back tonnage and help with

mid-streaming frequency and speed; • Reinforcement of the dock that will increase weight limit and improve truck capacity; • Internal roadway improvements to help ease use of our facilities; and • Second access bridge to improve ingress/ egress to our dock.

Additionally, we are supporting the following regional infrastructure, transportation projects: • I-310/U.S. 90 corridor and improvements, which will upgrade 160 miles of

U.S. 90 to interstate standards; • Widening of LA 3127 that will convert the roadway from a two- to a four-lane highway; • Installation of I-10/Reserve interchange that would provide a direct access to

I-10 from Reserve, alleviating traffic in

LaPlace and Gramercy; and • Extension of runway at PSL’s Executive

Regional Airport from 5,100 to 6,500 feet to accommodate larger corporate and eventually cargo aircraft.

ML: A hot topic at the moment is sustainability and greening maritime operations. Is the port tackling some of these green hurdles to become a more sustainable operation? If so, can you tell us more about that?

PM: We are poised to assist existing industry in making attractive energy transitions, including the introduction of alternate fuel for modern vessels.

We also support the initiative of green fuels/carbon capture. Wind and solar also play a part in making renewable energy successful for all. Our existing industry has already begun to try new ideas to speak to the green movement, and we are prepared to help in any way we can.

U.S. DREDGING CONTRACTORS BOOST THEIR TSHD FLEETS

Things are looking good for the U.S. dredging industry. On March 29 this year, the Biden administration announced that it will invest more than $2.7 billion in funding to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects focused on strengthening ports and waterways —and a lot of that spending will be on projects requiring dredging.

Contractors have been gearing up accordingly. A number of significant dredge construction projects are underway at shipyards around the country—with trailing suction hopper dredges (TSHD) very much in the spotlight. Why the current emphasis on TSHDs? Two industry associations give some indications of the capabilities of the assets.

The International Association of Dredging Contractors says that “TSHDs, or hoppers, are self-propelled ships that contain a hopper or hold inside their hulls. They are primarily used for dredging loose material such as sand, clay or gravel. The main features of a TSHD are drag heads, suction pipes, swell compensators and gantries.”

Dredging Contractors of America says that “a hopper dredge is well-suited for dredging materials ranging from soft mud and silt to dense sands and clay. It can maintain operations in relatively rough seas, and because of its mobility, be used in high-traffic areas. It is often used at ocean entrance channels and is very productive in deep water and wide open spaces. A hopper dredge is nimble and can transit quickly to dredged material placement sites under its own power without the need for tug assist or towing.”

From a shipbuilding viewpoint, one take away from this is that TSHDs are ships, not workboats, and building them requires a shipyard capable of handling full-size vessels stuffed with some fairly complex, specialized equipment. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some vessels currently being built or on order.

GLDD eyes its options

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock (GLDD), the largest dredging contractor in the U.S., currently has a 6,500-cubic-yardcapacity TSHD on order at Conrad Shipyard that’s set for delivery in first quarter 2023. The contract includes an option for a second vessel.

In a call with financial analysts back in February, GLDD president and CEO Lasse Petterson said a decision on the option dredge would come in second quarter 2022.

“That additional dredge could be incremental capacity, but we do have three older hopper dredges, which are coming up,” Petterson said. They’re really good revenue earners for us at this point in time. But as