WorkBoat March 2023

Discharge

Is it possible for the marine industry to reach zero emissions by 2050?

Andrew Packer Senior Manager, Global Application Engineering Watersport enthusiast

FEATURES

16 Focus: Make it Right

NOAA’s proposed rules to protect North Atlantic right whales could affect several passenger vessel operators.

18 Vessel Report: On Call

Emergency response vessels handle many missions.

28 Cover Story: Pushing Change

The marine industry is looking more closely at cleaner power options.

BOATS & GEAR

22 On the Ways

• Incat to switch from LNG to battery-electric power for 2,100-passenger catamaran ferry • Philly Shipyard cuts steel for fourth national security multimission vessel • Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to build 288' service operations vessel for Crowley and Esvagt • Gladding-Hearn to build fifth Chesapeake-class launch for the Maryland pilots

34 Cleaner Engines

Engine manufacturers are using new technology to reduce emissions

AT A GLANCE

8 On the Water: Swell information — Part I

8 Captain’s Table: Reckoning with high water in 2019.

9 Energy Level: Follow the money.

10 WB Stock Index: Index rises 20 points in January.

10 Inland Insider: Barge construction slows, keeping supply in check.

11 Nor’easter: Tough times for New Jersey offshore wind.

12 Legal Talk: Alternative dispute resolutions.

13 Insurance Watch: Coverage for potential liability claims.

NEWS LOG

14 Shipyards pick up in 2023 where they left off in 2022.

14 Coast Guard evacuates crew from disabled tug.

14 Port of South Louisiana to buy former Avondale Shipyard property.

Tugs assist the 751' bulk carrier Jag Aalok on the Mississippi River. Photo by Doug Stewart

SAVE THE DATE

E-Mission control

Abig topic these days, both in the news and elsewhere, is climate change. More speci cally, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The subject of emissions, and how to reduce them, has seemingly consumed the maritime sector in recent years. Sure, reducing emissions is a worthy goal for us and the planet. But the workboat industry’s point of view is “why pick on us” when the maritime sector is only responsible for a very small percentage of U.S. transportation-related GHG emissions? (See the cover story written by Bruce Buls that begins on page 28.)

In 2018, the International Maritime Organization adopted a decarbonization goal for its members: Reduce total annual GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2050, compared with 2008. Many countries have also established individual decarbonization goals, often promising to diminish GHG to net zero by 2050.

In the recently released U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, the federal government has of cially committed to reducing GHG emissions from our transportation sector to net zero by 2050. “To address the climate crisis,” it said in the introduction to the report, “we must eliminate nearly all GHG emissions from the sector by 2050.”

That means every cargo vessel, pushboat, tugboat, tour boat, ferry, OSV, SOV, dredge and patrol boat must be powered by carbonless energy in 27 years, at most. That’s a huge amount of diesel and gasoline propulsion and

Krapf, Editor in Chief dkrapf@divcom.com

auxiliary power that would have to be replaced or modi ed. Is this possible?

Jason Blume has serious doubts. “I think it’s a very bold challenge, but, no, I don’t think it’s possible,” said Blume, North American sales manager at MAN Engines & Components Inc. That’s based on the limits of current technology and “how we are going to get to that [future] technology” in a relatively short period of time. It will be extremely dif cult to eliminate all GHG emissions from our sector, but a “transition to a sustainable transportation future,” as the national blueprint said, is a worthy goal.

David

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• Jerry Fraser • Pamela Glass • Betsy Frawley Haggerty

• Max Hardberger • Joel Milton • Jim Redden

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It was a great 2022 WorkBoat Show

Itwas another great WorkBoat Show. How blessed we are who are chosen to make a living in the workboat industry. At what other trade show do people walk up and down the aisles and it feels like visiting an old home?

We are an important global industry and WorkBoat Show attendees from all over the world come to the Crescent City (New Orleans) along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. We make deals and learn what’s happening in a business that we hold dear to our hearts. As a bonus, we visit and party with old friends and business associates.

We work in a fantastic industry. We take care of each other and work well with one another all the time. How blessed we are.

Capt. Joy Manthey New Orleans, La.

Coast Guard releases new maritime cybersecurity guide

The Coast Guard is proud to release the Maritime Cybersecurity Assessment & Annex Guide (MCAAG), which will help Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facilities and other maritime stakeholders address cyber risks.

This voluntary guide serves as a resource for baseline cybersecurity assessments and plan development, particularly the Facility Security Assessments (FSA) and Facility Security Plans (FSP) required by MTSA.

Previously, the Coast Guard released NVIC 01-20: Guidelines for Addressing Cyber Risks at Maritime Transportation System Act (MTSA) Regulated Facilities. It provided voluntary guidance to MTSA-regulated facility owners and operators on complying

with requirements to assess, document and address computer system and network vulnerabilities. The initial incorporation of cybersecurity into required FSAs and FSPs was due by Oct. 1, 2022.

During the implementation phase, stakeholder feedback re ected a desire for continued development of guidance and support from the Coast Guard. MCAAG offers an additional resource for MTSA-regulated facilities to enhance and expand on their current efforts as they continually assess cyber risks and vulnerabilities.

MCAAG may also be a resource for Area Maritime Security Committees in assessing overall port area cybersecurity risk and development of cyber annexes of Area Maritime Security Plans. U.S. Coast Guard Office of Port & Facility Compliance Washington, D.C

BY JOEL MILTON

Milton

On the Water

Swell information — Part I

In the last few months, the National Weather Service has made a small but noticeable change in the information sent to mariners via their regularly issued marine weather forecasts for the coastal waters of the U.S. East Coast.

The change involves swell information, both the direction and period. It has been routinely added to the normal wave forecasts, both in the online text forecasts and radio broadcasts. This is a significant positive step.

For those unfamiliar with swells, they are waves, typically somewhat smooth and rounded in appearance, that are generated by non-local winds. They can travel moderate to very long distances. Swells are distinct from local wind waves (the “normal” waves in your forecast), which are formed and driven by local winds and can change direction rapidly as the local wind direction and velocity changes. Swells, too, will change direction and size, but generally much more slowly than local wind waves do. In combi-

Captain’s Table

High water on the Ohio in 2019

Editor’s note: This column first appeared in the April 2019 issue of WorkBoat.

nation, these confused seas significantly increase the risk factor.

Those that sail bluewater (deep sea), coastwise in the Caribbean and, especially, the West Coast, are familiar with this phenomenon. Surfers are also familiar with it. On the East Coast it is typically associated with distant tropical cyclones. But non-tropical cyclones, often in the form of coastal nor’easters, can pack more than enough punch to generate big swells too.

The synergistic action of multiple, changeable wave trains coming from different directions at different wave periods (the time between passage of crests in seconds) is of particular concern to mariners. The separate wave trains collide at different angles, acting upon each other in unpredictable ways, and often amplifying each other’s size, steepness, or both. They can easily double up on you.

It can become impossible to get or keep your tow “in step” in these conditions. Sometimes lengthening the tow can help, and sometimes it doesn’t. Usually, the best thing to do is simply slow down, which is unpopular both ashore and afloat.

BY CAPT. ALAN BERNSTEIN

Alan Bernstein, owner of BB Riverboats in Cincinnati, is a licensed master and a former president of the Passenger Vessel Association. He can be reached at 859-292-2449 or abernstein@ bbriverboats.com.

In my 40-plus years on the river, I don’t think I have ever seen as much rainfall and high-water conditions on the Ohio River as we have had in 2018 and early 2019.

We have experienced high water conditions and flooding on the Ohio before, but not for such an extended period. By December 2018, parts of Kentucky had already received nearly 70" of rainfall.

In the Cincinnati area where my company operates, we recently had a stage of 56', which is four feet above flood stage (pool stage is 26'). At first glance, this might not sound so bad, until you learn that all the flood gates on the Newport, Ky., side of the Ohio River have been closed for quite a while. Under these conditions, those who do business on the river side of the flood gates must scramble to get and maintain access over the flood walls. When the flood gates remain closed, it has a huge effect on our ability to operate.

What is different from the past and is rainfall the only culprit? Even with the record rainfall, I don’t think that rain by itself is the cause of our ongoing problem with high water. I think it is a combination of factors.

Could it be global warming? Possibly. Could it be that cities and counties along the river have changed the way they manage water flow? This is a distinct possibility. For example, the municipal water and sanitation districts in my area have undertaken major construction projects to repair and expand the infrastructure that handles storm runoff, thereby increasing the volume of rainwater reaching the river.

To further compound this situation, riverfront development has exploded in many cities, which contributes to increased runoff. Previously undeveloped land that would have absorbed rainfall now provides a fast lane for water runoff into the rivers.

I don’t have any real answers at this point, only questions. But I believe strongly that the inland river industry, along with government experts, must begin looking at this situation and decide how we can manage what seems to be a growing problem on the rivers.

Joel

works on towing vessels. He can be reached at joelmilton@ yahoo.com.

Energy Level

Follow the money

BY JIM REDDEN, CORRESPONDENT

Reinvestment rates in the global oil and gas industry are expected to rebound by 28% this year, reversing the all-time low of 22% in 2022, Wood Mackenzie concluded in a review of upstream trends.

Of particular interest to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, the consultancy expects development spending to increase at least 10% to between $460 billion and $480 billion.

“Investment needs to rise further in 2023 and subsequent years if supply shortages are to be avoided. But not by as much or for as long as many market observers think,” said Fraser McKay, head of upstream analysis. “And with corporate deleveraging largely complete, there is room for both incremental reinvestment and continued shareholder distributions.”

Dampening the projection, however, are nagging in ation and widening supply chain margins that will consume about half of the increased spend. “Cost in ation will constrain the impact of spend increases, and supply chain bottlenecks and inef ciencies will threaten the hard-fought gains made through previous downturns,” according to the Jan. 12 analysis.

Rising oil and gas prices could also pose a double-edged sword as more countries look to cash in. The U.S. is a case-in-point with President Biden having threatened the imposition of a windfall pro t tax last October as operators posted record earnings amid growing consumer prices. “Country risk has risen toward the top of the pile of investor considerations,” McKay said. “If prices move higher, more countries will take action in the form of price caps or windfall taxes. Operators will have to reassess current and new opportunities, even in countries previously thought to be low risk.”

Meanwhile, with decarbonization of the energy stream the mandate du jour,

Rig Count (December '21 -December '22)

spending on low-carbon projects like wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) will

jump by $60 billion this year, 10% more than last year, according to Rystad Energy

WorkBoat Composite Index

WorkBoat stocks increase 20 points in January

TheWorkBoat Composite Index began 2023 on an up note, rising 20 points, or 0.6% in January. For the month,winners topped losers by a 3-1 ratio.

Among the winners was Houstonbased tank barge operator Kirby Corp. The shares in the company were up 6.43, or 10%. On Jan. 31, Kirby an-

nounced fourth quarter revenue of $730 million and adjusted earnings of 67 cents per share. This compares to 2021 fourth quarter revenue of $591 million and adjusted earnings of 27 cents per share. In Kirby’s Jan. 31 earnings call, David Grzebinski, president and CEO, said the strong results reflected steady market fundamentals in both marine

Source: FinancialContent Inc. www.financialcontent.com

transportation and distribution and services.

“We achieved strong fourth quarter results in both our segments and we expect that to continue into the first quarter,” Grzebinski told analysts. “Steady demand driven in large part by high refinery utilization and chemical plant utilization should continue to support high barge utilization. Limited new barge construction combined with inflationary pressures are expected to further support inland rate increases.

“We continue to expect refinery and petrochemical plant activity to remain high with an increase in customer volumes. Barge availability is constrained as there is minimal new barge construction expected in 2023.” These positive factors are expected to contribute to Kirby’s barge utilization running in the low- to mid-90% range for the foreseeable future.

For the complete up-to-date WorkBoat Stock Index, go to: www.workboat.com/resources/workboat-composite-index

Inland Insider

Barge construction drops, keeping barge supply in check

BY PAMELA GLASS

Pamela Glass is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for WorkBoat. She reports on the congressional committees and federal agencies that affect the maritime industry, including the Coast Guard, Marad and Army Corps of Engineers.

Barge operators were very conservative when it came to spending on new equipment last year, with deliveries of new hopper barges declining for a second year in a row.

Mississippi River barge operators took possession of 226 new jumbo hopper barges in 2022, a drop of 25% from the 300 acquired in 2021, according to the annual survey of new hopper barge construction by River Transport News. By comparison, construction was especially active in 2016, with nearly 1,000 hoppers hitting the waterways.

The main reason for declines over the past two years has been the record high prices for plate steel used in barge construction, which has increased the cost of new equipment and discouraged investment despite strong barge rates in the dry cargo barge market.

“The market conditions facing the shipyard sector were an extension of developments which began in 2021, when plate steel prices began to rapidly increase to then-record levels,” RTN said

— David Krapf

in its Jan. 9 newsletter. It was a down year for construction, but not as low as 2019, RTN noted, when deliveries hit a “multidecade low of just 186 barges.”

Chiefs of big inland barge companies said at a November forum sponsored by Marine Money that high steel prices are actually good for the overall barge market as expensive steel discourages overbuilding.

Prices “have been astronomically high,” said Lance Sannino, president of Louisiana-based Enterprise Marine Services LLC, which operates inland tank barges and towing vessels on the intracoastal waterway and the Mississippi River system. “As we look into retirement schedule and needing some barges for ongoing commercial requirements, we have pursued limited construction, but it’s a big ask right now. But it has been good for the market as supply has been tempered.”

Another factor are high interest rates, said Mike Ellis, CEO of American Commercial Barge Line, Jefferson, Ind., one the nation’s largest barge companies. “Steel gets all the headlines, but with interest rates where they are and the cost of capital today, you have dual headwinds of not only the cost of steel and labor to build vessels, but interest rates that are having a continual effect on the cost of a new vessel.”

BY KIRK MOORE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Contributing

Editor Kirk Moore was a reporter for the Asbury Park Press for over 30 years before joining WorkBoat in 2015. He has also been an editor for WorkBoat’s sister publication, National Fisherman, for over 25 years.

Nor’easter

Tough times for New Jersey offshore wind proponents

Aseries of humpback whale strandings on Mid-Atlantic beaches during December into January gave offshore wind opponents an opening to promote one of their key charges: that sea oor surveys for planning the turbine arrays already threaten endangered marine mammals.

Clean-ocean advocates, commercial shermen and activists from New Jersey beachside resort towns issued a demand for a “thorough, transparent investigation of these whale deaths performed by federal agencies with independent, third-party scientist oversight” and “a hard stop to all current in-water activity by the offshore wind industry, until the investigation is complete.”

Environmental groups that support wind power swung into action. Allison McLeod of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters said observers on offshore wind survey vessels had reported no whale encounters and “it is therefore irresponsible to assign blame to offshore wind energy development before a routine full investigation is completed.”

Wind power critics led by the New Jersey group Clean Ocean Action contend the animals could have been harmed by vessels that tow survey equipment and sample the sea oor for developers planning to install wind turbines and power cables off New Jersey.

Federal of cials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management jumped into the public relations fray a few days later with a telephone press conference for reporters.

“I want to be unambiguous: There is no information supporting that any of the equipment used in support of offshore wind development could directly lead to the death of a whale,” said Benjamin Laws, deputy chief for permits and conservation with NOAA Fisheries Of ce of Protected Resources.

BOEM of cials — who oversee offshore oil and gas development as well in the Gulf of Mexico — said the survey tools used for wind projects off the East Coast are akin to sonar rather than the loud acoustic signals used for oil exploration.

Wind developers have permits issued by NOAA under the Marine Mammal Protection Act that allow offshore work that may cause “incidental” harassment of whales, but not physical harm.

Critics continue to challenge that explanation, contending that even sub-lethal effects of sound can affect whales, potentially disorienting them and putting them in danger. Two whales beached in New Jersey were found to have injuries from vessel strikes. NOAA of cials say an increasing population of whales in the New York Bight close to vessel traf c may be one factor.

While the whales debate loomed large, nance and public policy questions played into New Jersey’s impending third offshore wind solicitation, which will move the state closer toward Gov. Phil Murphy’s goal of 11,000 megawatts of potential.

BY DANIEL J. HOERNER

Legal Talk

Alternative dispute resolutions can save time and money

Approximately40 million lawsuits are led in state and federal courts every year. With the big backlogs in the courts, it can take from many months to several years for a case to go to trial. The process is not only long and arduous, but it can also be expensive.

While our Constitution guarantees every litigant his “day in court,” that’s not always in your best interest. So, if you nd yourself embroiled in litigation and you don’t have the time or money to see it through the trial process (and possible appeals thereafter), there are options.

Often referred to as “alternative dispute resolution,” pre-trial settlement conferences within the court system, mediation conducted in the private available alternatives. In fact, research shows that less than 10% of lawsuits ever reach a judge or jury

for a nal adjudication. Most cases end up settling out of court, and for good reason.

Alternative dispute resolution offers many bene ts compared with taking a case to trial. Perhaps the primary advantage is that the parties can decide the fate of their suit without the risk of relying on a judge or jury. Resolving the case by way of settlement often results in signi cant savings, due to the sheer expense of the fees and costs required to go to trial. Also, an out-of-court resolution of your legal dispute can be decided in far less time than it takes to get to a nal ruling in the court system. For these reasons, alternative dispute resolution is practically the norm in civil litigation today.

These alternative means of handling a lawsuit still typically require formal and sometimes extensive discovery, motion practice, and other pre-trial work that can only be processed through the judicial system. But an astute attorney and pragmatic client should recognize when the time is right to negotiate an acceptable outcome and forego the risk and cost of trial. Of course, every case cannot be settled, and the trial process is sometimes the only means through which your legal matter can be handled.

Daniel J. Hoerner is a maritime attorney with Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett LLC. He can be reached at 504-595-3000 or dhoerner@mblb. com.

Insurance Watch

Covering your business for potential liability claims

Making sure your working vessels and business are covered for liability claims does not stop at the water’s edge. While you may be focused on the liability you face while working on the water, don’t forget about the liability you may be exposed to on dry land.

Chances are vessel crews are covered under protection and indemnity (P&I) for an injury or illness occurring while they are in service to the ship or ships. This coverage extends to crew while they are away from the boat but on ship business.

But what if a crewmember gets into an accident while driving to the marine supply store and, worse, another person is injured? In a motor vehicle accident, the vehicle’s coverage is primary. This means that if you send an employee to the store in their own vehicle to pick up some supplies for your boat and they get into an accident, their personal automobile coverage will be the primary insurance should someone get injured. Required automobile liability limits vary from state to state, and if the accident is severe your employee’s personal auto policy may not carry suf cient limits to pay for the damages. In a case like this, you can expect your business will be dragged into this.

This is where non-owned auto coverage comes in. This coverage extends third-party liability limits for accidents involving your employees when your business is sued. There are a number of ways to have this rolled into your overall insurance package.

this included in your policies that your excess liability policy extends coverage over. The premium for non-owned auto is based on the number of employees and generally is reasonably priced. While your workboat’s insurance coverage is an obvious area to focus on, keep in mind the other areas that your business may be open to for liability claims.

BY CHRIS RICHMOND

MSHS engineer s and technici a ns are con t r o ls and m aintenance experts who c a n extend syst e m life and improve c rew safet y w hile minimizing downtime t h r ough: Florida – Louisiana – Washington •Over 30 Years Experience •24/7 Overhaul Services •Largest In-Stock Parts Inventory On-site or at a service facility, MSHS engineers & technicians are engine, turbocharger, and controls experts. Operational Efficiency, Le ss Downtime MSHS-JuniorWorkboat-JanuaryHalfPageAd-V1.indd 1 1/27/23 8:11 PM

Shipyards pick up in 2023 where they left off in 2022

News Bitts

Coast Guard evacuates crew from disabled tug

The Coast Guard rescued seven people from a disabled tugboat in mid-January as it and its barge tow drifted 30 miles off Ocean City, Md.

The 103’x30’ tug Legacy was underway from the Dorchester Shipyard on Delaware Bay in New Jersey to Guyana, towing a 290’ barge, when a 1,000’ tow line became entangled and fouled the tug’s starboard propeller, according to a Coast Guard report.

Port of South Louisiana to buy former Avondale Shipyard property

As 2023 begins, there is already plenty on the plates of shipyards around the U.S.

There were several unconventional new barges that were being built last year, including a new yard, repair, berthing, and messing (YRBM) barge built by Conrad Shipyard LLC for the Navy, a 416' LNG bunkering barge underway at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for Crowley, and Kirby Corp.’s venture into the offshore wind industry providing barge transportation for offshore wind turbines.

Looking at some of the major projects underway at shipyards in early 2023, we see similar innovation and adaptation to current markets. Whether it’s building with sustainability goals in mind, meeting new demand, setting new bars in Jones Act-compliant building, or updating training vessels for maritime academies, there’s no shortage of new designs being built at U.S. shipyards and no shortage of work.

A year ago, construction began at Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., on the largest LNG bunkering barge ever built in the U.S. This 12,000 m3-capacity barge will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind, with delivery to Crowley scheduled for late this year.

In October, St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony at its Palatka, Fla., shipyard, marking the start of construction for the second Incat Crowther 30 CTV. These 98' Jones Act-compliant CTVs will be operated by Windea CTV LLC in support of U.S. offshore wind development. The first series of vessels under construction are expected to be used in support of the Vineyard Wind I construction project, south of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

In 2019, Marad awarded TOTE Services a contract for the national security multimission vessel (NSMV) program. TOTE then awarded Philly Shipyard a contract to construct up to five NSMVs.

In 2020, construction of cially got underway. TOTE, Philly Shipyard, and Texas A&M University, cut steel in January on the fourth 524'5'×88'7" NSMV for the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas. — Matt Collins

The Port of South Louisiana has signed an agreement with T. Parker Host Inc. to purchase Avondale Global Gateway for $445 million. The 254-acre global logistics hub along the Mississippi River was formerly the site of Avondale Shipyard. T. Parker Host has transformed Avondale Global Gateway into a multimodal commerce center. The property is located within the Port of New Orleans.

$20 million in small shipyard grants available from Marad

Marad announced in January the availability of $20 million in fiscal year 2023 funding to help modernize small U.S. shipyards, including workforce training. Applications for grants are due by Feb. 27, 2023. Additional information is available by contacting David M. Heller, associate administrator for business and finance development, Maritime Administration, Room W21-318, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590; David.Heller@ dot.gov.

Go to workboat.com/news for the latest commercial marine industry news, or download our mobile app. Search WorkBoat in your app store on your mobile device.

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding began construction on the largest LNG bunkering barge ever built in the U.S. last year. The barge is expected to be delivered to Crowley in late 2023.

Make it Right

New rules to better protect right whales could hurt vessel operators.

By Betsy Frawley Haggerty, Correspondent

North Atlantic right whales are approaching extinction with fewer than 350 individuals and fewer than 100 reproductively active females remaining, according to NOAA Fisheries. At 55' and up to 70 tons, these blubbery behemoths are among the largest animals in the world, yet they are dying off — victims of climate impacts, prey, vessel strikes and entanglements.

Everyone agrees that these endangered whales need to be protected, but they do not agree on how that should be done. In August, NOAA Fisheries published proposed new rules that are so restrictive that many passenger vessel operators wonder how they can keep their businesses running.

Indeed, one operator serving Cape

Cod says that under the proposed rules, 50% or more of the pro ts his company made in its last pre-Covid season will be at risk — to say nothing of the impacts on tourism.

First some background: In 2008 NOAA established rules to protect the whales by creating Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs) along the whales’ migratory route and calving grounds. SMAs are located in select coastal areas from Florida to Massachusetts. Seasons typically extended from fall until spring when the whales moved north to the Gulf of Maine, the Bay of Fundy or the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Vessels 65' or longer are required to travel at 10 knots or less in these areas. In addition, NOAA also established temporary Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs) in locations where three or

more whales are observed. The agency will alert mariners to latitude and longitude boundaries of DMAs and requests that all vessels operate at speeds less than 10 knots for a period of 10 days to two weeks. The rules have helped, and vessel strikes decreased, but there were still too many, according to NOAA.

NEW RULES

After extensive study, NOAA Fisheries proposed new rules intended to better protect the North Atlantic right whale population. These include:

� Greatly expanding the geographic area of SMAs, and, in some cases, extending the time the speed limits will be in effect.

� Adding mandatory 10-knot speed limits in management areas to vessels 35' and longer, a change from the

North Atlantic right whale with evidence of sublethal entanglement injuries along the head and body.

NOAA

current 65' regulation. According to NOAA, vessels less than 65' accounted for ve of the 12 documented lethal vessel strikes since the rst speed rule went into effect in 2008. (In late January, NOAA denied a petition brought by environmentalists to to immediately implement the proposed 10-knot rule for vessel 35' and up.)

� Creating a new mandatory Dynamic Speed Zone Program establishing temporary 10-knot transit zones when right whales are detected outside of designated Seasonal Speed Zones.

� Updating safety precautions.

NOAA received more than 21,000 public comments between August and Oct. 31. Comments ranged from full support of the proposed rules to thoughtful explanations of why negative economic impacts outweighed any potential positive gain. A NOAA Fisheries spokeswoman told WorkBoat that the agency was currently reviewing the comments and “anticipated taking nal action on the proposed rule in 2023.” She offered no additional information.

The Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) submitted comments that re ect its members’ concerns. In an 11-page carefully worded document, PVA essentially told NOAA that the proposed speed restrictions are overkill that will

North Atlantic Right Whales

do little to save right whales but could result in severe economic hardship for maritime workers, vessel operators and the communities they serve.

PVA recommended that NOAA:

� Retain the existing May 15 date for the lifting of the 10-knot vessel speed in Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (located east of Boston at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay) and adjacent waters.

� Exempt commercial whale-watching vessels from the 10-knot vessel speed limit.

� Remove estuaries and bays between the mainland and certain islands, such as Fire Island, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, from the Atlantic Speed Zone and adjacent proposed speed zones.

� Create a program to instruct crewmembers in right whale identi cation, detection and avoidance, and set up a program so that NOAA can communicate with mariners directly regarding right whale locations.

No one knows when, or if, NOAA will act on these recommendations — a worry for vessel operators as they plan for the 2023 season. Most concerning is the uncertainty about Cape Cod Bay. Under current regulations, the 10-knot-

per-hour speed limit ends on May 15. The proposed regulations keep the speed limit in place until May 30.

Three companies run high-speed ferries across the bay to Provincetown, Mass. Two operate out of Boston — Bay State Cruise Company and Boston Harbor Cruises. The third, run by Capt. John Boats, makes the trip from Plymouth, Mass.

These companies are prime examples of the negative impact on passenger vessel operators of the proposed rule change and argue they simply cannot run when the speed limit is in place. They normally operate at about 40 knots and make the 55-mile trip from Boston to Provincetown in 90 minutes. At 10 knots per hour that’s ve-and-a-half hours.

“That’s longer than it takes to y from Boston to Europe,” said Mike Glasfeld, managing member, Bay State Cruise Company. “No one would do that.”

To lose the last two weeks of May, including the busy Memorial Day weekend, “would cost us the equivalent of 50% of the pro ts we made in our last pre-Covid season,” Glasfeld said in his letter to NOAA. Worse, he wrote, is the challenge of a mandatory Dynamic Speed Zone, which could come at any time and severely limit pro ts.

It would also hurt Provincetown’s economy. In a letter to NOAA, the town asked for reconsideration of the proposed end date for the speed limit. “Taking two weeks away from the short summer season will be a hardship for business owners,” the town’s letter said. “Provincetown’s tourism economy exceeds $250 million annually, and the ferries bring 50% of visitors in the form of day-trippers and weeklong visitors who stay in our accommodations. Small businesses will suffer from the lost revenue.”

In a December conference call hosted by Ed Welch, PVA’s legislative director, operators described how they were trying to help themselves. Many had reached out to elected of cials, and Glasfeld said he had even hired a lobbyist, but no one was upbeat.

It takes Bay State Cruises’ fast ferries 90 minutes to get from Boston to Provincetown, Mass., and the reverse. If the new rules take effect, it will take 5 1/2 hours to make the 55-mile trip at 10 knots. Bay State Cruise Company

VESSEL REPORT Emergency Response Vessels

On Call

Emergency response vessels have many responsibilities.

By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor

What’s the difference between an emergency response vessel (ERV) and a patrol boat?

Patrol boats do exactly what their name suggests — they patrol. They are designed to keep bad things from happening, acting as a deterrent. ERVs answer emergency calls, including re ghting. They don’t keep bad actors from doing what they do.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, scores of small patrol and emergency response craft were built throughout the U.S., many of which were partially or mostly funded by the federal government. Metropolitan areas which previously could not afford to build a new patrol boat or ERV suddenly had the money.

And shipyards that could build these vessels suddenly saw that part of their businesses grow exponentially.

Over the past 20 years, boats that can handle both patrol and emergency response missions have become more proli c in ports and on waterways across the U.S.

MULTIMISSION

These crossover boats can be one-offs or multiple boat eet enhancements.

WorkBoat’s Boat of the Year in 2022 is a prime

example of a multimission boat. Late last year, MetalCraft Marine delivered the 85'×26'×12' aluminum firefighting, rescue, patrol boat Monjed 2 to the Kuwait Fire Force.

Because of the uniqueness of the boat’s operational location, MetalCraft started looking at outside designs that were used in severe sea state conditions that could still make good speeds and carry heavy loads.

The boat’s design, based on MetalCraft’s FireStorm model, has very tall hulls that are wide enough to house large diesels and lots of reghting equipment.

The Monjed 2 features

two Jason  re pumps, spewing 5,000 gpm each through telescopic monitors that extend 40’ above the deck.

“MetalCraft started on preliminary designs back in early 2015. Several concepts did not y due to the instability of shooting 12,000 gpm from 45 feet above the water,” Bob Clark, MetalCraft partner and contracts manager said at the 2022 International WorkBoat Show in December. “Even a catamaran design would need to be very large and very heavy with a super low center of gravity to support the force of 12,000 gpm from the tower monitors. The boat would also need to handle

severe seas if a re occurred during a storm event. MetalCraft started looking at outside designs that were designed around severe sea states that could make good speeds and carry heavy loads. This led us to the wind-farm boats of the North Sea.”

Main propulsion comes from two MTU 10V 2000 M86 diesel engines, producing 1,360 hp at 2,450 rpm each. The mains connect to twin MJP DRB 500 waterjets through ZF 665 twospeed marine gears.

In August, Ocean Craft Marine delivered a 23' berglass amphibious rescue boat, employing the shipyard’s high-performance

MetalCraft Marine

85'x26'x12' aluminum firefighting, rescue and patrol boat built by MetalCraft, operates in the waters off Kuwait.

Emergency Response Vessels

concave reverse-chine-designed hull form, to the North Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Rescue Squad.

Formed in 1958, the North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad is one of the oldest rescue squads in South Carolina. The squad is responsible for water rescue to swimmers/boaters in-distress, overturned boats, jet ski crashes, aquatic search and rescue, vehicles in the water, medical emergencies on boats, aircraft emergencies involving the water and post-hurricane search and rescue.

The squad is used by the Coast Guard, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Horry County Fire Rescue, North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach city governments.

“We don’t do a lot of amphibious boats because they’re hard to get right, but this was the right application,” said Todd Salus, Ocean Craft Marine’s vice president, sales and marketing. “The North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad’s amphibious rescue boat is a highly specialized craft providing the unique ability to launch and recover the boat from any beach thus providing for greatly enhanced incident response times from this rescue team. We hope that the boat’s unique capabilities will help to save many lives.”

Salus said the amphibious search and rescue boat is unique from all other rescue boats because it utilizes Ocean Craft’s proprietary four-wheel-drive amphibious land mobility system, which greatly expands the boat’s rescue capabilities and signi cantly reduces the

squad’s response time.

Main propulsion comes from a Mercury Marine 250-hp V-8 outboard motor.

Additionally, the boat features shockmitigating seats mounted to a deck track system for ease of adjustment. The boat was designed to exceed North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad’s stringent operational requirements including the need for a hinged and folding T-top as well as a folding electronics arch at the stern due to the height restriction at the rehouse.

Salus said the amphibious search and rescue boat can handle high-speed tactical turns at varying speeds and in rough sea conditions without fear of submersion. It also features an exceptional high load carrying capacity of more than 1.5 tons and the ability to run continuously at speeds of 63 mph in high sea state or seas as shallow as 3.3'.

As of January, Bollinger Shipyards LLC, Lockport, La., has built and delivered 47 Sentinel-class fast response cutters. The FRCs are replacing the aging 110' Island-class patrol boats built by Bollinger 30 years ago.

The Coast Guard has taken delivery of the 154'×25’ cutters in Key West, Fla., before sending them around the U.S. and the world. Part of the cutters’ mission is search and rescue operations, which quali es them as ERVs. Each FRC is expected to be on duty an average of 2,500 hours per year.

Bollinger has delivered 170 vessels to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period. This is the 47th FRC delivered under the current program. For the FRC, which has a draft of 9'6", Bollinger is using a proven, in-service parent-craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708.

Main propulsion comes from twin MTU 20V4000 M93L diesel engines producing 2,900 hp each. The boats have an endurance of ve days and 2,500 nautical miles

FRCs are being deployed in support of the full range of missions within the Coast Guard and other branches of the U.S. armed services. The FRCs have a ank speed of 28 knots, state-of-the-art command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) technology, and a stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26', over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat.

Four-wheel drive expands the capabilities of Ocean Craft’s amphibious 23' rescue boat.

Ocean Craft Marine

154' fast response cutters are replacing 110' Island-class patrol boats. Bollinger Shipyards

VESSEL REPORT Emergency Response Vessels

stainless-steel, 3-bladed props, giving the boat an eight-knot running speed. For additional maneuverability, the fuel ship has custom-made bow and sternthrusters, a Sea Star steering system and is tted with a Yanmar 3JH40 auxiliary engine to run its hydraulic systems.

OTHER QUALIFIERS

Other boats that are used in emergency situations include:

• Fuel ships. When recreational boaters have an emergency, its usually a commercial ERV that comes to the rescue. Weekend boaters that run out of fuel in open water can qualify as an emergency. That’s where

Peterson Fuel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., can help. The company’s fuel “ships” service the Fort Lauderdale and Miami area. Peterson’s latest newbuild is a 34'×12'×6' steel hulled craft that can carry a cargo of up to 2,500 gals. of fuel. Sporting a 3' draft, the 20-dwt Peterson Gas is powered by twin Suzuki 225 outboards with

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

• Among the models Safe Boats International, Bremerton, Wash., brought to the 2022 International WorkBoat Show was a 39'2"×10' Safe 38 full cabin boat that has a range of 360 nautical miles at 34 knots. However, the 1,275-hp 38 can reach a top speed of 55 knots. The boat’s collar system is 100% Safe XDR-1 extreme duty reinforced with a blue rubstrake.

• Lake Assault Boats LLC, Superior, Wis., was also at the WorkBoat Show promoting its 22' and 24' rigid in atable boats (RIBs) engineered for fast re and rescue response. The boats can operate in as little as 12" to 14" of water.

Running out of fuel on the water can be classified as an emergency situation. Peterson Fuel

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CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS

Incat to switch to battery-electric power for 426' catamaran ferry

drive propulsors, while zero-emission power includes batteries, frequency converters, transformers and electric motors, plus shoreside infrastructure to handle recharging.

“Obviously, there needs to be sufcient energy supply in the ports that the ship would visit,” said Clifford. “But we understand this is progressing positively. The batteries and electric motors are being worked through with our suppliers to ensure they can deliver the technology required in the timeframe we need them.”

Peter Gutwein, Incat’s strategic adviser, said that Incat is ready to meet the demand. “The world wants large, lightweight, zero-emission ships,” he said, “and we are already scaling up our workforce and production facility for what will be a signi cant expansion.”

With customers around the world looking for low- or zero-emissions alternatives to fossil-fuel propulsion, Incat Tasmania believes it has the wherewithal to make that transition. In fact, the company and one of its customers is changing course for a vessel already under construction.

Buquebus, one of Incat’s longtime customers based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, recently asked Incat to “investigate the possibility of replacing the LNG powerplant with a battery-electric solution,” for a 130-meter (426') catamaran that will carry 2,100 passengers and 226 vehicles, according to Incat. When the transition from LNG to batteries is completed, the vessel would be the world’s largest zero-emissions ferry operating on any route anywhere.

“The customer wants this to happen, Incat wants this to happen, and whilst there are matters to be nalized, I am extremely con dent that Incat can deliver this groundbreaking ship,” said Incat group chairman and founder Robert Clifford. “In my experience, unless we see something come in from left eld, this is a done deal.”

Craig Clifford, Incat’s managing

director, acknowledged that “there are always challenges if you change any aspect of the design of a ship part way through [the] build, but in simple terms, this is just swapping out one method of propulsion for another.”

That swapping out requires a lot of new engineering, however. At the recent Interferry conference in Seattle, Luke Pretlove, Austal’s technical manager, said, “Electric ferries require longer and more complex design spirals.”

Conventional diesel power requires only main engines and gearboxes to

“Zero-emissions shipping is the future,” said Clifford, “and Incat, based in Tasmania, one of the few places on the planet which has already delivered net zero, is now poised to revolutionize the world’s shipping eet by delivering the world’s rst zero-emissions, lightweight ship.”  — Bruce Buls

Philly Shipyard cuts steel for fourth national security training ship

TOTE Services LLC, Philly Shipyard Inc., and Texas

A&M University at Galveston cut steel in January for the fourth 524'5"×88'7"×55' national security

Incat Tasmania Incat is replacing an LNG-powerplant with a battery-electric propulsion system.

Philly Shipyard

The fourth in a series of five training vessels is under construction at Philly Shipyard.

multimission vessel (NSMV) destined for the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas.

The Philadelphia-based shipyard will build up to ve new ships, with 21'4" drafts. The fourth NSMV is expected to be delivered in 2025 to Texas A&M Maritime Academy. In 2019, Marad awarded TOTE Services a contract for the NSMV program.

The NSMV IV’s steel cutting is another major construction milestone for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s NSMV program, designed to provide a purposebuilt, state-of-the-art training platform for state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and California.

In addition to providing world-class training for future U.S. mariners, these ve NSMVs will be available to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

“We are proud to welcome cadets and staff from Texas A&M Maritime Academy to our shipyard in celebration of the of cial start of fabrication on their new training vessel,” said Steinar Nerbovik, president and CEO of Philly Shipyard. “With this milestone event in the NSMV program, we now have four ships under active construction and strong backlog into the future.”

Along with serving as an educational and training platform for future U.S. mariners, the ve diesel-electric powered NSMVs will also be available to support federal government efforts in response to national and international disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

In this role as a National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) vessel, the NSMV will incorporate medical capabilities, a command-and-control platform, and berthing for up to 1,000 rst responders and recovery workers. The vessel’s rollon/roll-off ramp and crane to facilitate container storage capabilities will enable it to provide critical support equipment and supplies to those in need.

Main propulsion will come from four Wabtec 16V250MDC diesel engines, producing a total of 19,260 hp from two

BOATBUILDING BITTS

TheAssociation of Maryland Pilots has ordered its fi fth Chesapeake-class launch from GladdingHearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp. Delivery is scheduled for early 2024. With a deep-V hull designed by Ray Hunt Design , the new allaluminum launch measures 52.6' overall, with a 16.8' beam and a 4.8’ draft. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D16, EPA Tier 3-certifi ed diesel engines, each producing 641 hp at 1,800 rpm, the vessel’s top speed is expected to reach over 26 knots. A Humphree interceptor trim control system, with its automatic trim optimization, will be installed at the transom. The engines will turn 5-bladed Bruntons nibral propellers via ZF 500-1-A gear boxes. The launch will be equipped with a Northern Lights 12-kW genset.

St. Johns Ship Building, Palatka, Fla., held a keel-laying ceremony in January for the

second in a series of aluminum off shore wind crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT). The Chartwell Marine Ltd. Ambitious-class CTVs will service U.S. off shore wind projects for construction, operations, and maintenance. The 82.7' aluminum catamarans are designed to transport 24 personnel to and from wind turbines with speed, safety, and stability. The Ambitious-class CTVs are powered by two Tier 4 MAN engines producing 2,900 hp through two Hamilton HM651 waterjets coupled with ZF gears with a top speed of 29 knots.

L aborde Marine Management LLC, New Orleans, has acquired two 240' deepwater DP-2 offshore supply vessels from L&M Botruc Rental Inc. and has expanded its fl eet of managed

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp.

52.6' pilot boat for Maryland.

St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony in January for the second in a series of aluminum offshore wind crew transfer vessels.

St. Johns Ship Building

ON THE WAYS

separate engine rooms.

Maneuverability will be enhanced by ap rudders, a sternthruster and bowthruster with “take home” power. Each ship will have a range of 11,000 miles at 18 knots. Cummins will provide ship’s service power.

NSMVs will help to sustain worldclass U.S. maritime training operations at the state maritime academies by equipping young U.S. mariners with the most modern and adaptable training platform. The ships will feature numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge and have space for up to 600 cadets to train in a rst-rate maritime academic environment at sea.

“TOTE Services is proud to join Marad, Philly Shipyard, and the Texas A&M Aggies to celebrate the start of construction of this new vessel that will be used to help train the next generation of of cers at the only maritime academy on the Gulf Coast,” TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon said in prepared re-

marks. “This vessel will vastly enhance Texas A&M’s degree programs and give the academy a ship that can hold its entire program in a single cruise, providing cadets the opportunity to become skilled in shiphandling, decision-making, and unexpected challenges with the type of camaraderie that cannot be replicated in a classroom.”

Construction of the rst two vessels is well underway, with contracted delivery of NSMV I to SUNY Maritime College in 2023, NSMV II to Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2024, and NSMV III to Maine Maritime Academy in 2024. Each ship will carry 600 cadets, 100 of cers, staff, and crew.

Bay Ship to build SOV for Crowley, Esvagt

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., will build a new 288.7'×57.7' HAV 832 service operations vessel (SOV) for

Crowley and Danish offshore maritime company Esvagt. The two companies will jointly operate the SOV under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

Norway’s HAV Design AS designed the vessel, which will go into service in 2026. Additional speci cations have not yet been nalized.

Under the new contract, U.S.-based Crowley will manage and crew the SOV to support Siemens Gamesa’s service operations on the Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off the coast of Virginia. Esvagt will support Crowley with design, construction, crew training and operation services as part of the two companies’ joint venture, Crest Wind, created in 2021.

“This vessel marks another signi cant milestone in our overarching, combined capabilities to help develop, construct and serve the U.S. offshore wind market and America’s clean, renewable energy needs,” Bob Karl, senior vice president

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and general manager, Crowley Wind Services, said in a statement.

The SOV is designed for comfort and workability, providing a highly ef cient workspace and safe transfer of technicians at the windfarm via a motion-compensated gangway and

technicians, including tness facilities, a game room, a cinema, and individual accommodations.

The new vessel will have a 20.3' draft and feature state-of-the-art technologies to support the operations and maintenance activities of the wind

Esvagt is one of the largest operators of SOVs in Europe.

“This rst contract in the U.S. is a landmark event for Esvagt in our quest to help drive the green transition as a global leader of SOV services,” said chief strategy and commercial of cer Soren Karas of Esvagt.

Dominion Energy said it plans to construct 176 14.7 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines and three offshore substations, generating enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes. Dominion said this would produce ve million tons per year less of carbon emissions compared with fossil fuel usage for power.

“We are proud to be associated with important ‘green’ projects like this,” Marco Galbiati, CEO of Fincantieri Marine Group, said in a statement. “The SOV market is one of the most

From energy-efficient propulsion systems to cutting-edge battery technology, Volvo Penta is leading the way in electromobility for the maritime industry. Visit volvopenta.us to learn how our innovative solutions can fit your business needs.

Crowley

The new SOV will feature state-of-the-art technologies to augment safety, workability and comfort.

powered by Volvo Penta in partnership with Merrel Boats and Hurtigruten Svalbard. This vessel is the first of its kind, utilizing sustainable driveline technologies to deliver a unique combination of power, reliability and fuel savings.

BOATBUILDING BITTS

vessels. The Shelley Lab and Gibson Lab will fully support deepwater activities in the Gulf of Mexico and are SOLAS certifi ed. One of the vessels completed routine shipyard inspections and maintenance prior to becoming available for off shore support work in January. In addition to the acquisition, Laborde Marine recently took over management of the 190' deepwater DP-2 crewboat Northstar Independence and the 210' DP-1 OSV Capt. Woodrow. Laborde Marine now has 34 vessels either owned or under management.

The San Francisco Bar Pilots have awarded a contract to naval architecture and marine engineering fi rm Glosten to design three new station boats that will meet California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission requirements. CARB has established regulations to limit emissions below what is required by EPA for Tier 4 and must be met for any vessel considered a harbor craft by CARB

operating in harbor and coastal California waters. Seattle-based Glosten worked with the San Francisco Bar Pilots in 2007. Glosten’s support of the new station boats includes a propulsion feasibility study and a contract design package. The bar pilots are slated to be the fi rst pilot association in California to build NEW vessels that will meet CARB’s Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations. The fi rst two station boats are expected to be in service by late 2024, with the third in service by late 2025.

Laborde Marine now manages the 190' Northstar Independence

Laborde Marine

Pushing Change

By Bruce Buls, Editor-at-Large

Everywhere I look, I see climate change. Not so much directly, here in the Paci c Northwest, but through the lens of the media.

I read stories about alarming temperature increases in Greenland and watched news reports showing California burning up during the summer and drowning under atmospheric rivers in the winter.

Worldwide, many people have come to the realization that burning oil and all its derivatives releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide and other gasses that increasingly insulate our globe and trap too much heat.

The maritime industry is now faced with a carbon problem. Not only do tens of thousands of commercial vessels rely on prime movers fueled by diesel distillate, but a large portion of commercial marine operations have been simply moving fossil fuels from one place to another or support-

ing its extraction. As an industry, it is a carbon-based lifeform.

REDUCING EMISSIONS

That, however, is changing. In 2018, the International Maritime Organization adopted a clear decarbonization goal for its members: Reduce total annual GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by at least 50% by 2050, compared with 2008. Many countries have also established individual decarbonization goals, often promising to diminish GHG to net zero by 2050.

The U.S. is now one of these countries. In the recently released U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, the federal government has of cially committed to reducing GHG emissions from our transportation sector to net zero by 2050. To accomplish this, the transportation sector, which is the source for one-third of

The switch is on to cleaner power options.

Barge tows ply the Mississippi River near New Orleans. all U.S. emissions, will have to clean up its act in a hurry. “To address the climate crisis,” it said in the introduction to the report, “we must eliminate nearly all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the sector by 2050.” That means every cargo vessel, pushboat, tugboat, tour boat, ferry, OSV, SOV, dredge and patrol boat must be powered by carbonless energy in 27 years, at most.

A pie chart inside the blueprint shows the source of total U.S. GHG emissions. Transportation, at 33%, is the biggest. Electric power is sec-

ond at 25%. Within the transportation sector, nearly half (49%) comes from “light duty vehicles” (cars and pickups) and 21% from “medium and heavy vehicles” (bigger trucks and buses). The maritime portion of the transportation slice is only 3%, which is about 1% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

That may be a small portion of the overall problem, but for the owners and operators of an estimated 38,000 commercial vessels in the U.S., getting to or even close to zero emissions by 2050 is huge. That’s an enormous amount of diesel and gasoline propulsion and auxiliary power that would have to be replaced or modi ed.

Is it possible? Obviously, so early in the process there will be doubters.

Jason Blume falls into that category. “I think it’s a very bold challenge, but, no, I don’t think it’s possible,” said Blume, North American sales manager at MAN Engines & Components Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla. That’s based on the limits of current technology and “how we are going to get to that [future] technology” in a relatively short period of time.

Then there’s the question of where the future fuel comes from. “Maybe a boat will be carbon free,” said Blume, “but then have to trace back how that energy was produced for the vessel.” Did it come from “some sort of clean

energy, wind power or solar power or natural gas or coal? It’s what they call well to wake. It’s extremely dif cult. I don’t see how to make that chain completely carbon free.”

Holding out a glimmer of hope, Blume added, “It’s all challenges that we’ll have to push through and see the best we can offer.” (MAN is working to reduce the carbon footprint with new dual-fuel hydrogen-powered engines. See page 34 in this issue.)

Currently, with zero emissions, “have to” is essentially voluntary. The blueprint for decarbonization doesn’t include legal mandates. Instead, the government’s lead agencies and departments (energy, transportation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD), will use numerous “levers” to enable and support the “transition to a sustainable transportation future.”

One lever is “policy and regulation,” which may include market incentives such as production tax credits for sustainable fuels, GHG and fuel economy standards, grant programs and maybe carbon pricing. Another lever is “infrastructure, industrial investments and nancing,” which would include “grid transformation and upgrades to enable transportation electri cation” and “production of sustainable fuels such as hydrogen and sustainable biofuels.”

Bruce Buls

Is it possible for the maritime industry to eliminate nearly all of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050?

Doug Stewart

WETA GOES BATTERY ELECTRIC

AlthoughWETA/San Francisco Bay Area Ferry took delivery last summer of the 321-passenger ferry Donado, powered by twin diesel engines, and there are three sister vessels on order and already paid for, “these are the last diesel-powered vessels that we will add to our fleet,” said Seamus Murphy, WETA’s executive director.

A third lever, “research and innovation,” should offer many opportunities for developing clean technologies. Money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the In ation Reduction Act will fund a lot of this. The Department of Energy (DOE) alone will stand up 60 new programs, including 16 demonstration and 32 deployment programs. DOE is also expanding funding for 12 existing technology research, development, deployment and diffusion (RDD&D) programs. “The private sector, with incentives from the BIL and IRA, can focus resources on scaling and commercializing technology solutions that drive decarbonization,” the blueprint said.

“Moving forward our fleet will be much more into battery electric. We’re also going to explore some zero-emission fuels starting with the hydrogen vessel, the Sea Change,” he said. WETA will operate the privately owned catamaran through next spring and summer tourist season as a shuttle on the downtown San Francisco waterfront.

“Operating the Sea Change will be an opportunity to get a lot of eyes on that new technology, and it really demonstrates how cutting edge the maritime industry can be when it comes to adopting hydrogen as a propulsion source,” said Murphy.

By this spring, WETA expects to announce procurement plans for five new battery-electric ferries, two will be 350-passenger replacement boats and three will be smaller 100- to 150-passenger fleet additions. All will be rapidly recharged by larger battery banks on the system’s floating docks. WETA has applied for a $20 million grant from the Federal Transportation Administration for the shoreside infrastructure. “We’re cautiously optimistic that we’ll hear good news on that,” said Murphy.

WETA is also considering hydrofoils. “We’re going to be monitoring the Candela pilot program in Stockholm next summer,” he said. “We’re hoping that that will be successful because that just offers so much potential for us to do what we need to do in California.” Not only would hydrofoils be fuel efficient and fast, but they would be able to operate in areas with shallow water. “We have a lot of demand to add service in some of those areas.”

Murphy believes that the transition to decarbonization should have started earlier. “We’re way behind in this country. This is a transition that we frankly should have been making already. Other places around the world have cutting-edge technology, and they’ve done a lot more in this area than we have. It’s time for us to catch up, so we hope to be part of that catching-up at WETA.” — B.

Buls

The other three levers are data and analytic tools, workforce education and training, and stakeholder engagement and public-private partnerships, in which “all levels of government and the private sector should align their efforts to enact solutions through technical assistance and collaborative work.”

The overall grand strategy of the blueprint has three parts:

• increase convenience,

• improve ef ciency, and

• transition to zero emission vehicles (and vessels) and fuels.

The convenience factor isn’t a major piece of the puzzle for commercial marine, other than making zero-emission ferries more attractive alternatives to cars. Improving energy ef ciency, however, is an important consideration for commercial marine operations with more potential for both saving money and reducing GHG. The blueprint also encourages greater use of maritime transportation: “For freight, maritime and rail offer the cleanest options.”

CLEANER CHOICES

The American Waterways Operators intends to emphasize this existing advantage. In a Jan. 17 memo to its members, AWO board vice president Rick Iuliucci and AWO vice president for regulatory affairs

Commissioned last summer, the Dorado will likely be among the last diesel ferries built for San Francisco Bay.

Caitlyn Stewart wrote that “Empirical data shows that the tugboat, towboat and barge industry is the most environmentally friendly, fuel-ef cient mode of freight transportation, with both lower greenhouse gas emissions per ton-mile and a substantially smaller carbon footprint than competing modes.”

Stewart said the data was from Texas A&M Transportation Institute studies that, “in particular compared the fuel ef ciency and greenhouse emissions of freight transportation modes.” Yet, she added, there are a lot of ways AWO member companies are further “looking to reduce their environmental impact, including bringing new low-carbon alternative fuels or new performance systems into the eet.”

The biggest challenge for AWO member companies “is

how to make that kind of decision commercially viable.” So, while there’s that hurdle to overcome, Stewart said AWO members look forward to working with customers, government partners, port and terminal partners, as well as other “industry stakeholders to gure out how we can play a role in reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector.”

Another new federal government publication, the Energy Ef ciency and Decarbonization Technical Guide released last year, provides a ton of information about those sustainable technologies, especially as they relate to the U.S. commercial maritime industry. Case studies of vessel types (tanker, containership, ferry, tugboat, Great Lakes bulk carrier and offshore supply vessel) include hypothetical operations with various propulsion options, including

alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, ammonia, biofuels, Fischer Tropsch diesel and methanol.

The guide considers both internal combustion engines (ICE) and fuel cells. There’s also a section on Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage, which is currently seen as prohibitively dif cult and expensive.

The 296-page guide was written by a small group of engineers at Glosten, Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineers and published by the Maritime Administration. It’s full of graphs and tables with green and red highlights that emphasize the decarbonization factors. There are calculations for both well-to-tank and well-to-wake GHG emissions. For example, ammonia is a zero-carbon fuel, for both fuel cells and ICE, but “the production of most ammonia has a signi cant well-to-tank GHG component,” according to the guide. So-called green ammonia can be produced using

describes a variety of options from hull coatings to sails to pre-swirl and postswirl devices for propellers. Another valuable feature of the guide is the inclusion of dozens of clickable website links in the three appendices for references, technologies and deployments.

The guide’s concluding remarks note that energy ef ciency technologies and decarbonization solutions comprise a “dynamic landscape.” The guide “provides both a snapshot of that landscape, as well as a forward view of what energy ef ciency and decarbonization solutions will reach maturity and gain adoption in near- and midterm timelines. However, the evolving landscape will prove some technologies will become obsolete, while others that are not broadly known today may see rapid development and uptake in that same near- and mid-term timeline.

“The developers of this guide seek to maintain a record of technology developers and vessel deployments, and periodically update this guide every three to ve years to re ect new and upcoming advancements across the marine industry.”

Editor’s note: Correspondent Michael Crowley contributed to this report.

green hydrogen and renewable-energy electrolysis.

The Ef ciency Technologies section

Bruce Buls

The tug and barge industry is viewed as the most environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient mode of freight transportation with a much smaller carbon footprint than competing modes.

Cleaner Engines

Engine manufacturers are using technology to reduce pollution.

By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

Aharbinger of shifts in propulsion engine technology for the workboat market took place in May, almost a year ago. That’s when a pair of MAN 1,019-hp D2862 LE428 12-cylinder diesels that had been modied to run on a dual-fuel combination of hydrogen and diesel went into the 82'×24'×6' Hydrocat 48, a crew transfer vessel operated by Vestes, a Danish offshore wind company.

“It’s a very cool kind of benchmark project that is a test for new technology to save a lot of carbon emissions,” said Jason Blume, MAN Engines & Components sales manager in Pompano Beach, Fla. What seems a bit

counterintuitive is the dual-fuel operation utilizes a conventional MAN V12 marine engine that doesn’t need to be optimized for hydrogen. It only requires the hydrogen-injection system developed by the Belgian engineering rm TECH

In the dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel mode, a measured amount of hydrogen is injected into the charge air that’s then ignited with diesel fuel in the cylinder’s combustion chamber. That combination, even when running at full load, releases less CO2 in the exhaust gases than when running on straight diesel. “The sweet spot” for fuel consumption is between 1,700 and 1,900 rpm, said Josie Hollingsworth, MAN’s

sales manager for marine engines. At that point the engine is burning about 80% hydrogen and 20% diesel.

If the hydrogen tank runs empty or a problem develops with the hydrogen system, the engines switch back to

The MAN dual-fuel 82'x24'x6' Hydrocat 48, a crew transfer vessel operated by Vestes.

CMB.

On the MAN dual-fuel diesel, the tube leading to the blue box supplies hydrogen, the blue box measures it. Behind the blue box is the hydrogen injection manifold.

MAN Engines

being powered solely with diesel fuel and utilize selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment systems to clean the exhaust. The two dual-fuel engines give the Hydrocat 48 a maximum speed of 37 mph, a service speed of 34.5 mph, and a bollard pull of 12.8 tons.

Blume said there’s not much of a learning curve for MAN’s dualfuel engine. The operation is “seamless, no matter what fuel it’s running,” he said. “It will automatically inject hydrogen when it can and run in dual-fuel mode, without operator input.” If there is a learning curve and one that requires a certain expertise, it would be for boatyards installing a hydrogen fuel storage system in a vessel. That’s because the hydrogen needs to be in liquid form to give it the required amount of density. “It must be kept quite cold, about minus 250-degrees Celsius,” said Hollingsworth.

The hydrogen system has a couple of built-in risk mitigation components. For example, when hydrogen leaves the storage tanks, it ows through a low-pressure system of double-walled piping. The low-pressure system “is much less likely to have leaks,” noted Blume, and the piping being doubled walled, it’s highly unlikely that both walls would be penetrated.

Currently the MAN dual-fuel engines aren’t sold in the U.S. The engines have only IMO Tier III approval. However, Hollingsworth said certi cation for the U.S. market is ongoing, and she expects to have EPA Tier 4 certi cation in 2024. In the long run, based on the work developing the dual-fuel engines, it’s possible that the next step for MAN or another engine manufacturer will be a fully hydrogen-

powered vessel.

MITSUBISHI

The market for Mitsubishi’s newest engine offering, the Tier 3 S12R with an 1,100-hp rating at 1,800 rpm, is very focused. Mitsubishi’s S12R is not designed for newbuilds. It’s designed for workboat operators interested in repowering to move older vessels from Tier 1- or Tier 2-rated engines to the cleaner burning Tier 3 level. A major market is twin-screw, 2,000-hp inland towboats, as well as tugboats.

The original Mitsubishi S12R was introduced some 20 years ago with a 1,600-rpm rating. The newest version, which was introduced this January and has an 1,800-rpm Tier 3 rating, “makes it easier for operators to repower older vessels that were running at 1,800 rpm without making gear or propeller modi cations,” said Trace Laborde, vice president of sales at Laborde Products Inc., a Mitsubishi distributor, based in Covington, La.

Laborde also noted that most older workboats have mechanical engines, meaning fuel ow is metered by an injection pump, and Mitsubishi engines are mechanical. Most of the vessels that Laborde expects the Mitsubishi S12R to repower are already set up for a mechanically controlled diesel. “The crews are familiar with it, and they like it because it’s less complicated and

Diesel Engines

more service friendly” than electronically controlled engines, said Laborde. In fact, Mitsubishi Marine engines are the only Tier 3 mechanical diesel engines in the workboat market, according to Mitsubishi.

The Mitsubishi S12R weighs in a bit heavier than some of its competition at 11,731 lbs. for 1,100 hp. That might be a concern if the intent was to repower a high-speed or relatively high-speed workboat, but for vessels such as towboats and tugboats the engine’s weight “does not affect fuel consumption,” said Laborde. “These are displacement-hull vessels. They don’t need to go fast and that’s the right application for a Mitsubishi engine.”

YANMAR

Workboat operators with vessels based in Canada now have the option of a new Yanmar engine model with an SCR system that allows it to meet IMO Marpol Tier III emissions requirements for nitrous oxides, or NOx. It’s the 6EY17WS, an in-line six-cylinder engine based on the existing 6EY17W engine, with a horsepower range of 501 to 1,122. (If sold in the U.S. it would have to meet Tier 4 requirements, but not in Canada.) The SCR system, which is a Yanmar product designed for Yanmar engines, reduces NOx emissions by about 80% compared with IMO’s Tier I standards, said Nathan Stabler, senior marine engineer at Yanmar America. Yanmar’s new engine is available with Yanmar gearboxes with ratios from 2.5:1 to 5:1. The rst Yanmar 6EY17WS is going into a 73' crabber due to be launched next spring in New Brunswick, Canada. That’s to be followed by a second vessel in August and a third in spring 2024.

Mitsubishi’s Tier-3 S12R was introduced in January as a repowering option to bring older workboats up to a Tier 3 rating.

Laborde Products

Yanmar’s new in-line six-cylinder diesel has an SCR system that meets IMO Marpol Tier III emissions requirements.

Yanmar America

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Minimum 2 years offshore experience onboard a derrick barge required. Applicants must have a valid TWIC card.

Email resume to: jobs@shoreoffshore.com

To place a port of call ad!

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Field Service Engineer IS HIRING

A great opportunity for an experienced technician with a desire to join an engineering-backed group as a Field Service Engineer servicing the West Coast This position is geared toward mechanical or electrical technicians with at least 2 years of related experience and a high drive for learning and problemsolving The role will conduct field service engineering work and related activities

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ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM IS HIRING

MARINE DIRECTOR

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- Captain - Engineers

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 Mates: Need a minimum of 200 ton Near Coastal License with Mate of Towing, 1600 ton preferred, with a valid TWIC, USCG Medical Certificate, NY harbor experience is preferred. Coastwise towing experience on wire tugs and /or Tractor tug experience is a plus

 Engineers: Need a valid MMC, TWIC, USCG Medical Certificate, We prefer a Licensed Engineer with Tug experience, but will consider unlicensed personnel that have tug experience.

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PORT OF CALL Employment, Equipment & Services

LOOKS BACK

MARCH 1963

• A 50'×18'×7' twin-screw towboat built at Serodino Inc., Hales Bar, Tenn., is scheduled to be delivered early this month to L.E.C. Investment Corp., New Orleans. The 800-hp towboat is powered by two pilothousecontrolled Caterpillar D343-TA diesels. It has an all-electric galley, and parallel living accommodations for a crew of four.

• The Glen Dora, a 245-hp towboat, was placed in service on the Kanawha River recently by Materials Handling Co. Built at Yates Marine Construction Co., South Charleston, W.Va., the boat is powered by a GM 6-110 diesel which drives a 42"×36" Michigan propeller.

• Five new 128'×33'10" welded steel deck barges were added recently to the

MARCH 1973

• Robert J. Hughes, president, James Hughes Inc., New York, was elected chairman of the board of the American Waterways Operators at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., Feb. 27.

• More than 16,000 engineers, scientists and oceanographers are expected to gather April 30-May 2 in Houston to discuss offshore resource development at the Fifth Annual Offshore Technology Conference. The conference, which is sponsored by 11 international engineering and scienti c societies,

MARCH 1983

• One of the oldest working tugs on the Great Lakes was recently out tted with one of the most modern systems currently available for breaking ice.

The John M. Selvick, operated by Selvick Marine Towing, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., now boasts a self-contained air bubbler system for icebreaking purposes. The bubbler greatly agitates the water alongside the tug’s hull, preventing it from being pinched by ice.

• The NTSB has ruled that inadequate employee training, equipment failure, lack of thermal protection gear, and inadequate rescue/safety equipment all contributed to last year’s Ocean Ranger disaster off the coast of Newfoundland. Eighty-four workers died when the rig capsized in heavy seas. The NTSB report said the probable cause of the sinking was ooding of the anchor chain lockers forward.

eet of aggregate and readymixed concrete producers Southern Materials Co. Inc., in Virginia.

will be held at Houston’s Astrohall in the Astrodome complex.

• Puget Sound Tug & Barge Co. and PAC, two major Seattle-based tug and barge companies, have joined forces under the name Arctic Marine Freighters to transport oil eld supplies and material from Seattle, Houston and other U.S. ports to Alaska’s Arctic Coast, including Prudhoe Bay.