WorkBoat May 2023

FEATURES

14 Focus: Mariners, Too

The maritime sector and sexual harassment.

18 Vessel Report: Headwinds

Vessel construction lags behind plans for U.S. offshore wind projects.

26 Cover Story: Energized

Offshore oil and gas is finally rebounding as wind shows signs of growing pains.

BOATS & GEAR

22 On the Ways

• C&C Marine to build 11,000-hp towboat for ACBL • Campbell towboat repowered • Snow & Company to build two pilot boats for New Orleans • Metal Shark Alabama delivers 70' ferry to New York • Eastern holds keel ceremony for new 302' passenger/auto ferry for Long Island, N.Y. • All American Marine delivers 73' hydrographic survey vessel to North Carolina

30 Turn Up the Radio

New radios and new ways to communicate

AT A GLANCE

8

13

in 1998 in 1,650’ of water, the Gulf of Mexico Baldpate compliant tower produces around 50,000 bbl/d of oil. Hess photo

SAVE THE DATE

NOVEMBER 29 -

DECEMBER 1, 2023 NEW ORLEANS

Offshore shows more energy

It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to share good news about what used to be our bread and butter — the U.S. Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas market.

The offshore energy sector has finally bounced back — and strongly. The Gulf of Mexico is now enjoying increased demand and day rates throughout the service sector, from deepwater rigs to offshore support vessels (see Jim Redden’s report that begins on page 26).

“The fundamental setup for our industry is arguably the best that it has looked in the past 20 years based on a confluence of macro supply and demand factors,” said Robert Eifler, president and CEO of drilling contractor Noble Corp., Sugar Land, Texas. He sees “a sustained multiyear upturn in offshore investment and rig demand.”

According to its website, Transocean has 11 ultradeepwater drillships at work in the Gulf at an average day rate of $439,000 and as high as $480,000. Noble’s four active oaters are commanding an average of $377,500/day.

Day rates for the latest generation platform supply vessels (PSVs) and drilling support vessels (OSVs) are also high, S&P Global Senior Marine Analyst Richard Sanchez told WorkBoat.

“Even your smaller 280-foot PSVs are easily making $45,000 a day or more,” he said.

It’s a different story in the Northeast, where project viability has become the operative phrase within the offshore wind sector as soaring costs and infrastructure limitations have rendered some earlier rate agreements and timelines unsustainable, Redden wrote.

David Krapf, Editor in Chief dkrapf@divcom.com

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) concluded in a recent analysis that limited domestic port, vessel and manufacturing infrastructure threatens to delay half of the planned offshore wind projects beyond 2030.

Given the worldwide expansion of offshore wind, U.S. developers also are finding it difficult to source components. “It’s a tough time to bring on any new kind of global program as the rest of the world is doing the same,” Jeff Bukoski, president of St. Johns Shipbuilding, told WorkBoat Offshore oil and gas may be strong now, but we all know that can change in a heartbeat.

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Will new rules destroy maritime careers?

AsI read the article by Pam Glass on the new legislation that Congress is imposing on the maritime industry (“Cracking down on sexual harassment and assault,” WorkBoat, February 2023, page 15), it occurred to me that there seems to be a clear path that will allow an open avenue to false accusations, thus ruining many mariners’ careers.

I’m not saying that there isn’t a need for proper behavior by our merchant seamen and that there isn’t a need for rules for males and females to cohabitate while at sea, but it appears that Congress has left the door wide open for those that see an easy way to get revenge for almost anything other than what the legislation intends. Yes, sexual harassment has no place in the world, especially at sea where there is nowhere to run. I believe that whole-

heartedly. But human nature is hard to control through legislation. I’m just concerned that some will see this as an easy road to “riches” and destroy many careers in the process.

As Congress usually does, a lot of their reactions to problems is knee-jerk. The problem isn’t looked at from all sides and fully understood before they start to pass a bunch of laws that only exasperates the issue.

If I were still going to sea, I would take offense to these bureaucrats that are basically calling me a sexual predator and creating a hostile work environment between me and any women that might be on my ship.

I would feel that any woman that came onboard would be a threat to my livelihood and career if they decided to make an unfounded accusation because they felt that I might have been too hard on them by demanding that they perform their duties to the proper level of performance.

I believe that this new legislation will cause more trouble for the merchant seaman than if the proper way to x a problem like this, through education, was explored and implemented.

Capt. Rick McAnn Cape May, N.J.

Something on your mind?

WorkBoat encourages readers to write us about anything that appears in the magazine, on WorkBoat.com or pertains to the marine industry. To be published, letters must include the writer’s address and a daytime phone number.

Email: dkrapf@divcom.com

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BY JOEL MILTON

On the Water

Don’t take anything for granted

One of the big challenges of training new personnel and assimilating them into a functioning crew is dealing with the unknown. Thus, taking anything for granted regarding their knowledge and abilities is likely to backfire in small and large ways.

Big cultural changes occur over the years as new generations cycle through the workforce, overlapping one another. No longer can it be safely assumed that young (or not-so-young) adults who arrive on board, new to the environment and now entirely under the watchful eye of the crew, possess what in the past would have been considered universal basic life skills covering a broad range of daily activities. Nor can it be assumed that they will readily adapt and apply whatever knowledge and skills they have arrived with.

To leave them to their own devices is to court disaster.

I’m referring, at least initially, to the simplest

Captain’s Table

If there is one thing I have learned in 40 years as a licensed mariner, it is that being a lifelong learner is extremely important in our profession.

Changes in technology, vessel designs, navigation tools, and operating systems are just a few of the things that mariners must stay up to date on to operate safely.

But what about the external factors that influence our ability to be safe? For example, how do we learn to interact smoothly with the Coast Guard or efficiently prepare for a Coast Guard inspection or drydock? These skills require more than just reading the regulations. They require a willingness to cultivate strong relationships, foster understanding, and develop trust with the Coast Guard. This means getting out of the pilothouse and spending time interacting with Coast Guard personnel in your area of operation. With Covid behind us, the importance of meeting in person cannot be overstated.

The Coast Guard is now holding “Industry Days.” Generally one-day meetings, they involve

of tasks, such as how to use basic hand tools to maintain or repair “stuff” or how to thoroughly clean the vessel, inside and out, and sanitize as needed.

And how about doing all of this without getting injured in a fall or breathing in toxic fumes from using cleaning chemicals incorrectly? How about being able to operate various household appliances ranging from a laundry machine to a mop bucket and wringer? Then there are basic food-handling safety, sanitation, and storage principles, or simply being able to cook a reasonably palatable dinner.

At one time most children would have learned some or most of these things from their parents, older siblings or relatives, and other adults. That is no longer the case.

The great irony, of course, is that Baby Boomers and the subsequent Generation Jones and Generation X, whose progeny have gradually arrived in the workforce with fewer lessons learned, are the ones who complain about it while simultaneously being responsible for the social changes that have led us here.

We have met the enemy and he is us. I’m talking to you, Al and Peggy Bundy!

marine operators and Coast Guard personnel who discuss important industry topics. These meetings are learning-rich environments that allow you to ask questions, make comments, and most importantly build relationships and understanding.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate as a passenger vessel operator and representative of the Passenger Vessel Association in numerous Coast Guard marine inspector training courses and quality partnership interfaces with senior leadership at Coast Guard headquarters. These sessions allowed me to talk about our industry, our challenges, and our commitment to safety.

Frequently, I am asked questions and have given open and honest answers. While marine inspector training classes are now being taught online, there will be chances for industry representatives to participate in Coast Guard journeyman marine inspector courses and in chief of inspection courses.

There are many other ways in which you can take part in industry-related discussions. Consider joining your local Harbor Safety Committee or Area Maritime Security Committee. Whatever path you choose, I encourage you to get involved, contribute, learn, and grow professionally.

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

CAPT. DAVE ANDERSON

Capt. Dave Anderson has been involved in the passenger vessel industry for 45 years and is currently the general manager/ director of operations for Fire Island Ferries Inc., where he oversees the maintenance and operations for 27 vessels.

Energy Level

The money train returns

BY JIM REDDEN, CORRESPONDENT

To a degree, the energy transition chatter has been tempered of late, overshadowed by more pressing concerns over energy security and affordability, which, in turn, has opened the spigot for oil and gas investments.

Declaring “offshore is back,” Rystad Energy in March estimated more than $17.5 billion in new project investments will ow into the Gulf of Mexico over the next two years. That’s part of the $214 billion expected to be spent worldwide on new offshore oil and gas developments.

Offshore activity is expected to account for 68% of all sanctioned conventional hydrocarbons in 2023 and 2024, up from 40% between 20152018.

“Offshore oil and gas production isn’t going anywhere, and the sector matters now possibly more than ever,” said Audun Martinsen, Rystad’s head of supply chain research. “As one of the lower carbon-intensive methods of extracting hydrocarbons, offshore operators and service companies should expect a windfall in the coming years as global superpowers try to reduce their carbon footprint while advancing the energy transition.”

Rebranded oil eld service provider SLB (Schlumberger Ltd.), agreed, saying the offshore upcycle will not reverse itself anytime soon. “Offshore has been seeing an uptick that started about 18 months ago. We don’t see it abating and we see it continue to steadily grow,” CEO Olivier Le Peuch said in a Jan. 20 investor call. “In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, where we have a signi cant presence, we expect the spending uplift to continue.”

SLB and its peers will share in a global oil eld service and supply market that should hit a peak of $1 trillion in 2025 and remain at high levels for several years after, Rystad concluded in a separate analysis.

Count

“While we expect the next seven years to provide a strong market for energy services, companies still have

to improve their economics to make it a feast,” Rystad said in the analysis released on Jan. 31.

WorkBoat Composite Index

Index finishes the first quarter on a down note

The WorkBoat Composite Index finished the first quarter losing 119 points in March, or 3.55%. For the month, losers topped winners 17-7. Among the losers was drilling contractor Nabors Industries, which dipped 19% in March. However, the company has posted several strong quarters in a row. During the com-

pany’s fourth-quarter conference call, Tony Petrello, the company’s chairman, president and CEO, said the fourth quarter marked the third consecutive quarter of sequential earnings growth above 20%, consolidated revenue increased 10% sequentially, and the company’s global average rig count increased by 3.4 rigs. The growth was

driven by increases in both the U.S. and international markets, Petrello said.

Looking forward, Petrello said that “with the spot and future prices for WTI in the current range, we believe the outlook for continued increases in drilling activity in Lower 48 is still constructive. We expect these increases to materialize as we move throughout the year.”

But several factors could affect the company’s outlook. “Foremost among these is the possibility of a recession, which reduces the demand for oil.”

BY PAMELA GLASS

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

Inland Insider

Congress to promote maritime jobs

As tug and barge operators struggle to hire workers, some unusual recruiters are emerging to help the industry: members of Congress.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., held a press conference in March to highlight the importance of the maritime industry and urge young people to pursue careers in New York City’s growing maritime sector — a sector that has many high-paying jobs to offer but not a lot of takers.

“Staten Island has a robust maritime industry that unfortunately not many people are aware of,” Malliotakis said at the press conference that also included representatives of tug and barge companies that transport an array of commodities and assist with refueling, maneuvering, and lightering ships in and around New York Harbor.

“With this industry comes a lot of job opportunities for the residents of Staten Island, and we’re here today because of the influx of federal infrastructure investment into New York ports and waterways,” she said on the dock at McAllister Towing & Transportation on Staten Island. “Tugs and barges are major industries in our communities.”

But “inflation has declined in key areas, namely metals and metal subassemblies. That said, lead times for certain components remain extended. Our vertical integration and global supply chain continue to enable us to satisfy demands of customers. Notwithstanding these factors, energy commodity markets remain constructive, giving us confidence in our outlook through 2023.” — David Krapf

Malliotakis said that although this is a thriving and growing industry that offers top salaries to workers without a college education, many companies “have had to turn down business because they don’t have the labor to keep up.”

Buckley McAllister, president of McAllister Towing, said his company is growing and hiring. “Once credentials are in place, somebody can start out as an ordinary seaman or deckhand aboard one of our boats, and we will train them and provide them with a career path to help them move up to engineer, mate or even captain. We’re looking for young leaders who will help lead the way for our industry in the future.”

He said the average salary for an entry-level position is $45,000, while an able-bodied seaman can earn $64,000, engineers $90,000, mates $94,000 and captains in the six figures. McAllister offers a full range of benefits and will train new recruits.

Rick Iuliucci, vice president of operations at Vane Brothers Co., said because of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and investments made by the state of New York in maritime projects, his company is busy and “in dire need of mariners.”

“We’re seeing a lot happening when it comes to our waterways and marine industry,” Malliotakis said. “And as a result, there’s been job creation.”

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.

Nor’easter

Congressmen skeptical about wind, whales

Apacked house at a Congressional hearing in the seaside Wildwood, N.J., convention center showed how criticizing the Biden administration’s offshore wind energy ambitions could be political gold for Republicans.

The local re marshal ordered doors closed after about 400 people crowded in, leaving hundreds more in line outside during the March 16 hearing organized by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., and billed as “an examination into offshore wind industrialization.”

Van Drew’s southern New Jersey district includes beach resort communities and shing ports where residents object to planned wind turbine arrays, with concerns ranging from the economic effects on tourism to commercial shermen getting shut out of longtime shing grounds.

“This is the coercive power of the state,” Van Drew told the audience in his opening statement. “They are not listening to us.

“It is time we examine the process,” he said. He centered the event on objections raised by critics, especially allegations that a dozen mid-Atlantic whale strandings since December could have been related to survey work on offshore wind power leases.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has strongly denied those claims. The winter strandings of mostly humpback whales follow a trend since 2016 of increased mortality along the East Coast. Necropsies of recent strandings found evidence those animals were killed by ship strikes.

Van Drew invited other skeptical Republican congressmen to his hearing: Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., with his own Jersey Shore constituents; Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., who is taking a lead in calling for other probes of Biden administration policies; and Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., a longtime critic of offshore wind.

“The x is in,” Harris asserted several times, complaining federal of cials have failed to respond to local concerns from coastal communities.

“This is a cover-up in real time,” charged Smith, who proposed a Government Accountability Of ce report on how offshore wind planning has been conducted.

Amid media coverage and political pressure, several Democratic senators got into the debate March 29, urging NOAA to put out more information about whale strandings, and offering to get the agency more resources.

A letter by senators Cory Booker

and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island made no speci c mention of offshore wind power projects. But they urged “additional outreach and transparency in light of the public reporting on and speculation around the potential causes of these deaths.”

“We believe accessibility, transparency, and timeliness is of the utmost importance for NOAA’s whale injury and death reporting,” the senators wrote, asking for details on “the timeline and process for NOAA sharing information with the public when a whale is found dead and when necropsy results are complete” and if “NOAA has plans to strengthen its data-sharing practices with nonpro t and government partners and the public.”

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.

They asked the agency for “any challenges or barriers NOAA faces with ef ciently determining a whale’s cause of death, as well as recommendations for congressional or administrative action needed to reduce these barriers.”

The next day, Van Drew succeeded in getting an amendment onto the House “Lower Energy Costs Act,” an assemblage of energy legislation including offshore wind, oil and gas that passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Van Drew’s amendment called for requiring “the Comptroller General of the United States to publish a report on all potential adverse effects of wind energy development in the North Atlantic Planning Area — including impacts on maritime safety, the economy, maritime environment and ecology, including species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.”

BY CINDY MULLER

Legal Talk

Choice-of-law may not be yours to make

The Supreme Court is set to weigh in on whether a choice-of-law clause in a marine insurance contract can be voided if enforcement would violate a “strong public policy” of the state whose law is displaced.

In Great Lakes Insurance SE v. Raiders Retreat Realty Co. LLC, Raiders Retreat owned a yacht that ran aground and incurred damage. The company submitted a claim to its insurer, Great Lakes, which denied the claim on the basis that the company failed to maintain the yacht’s re-suppression equipment. The insurer sought a declaration that the policy was void and unenforceable due to Raiders Retreat’s failure to reinspect and recertify the re-suppression equipment, which had nothing to do with the grounding or damage to the vessel.

The company led counter claims against Great Lakes under Pennsylvania law for bad faith and breach of the state’s unfair and deceptive trade

Insurance Watch

Consider additional insurance coverage

In today’s world just having hull and protection and indemnity insurance may not be enough.

Does your vessel have tenders? While your hull’s coverage extends to the tenders and launches, they will also have the same deductible that your vessel carries. This could often be higher than the value of your tender. By listing your tenders separately, you can have them insured for a stated value and have a much lower deductible for them. And don’t forget to inform your agent if you install a new outboard on your tender. You won’t have increased coverage

practices law. The case turned on whether Pennsylvania law applied, which would allow Raiders Retreat’s claims, or if New York law would apply as the chosen law in the policy, which would not allow the claims. The insurer moved for judgment on the pleadings asserting that the insurance policy included a choice of New York law, which precluded Raiders Retreat’s claims brought under Pennsylvania law. The district court upheld the New York choice-of-law provision.

On appeal, the Third Circuit remanded the case, instructing the district court to consider whether applying New York substantive law contravened Pennsylvania’s “strong public policy” under a longstanding maritime case, “The Bremen,” which held that “forum-selection articles in maritime cases should be enforced absent a ‘strong showing’ that ‘enforcement would be unreasonable and unjust, or that the clause [is] invalid for such reasons as fraud.’” The Supreme Court accepted the case to determine under admiralty law whether a choice-of-law clause in a maritime contract can be rendered unenforceable if contrary to the “strong public policy” of otherwise applicable state law.

for it unless you notify the insurance company.

Pollution is excluded from all hull and P&I policies. There is some buy-back coverage available, but it is limited and often will not respond when needed. A standalone pollution policy provides wide ranging coverage for not only clean up but also nes, penalties and potential liability.

And don’t forget that there is more to pollution besides petroleum spills. Blackwater and chemical spills can be just as damaging and costly.

BY CHRIS RICHMOND

Richmond is a licensed mariner and marine insurance agent with Allen Insurance and Financial. He can be reached at 800-439-4311 or crichmond@allenif. com

Your vessel is often your sole means of making money. If your boat is not operating, you are losing income. If “loss of income” is added to your policy, it is a way to maintain a source of revenue while your boat is being repaired due to a covered claim.

Cindy Muller is a maritime partner in Jones Walker’s Houston office. She can be reached at 713-437-1859 or cmuller@ joneswalker.com.

Chris

Recruiters stress creativity in landing new mariners

News Bitts

Safe Boats now 100% employee owned

Safe Boats International LLC, Bremerton, Wash., has transferred 100% of the company’s ownership to its employees. The Safe Boats International Employee Stock Ownership Plan officially acquired the company March 31, completing the final milestone in a process that started in late 2022. Safe Boats has experienced dramatic growth since it was founded in 1996 and now has more than 250 employees in two locations, company officials said.

WorkBoat Show advisory board announced

Recruiters for two tug and barge companies discussed how they are dealing with the stubborn labor shortage at a recent workforce forum organized by the American Waterways Operators.

Christa White of Ingram Marine Group, and Rich Evans at McAllister Towing, said that their companies have gotten creative in nding new ways to reach job seekers via social media, job fairs, advertising, and school visits. They have had mariners speak with potential recruits and share on-the-water experiences, beefed up training programs for new hires, and revamped application processes to make it easy for the digitalsavvy generation to submit job applications.

Ingram has also hosted students at its facilities in Paducah, Ky., to learn rsthand about jobs in welding and repairs and tour a towboat. “We hosted a high school event, invited them outside of school,” White said. “It was a small group, but they really wanted to be there.”

Evans said McAllister uses LinkedIn to advertise jobs and has a public relations person who takes care of the job postings on different platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.

White said Ingram has successfully used a speci c geographic strategy: develop the network you already have in the “sleepy towns without big job opportunities,” where people are already familiar with jobs on the river and where mariners already live and can speak directly about their jobs. White said Ingram can recruit locally in 17 states.

She also said Ingram often relies on its own mariners to spread the word about job openings on social media and by word of mouth. Sometimes mariners are asked to join the recruiting team at job fairs, school visits, and on candidate interviews.

Evans said McAllister employs a similar strategy but also recruits at maritime academies and has had success at job fairs for military veterans. “When we go to Kings Point (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy), we try to take a recent graduate with us, someone who is a year or two out of graduation” and works at McAllister. He said career placement staffs at maritime schools are also excellent resources. —

Pamela Glass

The

International WorkBoat Show (IWBS) has announced the formation of an advisory board made up of eight commercial marine industry leaders. Joey D’Isernia, CEO and chairman, Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc.; Joe Hudspeth, director business development and global marine, BAE Systems; Bronson Lamb, marketing manager, All American Marine; Troy Matherne, vice president, energy and transportation division, Louisiana Cat; Kelsey Nemeth, marketing manager, Marine Jet Power; Rick Schwab, senior director, workforce development, Delgado Maritime; Aaron Smith, president and CEO, Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA); Robert Socha, vice president marketing and sales, Conrad Shipyard; and Mark Wright, vice president, southern region, The American Waterways Operators

Gulf lease sale attracts $264 million in high bids

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 259 at the end of March, which generated approximately $264 million in high bids for 313 tracts covering 1.6 million acres in federal waters of the U.S. Gulf.

Thirty-two companies participated in the lease sale, submitting $310 million in total bids. The lease sale was required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).

McAllister Towing

Mariner schedules create a unique work-life balance not offered in other professions.

Mariners, Too

The maritime sector reckons with sexual harassment.

By Pamela Glass, Washington Correspondent

Vessel companies and the federal academy that trains mariners for the industry are facing new requirements to address sexual harassment and assault, as more victims come forward with harrowing allegations of abuse by superiors.

Sexual misconduct has long been under-reported amid the hushed undercurrent of the maritime industry. But with incidents becoming more frequent as more women enter the industry, and more victims willing to talk publicly, the problem is gaining national attention and has spawned new rules and a period of reckoning in the industry.

Sexual assault and harassment, known as SASH, and what to do about it, is now a frequent discussion topic at major shipping conferences, maritime schools, the Seamen’s Church Institute, and in Congress, the media, company boardrooms and vessel wheelhouses.

Many are calling it the maritime industry’s “MeToo” movement

“In recent years, many sectors, institutions and communities in America have been reckoning with the harms of sexual assault and harassment,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg told graduates of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) last June. “Now is the time, long past time indeed, when we must confront the unique challenges around sexual assault and harassment present across the maritime sector and impacting students at this academy.”

Meanwhile, some in the maritime industry worry that the new rules will create a climate for false accusations, while also scaring away potential recruits at a time when companies face a widespread and persistent labor shortage and pressure to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

SASH in the maritime sector exploded nationally in 2021 when a 19-year-old engineering cadet at USMMA anony-

USMMA

Sexual harassment in the maritime sector exploded nationally in 2021 when a 19-year-old engineering cadet at USMMA anonymously alleged that she was repeatedly harassed in 2019 during the Sea Year training program.

mously alleged that she was repeatedly harassed and eventually raped by her superior while on the U.S.- agged Maersk Line Ltd. (MLL) ship Alliance Fairfax in 2019 during the Sea Year training program, a graduation requirement.

Sea Year training typically consists of a sailing period during a cadet’s sophomore year and a longer sailing period during a cadet’s junior year, and enables cadets to obtain the training days at sea necessary to become eligible for a Coast Guard merchant of cer license examination.

Published on the website of Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy Ltd., a non-pro t law rm, the account detailed the attack, its aftermath and discussed the larger problem of SASH in the industry and at the academy. Known as “Midshipman X,” Hope Hicks, the former USMMA cadet, later agreed to go public, take her allegations to the Coast Guard, and share the experience with

Congress and with CNN. She has since graduated and is an of cer in the Navy.

Her account led to the USMAA suspending the Sea Year program, and prompted many other victims to come forward, lling Legal Aid’s website with dozens of abuse stories from women working on merchant vessels as well as female cadets from USMMA and state academies who say they have experienced abuse on campus and during their at-sea training programs. The academies and many vessel companies have since adopted stricter policies of zero-tolerance for sexual misconduct and on responding to SASH incidents.

NEW OVERSIGHT RULES

Congress passed new rules in December to improve oversight and investigations in the maritime industry and within the Coast Guard. Provisions in the scal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December, will:

Sexual Harassment

• Give the Coast Guard authority to revoke the credentials of a mariner who commits sex crimes.

• Establish a process for mariners to report crimes to the Coast Guard.

• Direct the Coast Guard to provide care to a victim as soon as possible while at sea or in a remote location.

• Require “the responsible entity of a vessel,” which could be the master of the ship or the vessel company, to report all allegations of harassment, sexual harassment, or assault to the Coast Guard, while increasing civil penalties to up to $50,000 for non-compliance. The Masters, Mates & Pilots union said this provision “will multiply the potential legal liability of senior vessel of cers,” and urges them to invest in comprehensive license insurance.

• Require companies to incorporate new training on prevention, bystander intervention, reporting, response, and investigations of SASH into the company’s safety management system.

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FOCUS Sexual Harassment

• Require that each berthing area in a ship include information on sexual assault policies and that oceangoing vessels with accommodations for more than 10 crewmembers install and maintain a video and audio surveillance system.

• Require the Maritime Administration to track and store data on abuse allegations at USMMA in Kings Point, N.Y., create a student advisory board to identify “health and wellbeing, diversity and sexual assault and harassment challenges,” and designate an attorney to be a victim advisor and offer legal assistance.

The Coast Guard is now working through these directives and proposing regulations. In January, the agency released Marine Safety Information Bulletin 01-23, “Reporting sexual misconduct on U.S vessels,” that for the first-time outlines processes for investigating, enforcement and reporting sexual misconduct on U.S-flagged ships.

To make it easier for victims to report an incident, the Coast Guard has created a CGIS TipsApp (or email at CGISTIPS@uscg.mil) and promises that all reports will be reviewed by its Investigative Service. Offenders will be held accountable through criminal prosecution or revocation of merchant marine licenses, the Coast Guard said.

In addition, the Transportation Department launched a policy overhaul at USMMA that added the “Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture” (EMBARC) program that outlines measures that shipping companies and the academy must follow to keep cadets safe during their commercial training. It requires shipping companies that participate in the Sea Year program to have a trained sexual assault and harassment coordinator who is in regular contact with cadets, develop crew training, and prohibit crewmembers from entering cadets’ bedrooms, which must have door locks.

The American Waterways Operators said its companies “are all in” for preventing sexual assault and harassment and are committed to provide a safe,

diverse, and inclusive workplace, according to President and CEO Jennifer Carpenter. She said AWO is launching a virtual series focused on harassment, bullying and sexual assault, and educating companies on how they must comply with the new rules, support their crews, and create supportive work environments.

But AWO said some of the new rules are vague and need further clarification, such as what should be reported to the Coast Guard or can be handled by a company. Carpenter also believes that requiring surveillance cameras “doesn’t add a lot of value on a towing vessel.”

HARSHER PENALTIES NEEDED?

Ryan Melogy is a maritime lawyer who founded Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy (MLAA), a non-profit legal advocacy organization. He represents six victims, including Hicks, who have alleged sexual misconduct on large commercial ships and runs the whistleblower website. Melogy said these changes are long overdue and will make a difference in deterring and acknowledging abuses, especially requiring reporting of incidents to the Coast Guard and surveillance on vessels.

But some of the rules fall short, Melogy said. The civil penalties for not reporting are too low and the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits should be extended from three-to-five years, which will be hard to do given industry opposition, he said. And there’s uncertainty whether the Coast Guard can handle all the new responsibilities given

its manpower and budget.

The CNN investigation, which examined hundreds of pages of Coast Guard records and conducted interviews with shipping company and union officials, current and former government employees, and dozens of mariners, concluded that the Coast Guard “has failed to use its power to prevent and punish sexual assault and misconduct for decades, despite growing evidence that this kind of behavior is a longstanding problem at sea.”

The agency told CNN that it has opened 25 criminal investigations into alleged sexual assault but couldn’t cite a single successful criminal prosecution of a credentialed mariner in the last 30 years. CNN also reported that the Coast Guard hadn’t revoked a single credential for sexual misconduct on a ship over the last decade, but mariners who failed drug tests after using marijuana or CBD oil have lost their licenses.

The Coast Guard said it’s often difficult to gather evidence, find cooperative witnesses, and sometimes victims are reluctant to come forward as they are still working on a ship and are fearful of retaliation. Most cases take months or years to resolve, officials told CNN, and in the meantime accused mariners can keep their licenses, which allows them to continue to work and move from ship to ship.

In a related development, CNN further reported in May that the Coast Guard is taking steps to revoke the merchant mariner credential for one year of Edgar Sison, the mariner accused of raping Hope Hicks, the USMMA cadet, in 2019. More than a year after Hicks reported the incident to the Coast Guard, the agency filed administrative charges against Sison for alleged alcohol violations related to the assault accusation.

In November, Hicks settled a civil lawsuit with Maersk, while a decision from the Justice Department is pending on whether criminal charges for the alleged rape will be filed.

Attorneys for Hicks and Maersk mutually agreed that neither side would disclose details of their agreement.

Former USMMA cadet Hope Hicks.

USMMAsports.com

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VESSEL REPORT Offshore Wind Vessels

Headwinds

Vessel construction lags behind U.S. offshore wind plans.

By Kirk Moore, Contributing Editor

The Biden administration’s headlong plunge into offshore wind energy has yet to be matched by private investment in new vessels. Advocates for the new U.S. industry now see it as a serious bottleneck and are working with industry and government to lower barriers.

“The U.S. offshore wind industry hovers right on the verge of a period of major growth, but without enough vessels to install, operate, and maintain the [offshore wind] farms, the market will never reach its true potential,” wrote John Begala, vice president for federal and state policy with the Business Network for Offshore Wind, in a commentary leading up to the Network’s International Partnering Forum in Baltimore in late March.

The network’s new “vessel working group” met for the rst time there. With 16 offshore wind leases in the Atlantic and an estimated $9.8 billion in new investments planned in ports and other infrastructure, industry boosters are worried about the pace of new vessel construction.

Wind turbine installation vessels (WTIVs) are the big nut for the U.S. industry to crack, at around $500 million each

to build and facing a worldwide shortage amid mounting demand in Europe and Asia.

Dominion Energy’s WTIV Charybdis, the rst U.S.- ag installation vessel, is on track for delivery in late 2023, with contracts to work off southern New England along with Dominion’s own Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.

Meanwhile Maersk Supply Service has its WTIV under construction at SembCorp Marine Ltd., in Singapore, with delivery planned in 2025. Maersk is partnering with Kirby Offshore Wind for Jones Act-compliant delivery of turbine components at sea for construction of the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind arrays off New York.

Still, federal energy planners and industry observers say the U.S. industry will need ve WTIVs. The so-called feeder model planned for the New York projects and Vineyard Wind off Massachusetts will use foreign- ag WTIVs and U.S. tugs and barges to move material. But the global crunch for WTIV services is sure to drive up rates, stressing wind developers already hit with higher costs.

In February Bleutec Industries Offshore Wind Services LLC, Houston, received approval in principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the designs of its

Bleutec says its Binary Marine Installation Solution is an alternative to heavy lift jackup vessels for turbine installation.

Bleutec Industries

Jones Act-compliant Binary Marine Installation Solution (BMIS). The company calls its system “a cost-effective alternative to the more expensive heavy lift jackup wind turbine installation vessels currently being employed by the offshore wind sector for foundation and turbine installation.”

Bleutec’s BMIS includes a pile installation vessel (PIV), a wind turbine installation vessel light (WTIVL), and service operations vessels (SOVs), all tailored to the Jones Act market, with modular con guration to facilitate construction in U.S. shipyards.

Bleutec said those vessels “will be capable of installing turbines up to 22 megawatt capacity and monopiles of up to 4,500 tons with 15-meter diameters at any of the U.S. offshore wind developments.”

“Along with our strategic partners, we hope to transform the offshore wind industry through our BMIS with the mission of becoming the premier provider of Jones Act transportation and installation for this market,” said Bleutec president and CEO Robin Bodtmann.

SOVs

The other vital component of SOVs, providing support and hotel facilities to technicians at sea, is thought to require 13 ships for the planned U.S. industry, with just a half-dozen planned as yet.

Early out of the gate was Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture

Offshore Wind Vessels

charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, in its operations on the Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off the coast of Virginia.

The HAV 832, designed by HAV Design AS, a leading SOV design rm in Norway, will be built by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) at its shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and go into service in 2026.

Crowley will manage and crew the SOV to support Siemens Gamesa’s service operations off Virginia. Planned for 176 turbines, the project will have a nameplate power output up to 2.6 gigawatts.

between Equinor and BP, when in May 2022 it announced a long-term SOV contract with Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO).

The vessel will be a “plug-in hybrid SOV,” and rst in the U.S. offshore wind sector that can operate partly on battery power, according to the partnership. To be homeported at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in New York City, the vessel will accommodate up to 60 technicians to operate and maintain the Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 turbine arrays to be built off the New York Harbor approaches.

In January 2023 Crowley and Danish offshore maritime company ESVAGT announced new details on their plans to jointly build and operate a 288.7'×57.7'×20.3' SOV for a long-term

ESVAGT is one of the largest operators of SOVs in Europe, with 40 vessels and 1,200 employees. It will support Crowley with design, construction, crew training and operation services as part of the two companies’ joint venture, Crest Wind, formed in 2021.

“We have designed and developed numerous SOVs for use in demanding offshore climates, but this is the rst time we are designing a vessel for the U.S. market,” Gisle Vinjevoll Thrane, vice president of sales at HAV Design, said in a statement. “We are con dent in the operational bene ts our vessel design brings to the table, so we believe that this contract can open the door for further work in the USA.”

Alongside a crew of 20, it will accommodate up to 60 technicians. The SOV is designed for comfort and high

Damen’s FLOW-SV design has three times the capacity of present anchor-handling tugs for installing floating wind turbines.

Damen

Edison Chouest Offshore’s hybrid SOV will service the Empire Wind project off New York state.

Edison Chouest

VESSEL REPORT Offshore Wind Vessels

workability, providing a highly ef cient workspace and safe transfer of technicians at the windfarm via a motioncompensated walk-to-work gangway and transfer boats.

OTHER VESSELS

About 20 offshore wind crew transfer vessels (CTVs) are in the U.S. pipeline, with up to 58 boats anticipated by 2030.

Other needs are specialized survey vessels, like the 73' R/V Shackleford recently delivered by All American Marine, Bellingham, Wash., to Geodynamics, Newport, N.C.

The Shackleford, developed by Teknicraft Design in New Zealand, is a semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull. The vessel will serve an integral role in Geodynamics’ mission of providing turnkey “single pass” offshore surveys and is speci cally customized to serve the U.S. East Coast offshore wind sector.

European and United Kingdom offshore wind operators and vessel designers have profoundly in uenced builders of the budding U.S. CTV eet. Future prospects for wind power expanding to deepwater sites in the Gulf of Maine and off the West Coast are still far off. But European designers are already

drawing up lines for oating wind turbine installation vessels.

“There are expected to be thousands of oating turbine installations in the coming years, including 1,800 in 2030,” according to Wijtze van der Leij, Damen Shipyard Group’s sales manager for offshore wind.

The 73' R/V Shackleford, recently delivered by All American Marine to Geodynamics, will conduct survey work for East Coast wind projects All American Marine

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CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS

C&C Marine and Repair to build

198', 11,000-hp towboat for ACBL

leading mainline operations. The addition of this new towboat is an example of our continuous efforts to modernize ACBL’s eet and offer more innovative marine transportation solutions to our customers,” ACBL’s CEO Mike Ellis said in a statement.

Upon delivery, the vessel will operate on ACBL’s mainline network pushing up to 56 barges, averaging approximately 75,000 tons of cargo. Designed by Portland, Maine-based CT Marine, the towboat’s pilothouse will have an eyeline at 47' above the water.

“This vessel is the rst of several that we hope to construct, as there is a need for vessels with this kind of horsepower in the market,” said C&C Marine and Repair’s President Tony Cibilich.

C&C Marine is nishing up detailed design and is expected to begin construction later this year. The estimated delivery date is the third quarter of 2024.

Amherst Madison repowers Campbell Transportation towboat

American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has awarded a contract to C&C Marine and Repair, Belle Chasse, La., to build a 198'×50'×12', 11,000-hp class towboat.

The towboat will be out tted with two Caterpillar C280-12 main engines, producing approximately 11,000 hp, supplied by Louisiana CAT. The engines will be paired with two Reintjes WAF 6755 reduction gears supplied by Karl Senner LLC. Generator power will be supplied by three Cat 275kW generators. The towboat will be outfitted with CT Marine CT28-SL nozzles housing 124"-dia. stainlesssteel, 5-bladed fixed pitch propellers and features twin-DIFF flanking and steering rudder systems.

The new vessel will accommodate a crew of up to 12 and the design incorporates a oating, spring-mounted superstructure for additional crew comfort.

“When comparing this 11,000-horsepower-class towboat to smaller 6,000-horsepower-class towboats

frequently used for mainline operations, this larger horsepower vessel will increase ef ciency by 20% or more on both a cost per ton mile and CO2 emission per ton mile basis due to the increase in tow size and tonnage capacity,” Patrick Sutton, ACBL’s chief operating of cer, said in a statement.

“We are investing in our future by building on the strength of our industry-

In March, Campbell Transportation’s Lincoln Thomas, a 70'×24'×10' towing vessel built in 1975, was repowered with a pair of 850-hp Mitsubishi S12A2s main engines at Amherst Madison, Charleston, W.Va. The engines were provided by Laborde Products. The towboat works on the Ohio River out of Pittsburgh.

The new diesels replaced two 850-hp Cummins KTA38s. This seems to be a

CT Marine

The design incorporates a floating, spring-mounted superstructure for additional crew comfort.

Laborde Products

Campbell opted for smaller and lighter engines of the same horsepower.

signi cant shift away from Cummins engines for Campbell Transportation’s liquid towing vessels, of which there are 10 listed on Campbell Transportation’s website. Prior to the repowering, seven of the vessels had Cummins main engines. No engine was listed for the remaining three.

The Mitsubishi engines are somewhat lighter and slightly smaller than the Cummins engines. Trace Laborde, vice president of sales at Laborde Products in Covington, La., doesn’t think the weight savings was a factor in selecting the Mitsubishi’s. “They really liked the simplicity and their ability to service the Mitsubishi engine and the support we could provide.” That includes parts availability and “training their team on the engines,” he said.

Though the Mitsubishi engine’s size and weight weren’t major factors in its selection, they contributed to a relatively easy installation. “It was the simplicity of repowering. It wasn’t an exact drop in but was a very simple engine replacement for Campbell to do,” said Laborde.

That might be part of the reason why Laborde’s 850-hp Mitsubishi S12A2 has repowered several vessels that had been powered with 850-hp Cummins KTA38s. Enough so that Laborde said he considers vessels powered with the Cummins KTA38 a niche market “for the Mitsubishi (S12A2) engine.”

In late March, Laborde said the Lincoln Thomas had nished sea trials with its new Mitsubishi main engines and Campbell “is very happy with it.”

In a previous press release, Campbell Transportation’s Michael Pilgrim said, “We have had great success with the Mitsubishi engines and are excited to add a few more to our growing eet.” —

Michael Crowley

Snow & Company to build two 50' aluminum boats for New Orleans pilots

Snow & Company Inc., Seattle, was recently awarded a contract to build two 50'×16'8" aluminum pilot boats for the Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association, New Orleans.

BOATBUILDING BITTS

Metal Shark Alabama, Bayou La Batre, Ala., delivered the 70'x23' ferry Fire Island Maid to Fire Island Ferries, Bay Shore, N.Y., in March. Designed by Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), Seattle, the multipurpose vehicle ferry

features a steel hull and aluminum superstructure and is equipped with a hydraulic ramp for loading and unloading heavy equipment. The reinforced deck can support fully loaded concrete trucks and general cargo up to 100,000 lbs. The aft pilothouse accommodates two crew and up to six passengers (assumed to be in their vehicles). Main propulsion comes from twin Cummins QSL9 Tier 3 marine engines with ZF Marine CruiseCommand control system and Twin Disc transmissions. Ship’s service power is provided by a Cummins Onan MDK generator.

In early March, Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. (ESG) hosted the keel authentication ceremony for a new 302' auto and passenger ferry for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co. Steel cutting for the new ferry began in January and delivery is scheduled for 2024. The ferry will operate between Bridgeport, Conn., and Port Jefferson, N.Y. The ferry is based on the P.T. Barnum and Grand Republic auto and passenger ferries that Eastern previously constructed for McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., owners of Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat. ESG has constructed more than a dozen vessels for long-time customer McAllister.

Safe Boats International, Bremerton,

Wash., recently introduced an autonomous hydrographic survey vessel, the Merlin. The 75.4', semidisplacement monohull design was developed in collaboration with Mythos AI, Echo81, and World Marine Design. Safe Boats has exclusive rights to build the design at its Tacoma, Wash., large-craft production facility. Merlin will be a Jones Act-compliant all-aluminum hull powered by a twin Volvo Penta D13 hybrid-ready system with IPS. For a zero-emission power package, the Merlin can accommodate forwardthinking hydrogen technology supplied by Zero Emission Industries (ZEI), Safe Boats said.

Eymard Marine Construction, Harvey, La., delivered the 1,600-hp towboat Isabella Juliette recently to the Lydia Ann Channel Fleet (LAC Fleet), Rockport, Texas. The towboat’s main propulsion is provided by two 800-hp Mitsubishi S6R2 engines supplied by Covington, La.-based Laborde Products Sewart Supply Inc., Morgan City, La., provided the Twin Disc MGX-5321 gears and EC600 electronic controls.

All American Marine (AAM), Bellingham, Wash., has delivered a 73'x26.7' hydrographic survey vessel to Geodynamics (an NV5 company),

Newport, N.C. The survey vessel will service the offshore wind market and perform other scientific survey missions. The 73' R/V Shackleford is a semidisplacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, Auckland, New

Elliott Bay Design Group

70' multipurpose vehicle ferry for Bay Shore, N.Y., has a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

302' passenger/vehicle ferry for New York.

ON THE WAYS

Designed by UK-based Camarc

, the all-aluminum vessels have a re ned hull with enhanced fuel ef ciencies and reduced slamming accelerations, which are designed to provide

twin Volvo Penta D13-800 EPA Tier 3 marine diesel engines, producing 800 hp at 2,300 rpm each. The mains will connect to HamiltonJet twin HJ403 waterjets with two Station AVX express Twin Disc MGX5136SC marine gears. The combination allows for high performance maneuverability with an expected top

speed of 35 knots and a running speed of 32 knots.

The jet-powered pilot boats’ mission is to safely service pilot transfers to deep-draft vessels on the Lower Mississippi River at Pilottown, La.

“Safety on the unpredictable Mississippi River is our top priority,” Capt. E. Michael Bopp, president, Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association, said in a statement. “We look forward to these boats to help us achieve our mission of safely guiding billions of dollars of precious cargo in and out of one of the largest river ports in the world.”

The new boats, which will have 3' drafts, Stidd marine seating for twoperson crews and eight pilots each, will have tankage for 600 gals. of fuel and 55 gals. of freshwater.

Other features include a Northern Lights 16-kW genset, roof pilot boarding system, and Teledyne FLIR M364C thermal camera system with joystick control. — Ken Hocke

Design

Snow & Company rendering Aluminum pilot boats will operate on the Mississippi River.

RAmpage 6000-ZM | Koc Al Zour

Zealand. The vessel will serve an integral role in NV5Geodynamics’ mission of providing turnkey “single pass” offshore surveys and has been specifically customized to serve the U.S. East Coast offshore wind sector.

Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding began construction in March on the future USNS Muscogee Creek Nation, the 10th Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS). It’s also the fifth T-ATS vessel being built by Bollinger since acquiring the program in April 2021. The Navajo-class is a series of 263’x59’x24.6’ T-ATS being built for the Navy. The Navajo-class is a multimission common hull platform that will be deployed to support a range of missions such as towing, rescue, salvage, humanitarian assistance, oil spill response and wide-area search and surveillance operations using unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The vessels will replace the existing Powhatan-class T-ATF fleet ocean tugs and Safeguardclass T-ARS rescue and salvage ships in service with the U.S. Military Sealift Command.

Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (HII) announced in April that its Pascagoula, Miss.-based Ingalls Shipbuilding division was awarded a $1.3 billion modification to a previ-

ously awarded contract from the Navy for the detail design and construction of amphibious transport dock (LPD) 32. The resulting fixed-price-incentive contract totals $1.54 billion. The LPD will be the 16th in the San Antonio class and the third Flight II LPD. The 684’x105’ ships are used to embark and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies ashore via air cushion or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, such as the MV-22 Osprey.

Huntington Ingalls Industries

The Navy commissioned its newest amphibious transport dock ship USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) on July 30, 2022.

Shell's Vito floating production system was specifically engineered to reduce carbon emissions by 80% while cutting lifetime costs more than 70%.

Energized

Oil roars back as offshore wind battles inflation and growing pains.

By Jim Redden, Correspondent

The trajectories of the long-suffering offshore oil industry and its nascent wind counterpart have taken markedly different paths over the past year. The former is enjoying a rebound, while U.S. offshore wind developers struggle to build a new industry amid severe inflationary pressure.

Having recovered from its Covid funk, offshore oil and gas has bounced back strongly, with the Gulf of Mexico seeing increased demand and day rates throughout the food chain, from deepwater rigs to support vessels.

“The fundamental setup for our industry is arguably the best that it has looked in the past 20 years based on a confluence of macro supply and demand factors,” said Robert Eifler, president and CEO of drilling rig contractor Noble Corp., Sugar Land, Texas. He sees “a sustained multiyear upturn in offshore investment and rig demand.”

Noble owns four of the 21 deepwater drilling rigs that S&P Global’s MarineBase report as active in the Gulf.

To the northeast, project viability has become the operative phrase within the offshore wind sector as soaring costs and in-

frastructure limitations have rendered some earlier rate agreements and timelines unsustainable. While two offshore wind farms remain on track to begin producing a combined 954 megawatts (MW) of power this year, a Massachusetts project has been scrapped for now as the owners hope to negotiate a better deal in the next lease offering.

Compounding the economic picture, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) concluded in a recent analysis that limited domestic port, vessel and manufacturing infrastructure threatens to delay half of the planned developments beyond the 2030 timeline that the Biden administration set to have 30 GW of offshore wind power flowing through the national grid.

Given the worldwide expansion of offshore wind, U.S. developers also are finding it difficult to source components from leading international suppliers. “It’s a tough time to bring on any new kind of global program as the rest of the world is doing the same,” said Jeff Bukoski, president of St. Johns Shipbuilding, which has seven crew transfer vessels (CTVs) in the hopper at its Palatka, Fla., shipyard. “The

Shell

global resources, whether on the material side or the vessel side, is going to continue to be tight.”

In what has been described as a “modest short-term course correction,” BP, for one, plans to tighten near-term renewable investments to exploit the appreciably higher returns from core oil and gas assets. “As we grow the new energy business, we need to keep a relentless focus on hydrocarbons,” Gio Cristofoli, senior vice president of BP Solutions, said in a Feb. 13 Reuters webinar.

The company’s new energy business includes a 50% stake in the Beacon Wind and two-phase Empire Wind farms off New York, where it and partner Equinor submitted a bid in January to acquire a third state offshore wind lease.

Forecast Highlights

GULF SURGES

For now, the Hornsea One off the UK is the world’s largest offshore wind farm with 174 turbines delivering 1.2 GW of power. As currently engineered, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project would take the crown with 176 turbines and 2.6 GW capacity.

is expected to begin flowing from the Argos floating production system (FPS), the nucleus of the $9 billion Mad Dog 2 development that covers three Green Canyon blocks. The field will produce up to 140,000 bbl/d from 14 wells in roughly 4,500' of water.

The BOEM, Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR) Oil and Gas Forecast 2022-2031 is shown in Figure 1 (historical oil and gas production are also shown for reference). During the forecast period, GOMR oil production is expected to experience continued growth and multiple record years of total oil production, despite off-trend production levels in 2020 and 2021. Gas production is expected to experience moderate increases but is not expected to rebound near previous highs. The growth in annual oil production predicted in the following years is supported by a strong project queue (as deferred projects will now be executed)

In the Gulf of Mexico, cash-flush operators collectively are expected to increase oil production by 120,000 bbl/d this year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The Gulf closed out 2022 with production averaging 1.78 million bbl/d.

for the Whale production system, which is expected to begin production next year in Alaminos Canyon.

The off-trend production seen in 2020 and 2021 is attributed to the impact of hurricanes in both years, as well as the financial impact of COVID-19 which resulted in the deferral of several offshore projects. The hurricane impacts of these two years are historically abnormal. As such, this forecast assumes that the large hurricane production impacts of 2020 and 2021 will not be representative of the years to come.

Though U.S. oil prices remain volatile, settling at $75.68/bbl on March 31, the Gulf’s penchant toward lower-cost, and lower-emission, tiebacks to existing production hubs, help deliver attractive returns.

“We plan to invest up to $8 billion more this decade in our transition growth engines and about $1 billion more each year in today’s energy system, which depends on oil and gas,” said BP CEO Bernard Looney.

The transition to renewable sources of energy is underway. Renewable energy sources and increases in energy efficiency have begun to decrease demand for oil production and this trend will continue. While these impacts are not explicitly forecasted in this report, they are inherently included in the forecast. The transition to renewable energy sources has already affected the various inputs and data sources on which this forecast is based, and therefore, this transition is integral to the BOEM, GOMR Oil and Gas Forecast 2022-2031

Shell also holds interests in the developing northeast offshore wind sector. But like BP, Shell is in no rush for a wholesale switch to renewable energy. “By 2040, I’m still convinced you’re going to need oil and you’re going to need gas and you’re going to need a lot more renewables,” said CEO Wael Sawan.

BP expects Gulf production to increase by 400,000 boe/d (barrels of oil equivalent) by the middle of the decade, up from the average 269,000 boe/d produced last year. By midyear, first oil

Among the other most active operators, Shell Offshore kicked off 2023 with the oft-delayed start-up of the Vito FPS in Mississippi Canyon, which at its peak will produce an estimated 100,000 boe/d from four blocks in 4,000' of water. Vito serves as the design standard

This forecast demonstrates that for the next ten years, the Gulf of Mexico can and will continue to support America’s energy demands and economic development as needed - even as the United States continues to make strides toward sustainable energy sources.

Shell holds 21 of the 52 new well drilling permits the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) approved between March 6, 2022, and March 6, 2023, for waters deeper than 1,000'. BSEE authorized 31 new Gulf deepwater wells for the same 2021-2022 period.

Along with interests in the Mad Dog 2 and Whale developments, Chevron operates the Anchor high-pressure deepwater field in Green Canyon, which is projected to come online next year in keeping with the major’s objective to grow Gulf production to 300,000 bbl/d by 2026. Chevron holdings also include the recently sanctioned 75,000 bbl/d Ballymore deepwater project, which comprises a three-mile tieback to the existing Blind Faith platform.

Independent Murphy Oil Corp., meanwhile, has a three-well drilling

Figure 1: BOEM, GOMR Oil & Gas Forecast, 2022-2031

Source: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

campaign on tap this year and expects to increase production by 89,000 boe/d in 2023, a 20% jump over last year.

RIGS, BOATS COSTLIER

Not surprisingly, operators must pay more to acquire suitable deepwater rigs and support vessels. According to its latest quarterly fleet status report, contractor Transocean has 11 ultradeepwater drillships at work in the Gulf at an average day rate of $439,000/day and as high as $480,000/day. Noble’s four active floaters are commanding an average of $377,500/day, according to its February status report.

“The Gulf of Mexico is expected to remain relatively tight with local supply and demand keeping in relative balance. This region typically demands the highest specification rigs with the highest hook loads, which currently are all under contract,” said Transocean CEO Jeremy Thigpen. “Additionally, based on our direct negotiations, we believe that there is sufficient future demand

COMPANIES AIM TO USE WIND TO POWER OIL DEVELOPMENTS

Aproposalthat could have significant implications for the Gulf of Mexico has floating wind projects electrifying offshore oil and gas assets.

The Norwegian subsidiary of Houston’s Oceaneering International signed an agreement in January with Kontiki Winds AS to combine their expertise to develop “remote microgrid renewable power generation to electrify oil and gas production and smaller opportunities in island states using fossil fuels to produce electricity.”

The agreement focuses on the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, and Northern Europe.

Kontiki Winds is a subsidiary of Norwegian offshore wind company Havfram AS, which is currently building a wind turbine installa-

to bring one or two more rigs into the region on long-term programs.”

Day rates for the latest generation platform supply vessels (PSVs) and drilling support vessels (OSVs), likewise, remain on the high end, said S&P Global Senior Marine Analyst Richard

Sanchez. Available tonnage, however, has increased, he said, as vessels complete long-term charters and go on the spot market where 320' PSVs up to 6,000 dwt are getting from $30,000 to $55,000/day. “Even your smaller 280foot PSVs are easily making $45,000 a day or more,” he said.

As of March, the marketed utilization rate for PSVs of 4,000 dwt and greater was at 86% in the Gulf, Sanchez said, with the only limiting factor being the persistent shortage of mariners. “There’s a lot more competition for mariners and that’s where the real cost increases are coming from. There’s a feeding frenzy for dynamic positioning officers and high-tonnage captains,” he said.

With the focus on leaner operations, oil companies refrain from keeping extra boats in reserve, forcing reliance on the higher-cost spot market, rather than long-term charters, that range from $40,000 to $47,000/day, Sanchez said.

Leading deepwater OSV operator Tidewater Inc. believes contract rates will not be declining anytime soon. “Average day rates improved over $2,400 per day for the full year (2022), a pace of improvement we have not seen during the past 20 years, and we expect that 2023 will reflect a full year improvement of over $3,000 per day,” said President and CEO Quintin Kneen. “To put this in perspective, historical up-cycle, year-over-year day rate improvements were approximately $1,500 per day.”

OIL, WIND TO INTERSECT

tion vessel (WTIV), the first in a planned fleet of new offshore wind vessels. The hybrid NG20000X WTIV is under construction at the CIMC Raffles Offshore Ltd. shipyard in Yantai, China, with commissioning in August 2025.

– J. Redden

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will set a date for the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, following the 60-day public comment period that began on Feb. 22.

The groundwork is already being laid. In February, Crowley Wind Services took the first step toward acquiring a lease at southern Louisiana’s Port Fourchon deepwater oil and gas service and supply base. The proposed lease would be used to “serve wind installations in the Gulf,” said a spokesman for

Havfram AS

The NG20000X vessel is equipped with a 3,250-ton crane and the latest battery hybrid drive train technology designed to reduce carbon emissions.

The Transocean Deepwater Titan drillship went straight from the shipyard in late December to work in the U.S. Gulf.

Sembcorp Marine

parent Crowley Maritime Corp., Jacksonville, Fla.

Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted A/S, which holds stakes in nine Northeast wind projects, will open an 80-person office in Houston before year-end. While a spokesman declined comment on whether the company intends to be a player in the upcoming lease sale, he noted the extensive oil and gas infrastructure, and expertise gives the area a leg up.

“For us, this is the offshore wind industry tapping into the talent the Gulf has developed in servicing offshore energy projects,” he said.

CLOUDY ECONOMICS

Due to historic costs increases that made an earlier negotiated power purchase agreement (PPA) “unfinanceable,” the Commonwealth Wind farm, planned for about 20 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, will not be delivering 1,232 MW of power to the Bay State anytime soon. After pushing the original start-up date to 2028, developer Avangrid Inc. scrapped the project in January, but intends to rebid at this month’s lease sale in hopes of signing a more favorable off-take agreement with the Massachusetts utility commission.

“While we are terminating our PPAs for Commonwealth Wind, we remain fully committed to our offshore business,” said CEO Pedro Azagra. “This is not a question of commitment or capabilities, but rather of a unique economic situation.”

The future of the 1,200-MW SouthCoast Wind Energy project (formerly Mayflower Wind) off Massachusetts also hangs in the balance. While partners Shell New Energies US LLC and Ocean Winds North America have not threatened to ditch the project, they had requested final approval be slowed to allow time to further evaluate the current “microeconomic and supply chain” situation.

Elsewhere, operating under rate agreements finalized with New York regulators in 2022, the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind farms so far appear on track for initial startup in 2026 and 2028, respectively. The Empire and two-phase Beacon wind projects are designed to deliver a cumulative 3.3 GW of generating capacity.

Offsetting the Commonwealth Wind setback, Avangrid and partner Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners are set to deliver first power from the Vineyard Wind 1 project off Massachusetts before year-end.

“With supply fully contracted and manufacturing of all components underway, labor costs fixed or capped, and financing secured with interest rate hedge and no foreign exchange risk, Vineyard Wind 1 is protected from the inflation and supply chain pressures we currently see in the market,” said Azagra.

The farm will have 62 turbines, generating 806 MW. “Midyear, we plan to begin installation of our foundations and turbines. And by the end of the year, we expect to have delivered the first power from Avangrid Vineyard Wind 1,” Azagra said.

Ørsted and Massachusetts utility Eversource Energy also

intend to begin generating power by year-end from the New York South Fork Wind farm. South Fork will comprise 12 turbines delivering 132 MW. “We expect South Fork to be fully operational by the end of this year,” an Ørsted spokesperson said, adding “we haven’t had similar (fiscal) issues in New York,” referring to the Massachusetts PPA quarrels.

MAXIMIZING RECYCLING & WASTE REDUCTION OFFSHORE

• Enviro-Pak compactors, balers, food grinders & crushers for sale and rental

• ABS approved

• Meets and exceeds International MARPOL 73/78 Annex V

• Safe, compliant, cost effective waste solutions

• Disposal of hazardous & nonhazardous materials offshore

• Up to 10X compaction ratio

Cable-lay barges at work in January deploying the subsea transmission cables for the Vineyard wind farm.

Vineyard Wind LLC

Turn Up the Radio

By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

The ability to communicate anytime and anywhere on the water — to other vessels, shore-based operators, or crewmen on your own boat — is critical for safe, ef cient, and pro table vessel operations. Fortunately, it’s a technology that is continually evolving, as three radio companies mentioned below demonstrate.

STANDARD HORIZON

Standard Horizon (Yaesu USA), Cypress, Calif., released its newest radio, the HX320, in January. It’s a handheld VHF radio equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology. Match it up with Standard Horizon’s optional headset and the HX320 can be operated wirelessly. Standard Horizon’s Hans Rooker admitted the HX320 was designed “more for the recreation market than the commercial market.” But, he said, Standard Horizon is hoping to take advantage that because “some workboats do like a wireless headset” the HX320 will nd a niche in the commercial market.

He thinks crane operators are one possibility, especially when the operator must use both hands to operate the crane,

while at the same time “needing to talk to the vessel. If he had a Bluetooth, he’d be able to use it hands free,” said Rooker, adding “we’ve heard there is a need.”

In the case of a crane operator, switch on the HX320’s VOX headset and it is always listening for the crane operator’s voice. When the crane operator begins talking, the HX320 automatically starts broadcasting.

The HX320 has six-watts transmitting power for up to 17 hours of operating time, though lower transmitting power settings can be selected to extend the battery life. If the HX320 is dropped overboard it oats and a water activated white strobe light automatically switches on to help locate the oating radio. The strobe light works whether the radio is on or off.

The HX320 measures 2.36"(wide)×5.24"(high)×1.65"(deep) and weighs 10.23 ozs.

DAVID CLARK

The most recent offering from David Clark Company Inc., Worcester, Mass., is the Series 9100 digital headset system. It’s a wired-system solution designed to ensure clear communications among crewmembers at normal voice levels, despite

With radios and communications, the technology continues to advance.

David Clark Company

A patrol boat pilot fully equipped with a David Clark Series 9100 digital headset.

ability, versatility, and simplicity of operation – to enhance their situational awareness and safety while contributing to successful workboat operations, according to the company.

The headset system’s components include a master station, the heart of the system, which provides high performance Ethernet/IP versatility and multichannel, modular capability. A variety of durable, yet comfortable noise-attenuating headsets provide both hearing protection and crisp, clear voice transmission, according to David Clark. Headset stations and accompanying belt stations allow seamless connectivity with two-way radios, loud hailers, other common ancillaries, and existing networks. The system offers scalability for an unlimited number of users, radios, and other devices, with each user having four mode-selections to program to their job criteria.

All system components are built for all-weather reliability. Rugged, marine-grade construction ensures salt and fog corrosion resistance, wide-ranging temperature tolerance and shock/vibration absorption

LESSONS LEARNED … ALMOST

Asthe National Transportation Safety Board will tell you, “Early and frequent communication, both external and internal to the vessel, is an effective measure in averting accidents.”

But just because you’ve got the equipment for it, that’s only part of the navigating safely scheme. The remaining part is knowing how and when to use your radios. Two incidents show that’s not totally understood. The first example involves the collision on the Lower Mississippi River at mile 126 near Hahnville, La., between the bulk carrier Century Queen, going upriver on June 8, 2019, to load rice, and the towboat Katylin Marie heading downstream to pick up barges.

A passing arrangement was never established, in part because the pilot of the Katylin Marie did not respond. Thus, the Century Queen struck the Katylin Marie, resulting in three injuries, and 8,954 gals. of the towboat’s diesel fuel going into the Mississippi River. The towboat had about $1 million in damages and the Century Queen over $380,000 damages.

The NTSB said the probable cause of the accident was “the lack of early and effective communications to confirm a passing arrangement.”

About six months later, and on the same river, a similar accident occurred. On Jan. 26, 2020, the 200' towing vessel Cooperative Spirit, pushing 40 barges (total length 1,600’) upbound on the Lower Mississippi, and the 69' towing vessel RC Cripple, pushing two barges (total length 514') down river, collided near Destrehan, La. Minutes later the unbound dry bulk carrier Glory First contacted the starboard side of the Cooperative Spirit’s tow. The accident’s probable cause was “the two pilots insufficient radio communication before meeting in a bend and not broadcasting accurate AIS information regarding tow size.”

— M. Crowley

Standard Horizon’s HX320 VHF radio with Bluetooth wireless technology floats if dropped overboard and the white light switches on to help locate it.

Standard Horizon

Cooperative Spirit moored before the 2020 accident on the Mississippi River.

BOATS & GEAR Communications Electronics

A special capability of the Series 9100 digital headset system that enhances boat crew communication, versatility and exibility is the ability to seamlessly integrate wireless headset technology, such as David Clark’s Series 9900 wireless headset system. It’s based on the latest digital enhanced cordless technology or DECT. It provides crewmembers with enhanced freedom and mobility to move about the craft without being tethered to intercoms or equipment, while providing hands-free communication for a hybrid (wired/wireless) system solution.

ICOM AMERICA

A vessel operator that wants a “tech-laden powerhouse” for their next VHF radio, might check out the xed-mount Class D ICOM M510. The system includes a 3.5” full-color TFT (thin lm transistor) display with TFT’s image clarity across a nearly 180° viewing angle, and a night mode function for the display when operating in the dark. There’s also a wireless interface to National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 2000 bus with optional foghorn and hailer. The M510 AIS version allows you to stay up to date on nearby vessel traf c. That gives you two navigation units in one, thus saving space in the wheelhouse.

“Tech-laden powerhouse” is also how Marine Electronics

Journal refers to the ICOM M510 in its July/August 2022 issue where the ICOM M510 was the recipient of the National Marine Electronics Association’s 2022 Product of Excellence Award for marine VHF radios.

ICOM’s future offerings will be two new black box radios, the M510BB and the M410BB. The M410BB will be capable of two remote stations with GPS and internal NMEA 2000. The M510BB is capable of three remote stations with GPS and NMEA 2000 internal, plus AIS receiver and remote disc control. Both radios have an automatic last two-minute record function.

The ICOM M510 fixed-mount radio with AIS allows you to keep track of nearby vessels and call one of the AIS targets shown on the screen.

McAllister Towing, “Leading the Way” for over 150 years, Has positions available:

Captains, Mates, Engineers, AB & OS Deckhands

 Captains: Need a minimum of 200 Ton Near Coastal License with Master 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

 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.

Send resumes to: revans@mcallistertowing.com or employment@mcallistertowing.com

Or apply online at: https://www.mcallistertowing.com/aboutmcallister/employment-opportunities

SHORRE O OFFFFSSHORRE

Foreman

 Welder (6 GR Certified)

 Clerk

 Chief Engineer

 Chief Electrician

 Mechanic

 Oiler

 Electrician

 Steward

 Night Cook

 Galley Hand

 Tug Boat Captain

 Able Body Seamen

 QMED/OILER

VANUATU FLAGGED TUG CREWS:

 Able seafarer deck–II/4 or II/5

 Chief engineer III/3

 Able seafarer engine III/4 or III/5

All deck officers must hold valid Vanuatu GMDSS– General Operator’s Certificate (GOC) (IV/2)

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

Email resume to: jobs@shoreoffshore.com

ELEVATE

Unlimited Tonnage: Tankerman PIC preferred Limited Tonnage: Tankerman PIC and MOT preferred Marine Engineers - $5K sign-on bonus for select fleets

Qualified Member Engine Department (QMED)

Able Seamen-Deck

SEEKING MARINE ENGINEER Send Resume: jswallow@udel.edu excellent Benefits Full-time EOE Serve as Assistant Engineer and sail in rotation as Chief Engineer Advancement potential to Chief Engineer. Full job description and to apply online: https://careers udel edu/cw/en-us/listing/ We have an immediate opening for a SIMULATOR INSTRUCTOR seamenschurch.org/instructor Full position description and benefits: 5+ yrs experience operating vessels on Western Rivers or Inland Waters Strong Communications Skills Experience training steersman Current USCG license • • • • Visit CME online @ seamenchurch.org/cme SEEKING CREW T o f i l l p o s i t i o n s i n D e c k & E n g i n e D e p a r t m e n t a b o a r d S . S . B a d g e r Licensed Deck Officer Qualified Member of Engine Department Able-Seaman S.S. Badger For full job descriptions & apply go to: https://www.workboat.com/resources/jobsmarketplace/seeking-crew-to-fill-positionsaboard-s-s-badger SEEKING 1 S T A S S I S T A N T E N G I N E E R C H I E F E N G I N E E R , M A S T E R A B & Q M E D https://www.workboat.com/resources/ jobs-marketplace/assistant-engineerchief-engineer-master-ab-qmed WE OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS PACKAGE https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/ 541-867-0168 For full job descriptions and to apply go to: N O W H I R I N G ! Dredge Chief Engineer Pile Driver- Marine Based Port Crane Technician Port Facility Maintenance Master Mechanic https://www.workboat.com/resources/ jobs-marketplace/port-of-new-orleanshiring Equal Opportunity Employer Se Seeki k ng n Seeking EXPERIENCED MARINERS · Competitive pay · Safety Bonus · 28/14 Schedule · 401K Plan APPLY ONLINE TODAY! offshoreoil.com Email: hr@offshoreoil.com

PORT OF CALL Employment, Equipment & Services

WE ARE HIRING HIRING GHIRING

Technicians & Technician Apprentice

Everglades Diesel is a recognized leader in the repair of diesel fuel & air components. As part of Alliant Power, we are the marine division specialists and rebuild all types of diesel fuel pumps, injectors & turbochargers.

Excellent Benefits - 100% Paid Medical Competitive Wages

For full job description go to: https://www workboat com/resources/ jobs-marketplace/technicians

Email resume or work experience to: Lonni@evergladesdiesel.com

As we continue our dredge fleet expansion with the future addition of our 8,500 CY Hopper Dredge “RB Weeks” which is currently under construction, we are accepting resumes for our fleet including:

UL Assistant Engineers, AB Unlimited and QMED-Oilers

At

www.weeksmarine.com/careers

Submit your resume by visiting: V marine.com/careers EO/M/F/D/

EEO/M/F/D/V

LOOKS BACK

MAY 1963

• The rst of two 276'×50'×12' self-unloading cement barges being built for Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co., Chicago, was launched recently at the Higgins Inc. shipyard in New Orleans. With hoppers extending 13.5' above its deck, it has a total capacity of 15,000 bbls. Equipment aboard the barges includes Caterpillar D-330 generator sets, Fuller pumps

driven by Cat D-353 diesels, and Fuller compressors powered by Cat D-333 engines. The unloading systems are of the air-slide type.

• Intercoastal Shipyard Inc., Morgan City, La., has been awarded contracts recently calling for construction of a 130'×32'×7' welded steel barge and two 49'6"×18' steel tugs.

• A 330', self-propelled petroleum

MAY 1973

• Blount Marine Corp. has announced the signing of contracts to build passenger vessels for service in widely separated areas. Hyannis Harbor Tours Inc., Hyannis, Mass., has ordered a 122', 500-passenger vessel to operate between Hyannis and Nantucket Island. Duluth-Superior Excursions Inc., Duluth, Minn., has ordered a 78', 280-passenger sightseeing ferry that will operate in Duluth Superior Harbor.

• The Valley Line Co., has awarded a contract to the Dravo Corp., Pittsburgh,

MAY 1983

• Moss Point Marine, Escatawpa, Miss., recently delivered the offshore supply vessel Inter Service to Intermarine Inc., Houston. The 186' OSV is powered by two EMD 12-645E6 diesels linked to Falk marine gears with 3:1 reduction ratios. At the aft end of the propulsion system, two 4-bladed Coolidge stainless-steel wheels turn within Kort nozzles. Twin Detroit Diesel 8V-71 engines power two Delco

99-kW generators aboard the vessel with one of the diesels also serving as the power plant driving the boat’s Bird Johnson 20-3F bowthruster.

• Sundial Marine Tug and Barge Works, Troutdale, Ore., recently delivered two specialized barges to Tidewater Barge Lines, Vancouver, Wash. Identical in size at 135'×42', one barge will haul wood chips while the other will carry containerized cargo.

products tanker was christened at Ingalls Iron Works Co. recently for Sinclair Re ning Co.

to build the world’s two most powerful towboats. The vessels, each rated at 10,100 hp, will be the most powerful towboats operating on any inland waterway system. The boats are designed to handle tows of over 40,000 tons, in deeper channels and swifter water, primarily working on the Lower Mississippi River. Valley Line has a eet of 20 towboats and 750 tow barges.

“With more than 65 sets of Reintjes gears in service today, our business has continued to operate safely and efficiently with reliable and dependable service from Karl Senner, LLC. With Reintjes and Karl Senner, LLC. as our partners, we are confident that we will have many more years of operating success along America’s Inland waterways.”

- Clark Todd, President, Blessey Marine Services Inc.

Karl Senner, LLC is proud to supply two REINTJES WAF 563 Gearboxes onboard the M/V Daniel Wisner.

Karl Senner, LLC service technicians travel the world to keep our customers working. We recently completed a comprehensive gearbox inspection onboard a Multi-Purpose Supply Vessel (MSV) in Guam. Using a fiberoptic borescope for inspection, we ensured these REINTJES WAF 661 Gearboxes are approved for continued service, allowing our customer to reliably continue their operation with an improved plan for future maintenance.

“Blessey Marine has trusted the Karl Senner, LLC and the REINTJES family of gears for over 25 years. With more than 75 sets of REINTJES gears in service today, our business continues to operate safely and efficiently with reliable and dependable service from Karl Senner, LLC. With REINTJES and Karl Senner, LLC as our partners, we are confident that we will have many more years of operating success along America’s Inland Waterways.”

Fun Fact: Theses gearboxes were initially commissioned in 1993 with an innovated solution utilizing integrated Voith Schneider Fluid Couplings supplied by REINTJES.

Owner: Blessey Marine Services, Inc.

Owner: Seaward Services, Inc.

— Clark Todd, CEO, Blessey Marine Services Inc.

Shipyard: Verret Shipyard

“Karl Senner provides expert service that ensures our machinery remains in optimal, operational status. All aspects of their work including their equipment knowledge, quality parts, and customer support are excellent and a necessity in the maritime industry.”

– Peter Charbonnet, Port Engineer, Seaward Services, Inc.

Vessel Owner: Blessey Marine Services Builder: Vessel Repair

Congratulations to Blessey Marine and Walter Blessey on the delivery of their new vessel, the M/V Walter E. Blessey, Jr.