Coastal & Inland Waterways

Foss tugs assist Navy hospital ship in Los Angeles

Yesterday, Foss Maritime tugs assisted the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy as it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles. The Mercy (T-AH 19) departed Naval Station San Diego Monday bound for Los Angeles in support of the nation’s coronavirus (COVID-19) response efforts.   

The Foss tugs Alta June, Bo Brusco,and Arthur Foss, along with Foss sister company AMNAV‘s tug Patricia Ann, met the USNS Mercy at the port’s “Angels Gate” entrance. The tugs escorted her to a security sweep...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/foss-tugs-assist-navy-hospital-ship-in-la/

Kirby implements coronavirus response plan

Photo by David Krapf

Kirby Corp., the nation’s largest inland and coastal tank barge line, has implemented an emergency plan to with deal the coronavirus crisis.

The Houston-based operator says its inland barge business is well-positioned financially to weather economic shocks caused by the pandemic.

Seeking to soothe concerns of investors, CEO and President David Grzebinski said during a webcast on Monday that “Kirby has extensive well-planned and detailed response plans for events such as waterway emergencies,...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/kirby-implements-coronavirus-response-plan/

American Commercial Lines’ reorganization plan approved

Photo by David Krapf

American Commercial Lines Inc. announced today that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, has approved the company’s pre-packaged plan to recapitalize the business. ACL expects to complete its recapitalization and emerge from Chapter 11 in the coming weeks. ACL filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 7.

Upon emerging from bankruptcy, the Jeffersonville, Ind.-based barge operator will receive $200 million in new capital to support liquidity and investments in the...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/american-commercial-lines-reorganization-plan-approved/

AIWA, BoatUS made it to Capitol Hill to ask for dredging funds

Prior to last week’s closure of the U.S. Capitol, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) and Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) joined a broad coalition of groups including coastal shipping operators, dredging contractors, local governments and recreational boating groups to advocate on behalf of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, a U.S. DOT-designated Marine Highway that runs from Norfolk, Va. to Miami.

The coalition went to Capitol Hill pushing to establish...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/aiwa-boatus-made-it-to-capitol-hill-to-ask-for-dredging-funds/

Barge industry imposes vessel access restrictions

The Rosemary McAllister and Capt. Brian A. McAllister head toward their double christening on New York's East River. Photo courtesy Seamen's Church Institute.

Three big players in the inland barge industry explained today how their companies are preparing and reacting to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, saying they have activated specific protocols from vessel sanitation to banning non-crew on their boats and shoreside operations.

Ketra Anderson, vice president of safety, security, quality and environmental stewardship at Crowley Maritime, Seattle; Marino Hwang, marine compliance manager at McAllister Towing, New York; and Patrick Smith, director...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/barge-industry-imposes-vessel-access-restrictions/

MITAGS suspends mariner training

India Tango Marine Firefighting Training Program trainees. Bruce Buls photo.

The Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies (MITAGS) announced today that its in-house classroom and simulation training activities have been suspended due to concerns over the coronavirus.

MITAGS, which offers complete maritime training classes and maritime simulation facilities at its Seattle and Baltimore locations, is a non-profit vocational training center for individuals seeking to enter the maritime profession and for professional mariners seeking to advance their careers.

Altho...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/mitags-suspends-mariner-training/

Program celebrates 10 years of preparing first responders on the water

In 2019, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators’ Boat Operations and Training Program (BOAT) celebrated its 10-year anniversary. In the early 2000s, NASBLA recognized that there was a need to develop a national training standard among all local, state and tribal law enforcement and emergency first responders. After years of research and discussion with state, federal and local partners, the NASBLA BOAT Program was officially unveiled in 2009.

Since its inception, the BOAT...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/program-celebrates-10-years-of-preparing-first-responders-on-the-water/

Coronavirus update: Barge industry meetings canceled, new onboard measures proposed

A Kirby tank barge tow on the Lower Mississippi River. Photo by David Krapf

The inland barge industry is ramping up efforts to prevent the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 virus.

The American Waterways Operators, the industry’s trade association, is coordinating several efforts to help barge operators deal with the coronavirus outbreak, from guidelines to avoiding the disease spread on vessels to incorporating social distancing in shoreside operations.

AWO has organized a webinar scheduled for Thursday, March 19, at 2 p.m. that will encourage industry members to...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/coronavirus-update-barge-industry-meetings-canceled-new-onboard-measures-proposed/

Coronavirus affecting trade along inland waterways system

David Krapf photo

Barge operators are joining other industries across the country in assessing how the coronavirus outbreak could affect their business and their employees.

As the world tries to stem the outbreak, a global economic slowdown is emerging, especially in key barging markets like China, which is forcing the navigation industry to prepare for a softening demand for its services. The timing couldn’t be worse, as barge lines were just beginning to recover from a punishing year of high water and trade...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/coronavirus-affecting-trade-along-the-inland-waterways-system/

Trump’s proposed barge industry budget cuts get cool reception on Capital Hill

As Congress begins to review the Trump administration’s FY 2021 budget plan, the waterways industry is increasingly hopeful that lawmakers will reject the president’s proposals to cut federal waterways spending, impose fees for commercial use of certain waterways, and spend no money from a trust fund partially funded by the barge industry to finance construction and repair of aging navigation infrastructure.

Several congressmen who sit on key congressional committees that oversee waterways...

https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/trump-barge-industry-budget-cuts-get-cool-reception-on-capital-hill/

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