Page 10: of Marine News Magazine (May 2006)

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10 • MarineNews • May, 2006

Nichols Brothers to

Build WTA Boats

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit

Authority is starting to build boats, issuing a

Letter of Intent to Award a contract to Nichols

Brothers Boat Builders to construct two new 149 passenger vessels.

Vessel construction will start this summer, and the first boats will be delivered by 2007. "We're proud to be leading the way with regional ferry service," said Charlene Haught-

Johnson, chair of the Board of Directors of the Authority. "We've promised to deliver a reliable, cost-effective, convenient and envi- ronmentally friendly water transit system.

And that's just what we're doing."

These boats are the first of 10 new boats that the Authority expects to build over the next 10 years.

Mary Frances Culnane, the Authority's

Manager of Marine Engineering, will manage the construction contract for the Authority. "These boats have the potential to alter the course of the entire ferry industry in a techni- cally feasible, economically practical and environmentally responsible fashion," said

Culnane. "We are developing the moststrin- gent emission standard for ferryboats any- where in the world. The propulsion systems used will be 10 times cleaner than current vessels. In addition the boats will be built to the highest level of reliability, passenger com- fort, safety, and low wake impact."

Teri Shore, Clean Vessels Campaign Direc- tor for Bluewater Network (the environmen- tal conscience of the Maritime industry) agreed adding "the new ferries will usher in the next generation of clean water transit."

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NEWS

Conrad Contract Modified

Conrad Industries, Inc. has entered into a Memorandum of

Understanding with the U.S. Army Engineer District,

Philadelphia for the issuance of a modification for $4.3m to increase the contract price of the contract entered into in Sep- tember 2002 to design, construct, test and deliver four tow- boats. In addition, the agreement provides for time extensions to complete certain aspects of the contract. This agreement was reached to fully resolve and settle the claim filed by Con- rad's subsidiary, Orange Shipbuilding, in July 2005. The

Corps has agreed to pay the settlement amount at the earliest possible date as funds become available. Conrad expects to receive the funds within the second quarter of 2006, although no assurances can be given.

Polansky New President of

Steyr Motors North America

Russell Polansky has been appointed president of Steyr

Motors North America, a wholly- owned subsidiary of Steyr Motors,

GmbH, Steyr, Austria. Polansky has overall responsibility for all business activities of Steyr Motors in North America, with a primary focus on the marine industry. All of Steyr's North American high- way, military and governmental business activities will also be han- dled through Polansky's office.

ACL Announces 1Q Results

American Commercial Lines Inc., (ACL) announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006. Revenues for the quarter were $198 million, a 36 percent increase com- pared with $146 million for the first quarter of 2005. Net income for the quarter was $11.1 million or $0.36 per diluted share compared to a net loss of ($6.3) million for the first quarter last year. Revenues within the transportation segment increased 31 percent to $170 million for the first quarter com- pared to $130 million during the first quarter of 2005. The increased revenues were driven in part by fuel neutral rate increases of 24 percent on the dry freight business and 11% on the liquid freight business compared to the first quarter of 2005. Revenues from the manufacturing segment (not includ- ing revenues for inter-company production) increased 82 per- cent to $25.7 million for the first quarter of 2006 compared to $14.1 million during the first quarter of 2005. The increased revenues were driven by the production of 52 dry cargo barges and two liquid tank barges during the first quarter ver- sus zero dry cargo barges and 11 liquid tank barges during the first quarter of 2005.

Rentrop Uses Data/GPS

Device to Transmit

Real-time Video

Homeland Integrated Security Systems, Inc. has completed the installation of its revolutionary Cyber Tracker on the fleet of Rentrop Tugs, based on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The tugboat company is utilizing the Cyber Tracker's data capa- bilities to transmit real-time video from every boat on its fleet. The video provides security as well as a way for the company to monitor things such as location and weather as its fleet works along the 400 miles of the Louisiana coastline.

The cameras are now especially valuable due to the damage done last year by Hurricane Katrina, since many of the docks and shore structures have been destroyed.

The Cyber Tracker is a GPS device that features real-time tracking, geo-fencing, and push-to-talk technology along with an extended-life battery. Its Ethernet port provides the ability to transmit wireless data and video. Developed by

Homeland Security Systems, the Cyber Tracker is the first of its kind to offer this combination of technology in a tracking device that monitors a vehicle's location, stops, and speed, all at an affordable cost.

The Cyber Tracker's convenient rugged design makes it applicable in a variety of situations where it is necessary to know the exact location of a person or object.

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