Page 31: of Marine News Magazine (December 2018)

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TOP 10 WORKBOAT STORIES

Credit: QLNG Credit: USACE most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the United

Olmsted: Online & Open

The ribbon cutting to of? cially open the Olmsted Locks States. Its impact was profound. Within the gates of East- and Dam took place on August 30. On the Ohio River at ern Shipbuilding’s two sprawling production facilities, the

Olmsted, IL, this crucial piece of infrastructure is ? nally in damage was unparalleled. Eastern ? rst took a ‘family’ ap- place. To say that the 2,596-foot Olmsted dam is situated proach to its recovery, stressing the basic needs of its em- on a vital section of the Nation’s inland waterways would ployees, and only then embarking on the task of picking up not give full weight to its importance. The 90 million tons the pieces. The second part – probably in no small thanks that passes through the locks annually exceeds every other to their ? rst effort – yielded immediate fruit and today, the majority of ESG’s workforce has returned to work, as well section of America’s inland navigation system. First autho- rized in 1988 at a cost of $775 million, construction was as all its U.S. Coast Guard OPC dedicated staff.

estimated to take seven years. Eventually, it took 30 years and cost a whopping $3 billion. The Olmsted project was

LNG Propulsion & Bunkering Comes of Age remarkable; arguably the civil engineering equivalent to The news that Carnival Corporation had contracted the Manhattan project. In every aspect, Olmsted evolved with Shell to fuel fully LNG-powered cruise ships in North through an expensive learning curve. The most important America was an important milestone in the maritime in- lesson learned comes down to lessons applied on future dustry’s quest to clean up its environmental footprint. It projects. On an inland river system that promises countless wasn’t the only one on this side of the pond. Carnival will uncertainties lurking around every bend, that’s one lesson fuel its vessels via Shell’s LNG Bunker Barge. The Bunker stakeholders can take straight to the bank. Barge, ? rst of its kind in the U.S., will allow the ships to refuel with LNG at U.S. East Coast ports. The ATB is be- ing built at the VT Halter Marine shipyard in Pascagoula

Hurricane Michael

When Gulf Coast-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group on behalf of Quality Lique? ed Natural Gas Transport LLC resumed operations at both of its two main shipbuilding (Q-LNG). Separately, Crowley Maritime took delivery of a facilities just two weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated ConRo ship also powered by lique? ed natural gas (LNG).

Panama City, Florida and surrounding communities, the Not to be outdone, Conrad Industries delivered the Clean ongoing effort underscored the grit and determination of Jacksonville, the ? rst LNG bunker barge built in North the area’s residents. The most powerful storm to ever make America. The vessel serves TOTE Maritime at Jacksonville, landfall in the Florida Panhandle, Michael was the third FL, where it bunkers two Marlin Class containerships.

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