Second Wood Chip

  • Barge Operators Assess Impact Of OPA And Future Of The Industry The repercussions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 have been felt by the entire marine industry, but no where more acutely then in U.S.

    inland waterway and coastal transport operations. Unlimited liability, escalating carrier insurance, and mandated equipment modifications are j u s t part of the onus of OPA t h a t operators must bear. To more fully assess the impact OPA 90 has had and will have on future inland and coastal water transportation operations, MARITIME REPORTER conducted interviews with some of the largest and most influential operators in the brown water market.

    The following is a brief look at some of their insightful comments on the Oil Pollution Act, the Clean Air Act and the near term future of the industry.

    The Impact Of OPA "The enactment of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 will have effects on different parts of the country.

    How these effects manifest themselves over the long term will certainly impact our business," said Raymond Hickey, president and chief operating officer of Tidewater Barge Lines, Inc., Vancouver, Wash.

    "We have called OPA, 'The Act of Emotion.' A law irrespective of differing regional product and transportation characteristics." Tidewater operates along the Columbia/Snake River system in the Pacific Northwest. The company barges clean or refined petroleum products along a short—465 miles— inland river, making their operations extremely sensitive to cost increases.

    "The question that concerns us," said Mr. Hickey, "is, 'Are we going to be competitive with other modes [of transportation] after passing along costs associated with OPA compliance to our customers in a recessionary environment?'" According to the company's statistics, tugs and barges haul about 12 percent of the nation's freight for about 2 percent of the cost.

    "If you have 3,500 tons of grain, you'll need 116 trucks or 35 rail cars to move it. All I need is one tug and barge," he said "The Oil Pollution Act has and will continue to affect Dixie Carriers' operations. In many instances, the effects of OPA 90 will be positive because operators will be forced to more carefully attend to their business.

    Conformance with the requirements of OPA has caused Dixie Carriers to continue to validate the adequacy of its own operating procedures and has increased our costs," said J.H. Pyne, president of the Houston, Texas, water transportation firm.

    Dixie Carriers, Inc. and its marine transportation subsidiaries comprise Houston-based Kirby Corporation's marine transportation segment.

    Dixie's Inland Division, operating inland tank barges primarily along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Houston Ship Channel and the Mississippi River and its tributaries, has a fleet of 123 barges and 47 towboats.

    Dixie's Offshore Division, operating among ports along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as ports in the Caribbean Basin and along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, transports dry bulk and liquid cargoes using eight barges, eight tugboats and one shifting and fleeting boat.

    Brent Transportation, another Dixie company, operates an inland fleet of 61 barges and 18 towboats.

    Mr.Pyne sighted the areas of increased crew training, equipment modifications (to comply both with the OPA double-hull requirement and Clean Air Act for vapor control), refinement of emergency spill response plans, compliance audits and spiraling insurance premiums. Dixie will spend in excess of $5 million for vapor control equipment alone in 1992.

    "The Oil Pollution Act has and will continue to have a significant impact on our fleet," said Fred C.

    Raskin, president of the Cincinnati- based Ohio River Company.

    "We have over 40 single-skin tank barges that handle refined petroleum products, and current legislation will require their retirement/ replacement by 2015." Mr. Raskin also pointed out t h a t general operations in both the dry and liquid cargo areas will be impacted by spill contingency plans, as well as additional training and licensing requirements.

    Looking Ahead Although Mr. Pyne thought business conditions would be flat for 1992, he predicted better conditions in the years ahead.

    "Looking beyond 1992, we are very optimistic about our business. For the first time since the late 1970s, the inland tank barge fleet is in balance. Other t h an pipelines, which require higher dedicated volume than barges, marine transportation will continue to remain the most cost efficient method of moving bulk commodities between U.S. coastal and inland ports." Mr. Raskin of Ohio River Co., however, thought conditions in the industry would improve this year.

    He believed a return to more normal weather and economic conditions coupled with a resumption of grain exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States (the former Republics of the Soviet Union) would help make 1992 a "good year." "The stability of riverborne grain demand will be strongly affected by the level ofU.S. exports to CIS, which in t u rn is heavily influenced by the amount of loan credit the United States is willing to provide," said Michael C. Hagan, president and chief operating officer, American Commercial Lines, Inc. "Current governmental actions suggest the CIS will continue to receive U.S.

    agricultural aid," continued Mr.

    Hagan. "Based upon that assumption, American Commercial Barge Lines, Inc. anticipates 1992 barge grain demand to improve slightly over 1991 volume. However, wide fluctuations in spot grain freight rates will probably continue." Clean Air Act & Coal Transportation "The Clean Air Act amendments will alter coal transportation patterns and alternatives," said Mr.

    Hagan. "As sources of coal shift, inland river operators are wellpositoned to benefit from the changing shipper requirements. With a number of river-served utility plants being affected by Phase I of the C AA amendments, river trasnportation patterns will result in potentially longer hauls, further straining equipment capacity.

    "We anticipate a solid 5 to 7 percent increase in export coal tonnage over 1991 volumes, driven principally by increasing demand for U.S.

    steam coal exports," stated Mr.

    Hagan. "The continued growth in export coal demand should attract covered barges normally used in the grain trade." Mr. Hagan also believed that domestic coal activity would improve moderately over last year, posting a 1 to 2 percent growth rate.

    Fleet, Operation Expansion In 1992, Dixie Carriers plans to take delivery of the last three of a series of twelve 29,000-barrel inlandchemicaltankbarges.

    Thecompany has also announced its intended acquisition of two inland tank barge operators, Sabine Towing & Transportation Company and Ole Man River Company. With these acquisitions, the Dixie fleet will consist of268 tank barges and 104 boats.

    For 1992, Tidewater plans to put into operation, a solid waste program, transfer station, container yard, barge transportation and landfill, three new wood chip barges, a second wood chip loading facility, expand its container operation at Boardman, Ore., and complete the construction of a new floating repair service for Tidewater Barge.

    The Ohio River Co. is currently building about 150 dry cargo hopper barges at its Port Allen, La., facility.

  • MR Feb-24#40 Images Seaspan Corporation/Foreship
With plans to have a)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 40

    Images Seaspan Corporation/Foreship With plans to have a full-scale test engine running on am- age it'll be similar to LNG.” Looking at the engine makers and monia in early 2024, the company said it expects to hold its de- their progress, Brindley is diplomatic in saying that there is no livery timeline

  • MR Feb-24#39 15,000 TEU AMMONIA CONTAINERSHIP
000 TEU Containership
the)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 39

    15,000 TEU AMMONIA CONTAINERSHIP 000 TEU Containership the problematic area of adding carbon like you have with other alternative fu- “Safety has been at the els. When you start to add components center of the design, and into that, carbon is one of the most dif- it will continue to be so ? cult ones

  • MR Feb-24#36  the 
engine is running; a secondary one whenever the propeller)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 36

    Levander, VP Strategy & Business Development, Kongsberg Maritime. For example, a primary shaft-driven PTO rotates whenever the engine is running; a secondary one whenever the propeller is rotating. “A secondary PTO/PTI is used if you want to run the propeller with only the electric motor (PTI) without

  • MR Feb-24#30 REPAIR
Photo courtesy Marine and Industrial Transmissions
ST)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 30

    REPAIR Photo courtesy Marine and Industrial Transmissions STERN TUBE DAMAGE DECLINING? It might be easy to blame EALs, but the ongoing causes of stern tube damage are varied, and possibly declining. By Wendy Laursen nvironmentally Acceptable lubricants (EALs) gained market traction with the introduction

  • MR Feb-24#18 MARKETS
Scan the QR Code to 
Download the Intelatus)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 18

    MARKETS Scan the QR Code to Download the Intelatus Floating Production White Paper. Floating Production – A growing segment in transition © AdobeStock_Dolores Harvey The specialized deepwater oil & gas and ? oating offshore wind segments will share many of the same stakeholders and supply chains

  • MR Feb-24#16 THE PATH TO ZERO
Methanol’s Superstorage Solution  
Technica)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 16

    THE PATH TO ZERO Methanol’s Superstorage Solution Technical inquiries to SRC Group ramped up after it received Approval in Principle (AIP) for a concept which ‘reinvented methanol fuel storage’ on board ships. Delivering the answers has seen technical talk converting into project discussions

  • MR Feb-24#13 motion, strikes, riots, and looting, is a new top ?  ve)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 13

    motion, strikes, riots, and looting, is a new top ? ve risk for the marine and shipping industry this year at 23%. Businesses and their supply chains face considerable geo- political risks with war in Ukraine, con? ict in the Middle East, and ongoing tensions around the world. Political risk in 2023

  • MR Feb-24#12  of Business Interruption ranks second while Natu- For Marine)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 12

    including CEOs, risk managers, brokers and insurance experts. The closely inter- Natural Catastrophes linked peril of Business Interruption ranks second while Natu- For Marine and Shipping risk professionals, Natural Catas- ral Catastrophes rose from sixth to third place this year. trophes, which includes

  • MR Feb-24#10 Back to the Drawing Board 
Let’s Set Some Standards for)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 10

    Back to the Drawing Board Let’s Set Some Standards for Micro Cargo By Rik van Hemmen s zero carbon cargo efforts are progressing, it is becoming more apparent that the lowest hanging fruit is in the last few miles. This is where a large amount of carbon is expended in delivering small A parcels to

  • MR Feb-24#4 Authors & Contributors
MARITIME
REPORTER
AND
ENGINEERING)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 4

    Authors & Contributors MARITIME REPORTER AND ENGINEERING NEWS M A R I N E L I N K . C O M ISSN-0025-3448 USPS-016-750 No. 2 Vol. 86 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News Goldberg Haun (ISSN # 0025-3448) is published monthly Galdorisi except for March, July, and October by Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.

  • MR Feb-24#3  potential collision areas seconds with Fast Target Tracking™)
    February 2024 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 3

    identifies Display target speed and course in Choose Solid-State or Overlay Radar targets potentially hazardous targets potential collision areas seconds with Fast Target Tracking™ magnetron configurations on charts with FR12 Get the whole story at FurunoUSA.com MR #9 (1-17).indd 7 9/1/2023 12:07:58 P

  • MN Feb-24#43 Products
  In-Mar Solutions VETUS Maxwell
1 2  
3
  
Volvo)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 43

    Products In-Mar Solutions VETUS Maxwell 1 2 3 Volvo Penta 4 Cambridge Pixel fessional Platform, enables a vessel to Seakeeper 1. In-Mar Solutions: 5 have up to eight power sources, and Alu Pilot Chairs & Deck Rails In-Mar Solutions offers a complete includes matched software, services

  • MN Feb-24#41 Vessels
WINDEA Intrepid & 
WINDEA Courageous
The ?  rst)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 41

    Vessels WINDEA Intrepid & WINDEA Courageous The ? rst two designed, BV-classed CTVs for WINDEA CTV. The third newbuild crew and fourth vessels are under construction at St Johns, and transfer vessels construction of the ? fth vessel is well underway at Breaux (CTV) for WIN- Brothers in Louisiana.

  • MN Feb-24#40 Vessels
HOS Warhorse & HOS Wild Horse 
shipyard construction)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 40

    Vessels HOS Warhorse & HOS Wild Horse shipyard construction contracts were wrongfully termi- nated. Gulf Island and Hornbeck settled in October 2023, clearing way for the builds to be completed by another yard. Eastern secured the contract to complete the builds from Zurich American Insurance Company

  • MN Feb-24#39 Vessels
Next WSF Vessels Could Be Built 
Outside of)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 39

    Vessels Next WSF Vessels Could Be Built Outside of Washington State By Eric Haun The next newbuilds for Washington State Ferries (WSF) is required to award a credit of 13% of the bid price for bid could be built by a shipyard outside of Washington as the proposals for vessels constructed in the state of

  • MN Feb-24#38 Vessels
Crowley’s All-electric 
Harbor Tug eWolf Delivered
B)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 38

    Vessels Crowley’s All-electric Harbor Tug eWolf Delivered By Eric Haun Crowley has taken delivery of its groundbreaking vessel ers and shipyards,” said Garrett Rice, president of Mas- eWolf, the ? rst all-electric, ship assist harbor tugboat in ter Boat Builders. “We are proud to have partnered with the

  • MN Feb-24#34 Feature
Marine Simulation
All images courtesy Virtual)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 34

    Feature Marine Simulation All images courtesy Virtual Marine S T R DIMULATOR RAINING IS THE EAL EAL By Eric Haun A legacy of innovation n the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, ef- Virtual Marine’s journey began two decades ago with a sin- fect

  • MN Feb-24#30 Feature
Offshore Wind
Ørsted
“There is momentum in the)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 30

    Feature Offshore Wind Ørsted “There is momentum in the wind market right now.” Ron MacInnes, President, Seatrium Offshore & Marine USA back the other way, become more mature, more stable, that supply chain, that project pipeline, is going to exist, more evenly distributed, basically, with your risk

  • MN Feb-24#25 Feature
Passenger Vessel Safety
Interestingly, in the)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 25

    Feature Passenger Vessel Safety Interestingly, in the Flagship docu- certain passenger vessels. growing commuter traf? c. “In addi- ment, PVA acknowledges and thanks • Crew shortages have caused tion,” he added, “several small U.S. the USCG for its help in developing a operators to change schedules.

  • MN Feb-24#19 ment, work processes and technology progress, and it can)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 19

    ment, work processes and technology progress, and it can if you start the new year out by listening to your workforce be hard to keep up with the latest changes. In 2024, keep and implementing necessary changes to work practices an eye out for updates to existing standards and implement based on their

  • MN Feb-24#18 Column   
Safety Zone
Five Tips to Keep Workers Safe in)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 18

    Column Safety Zone Five Tips to Keep Workers Safe in 2024 By Zach Walden, Director of Port Safety, Hampton Roads Shipping Association to improve your maritime safety performance and start the The maritime industry new year out strong. accounts for more than 90% of global trade and employs over 3

  • MN Feb-24#17 Column
Going Green
ernize ferry operations, replace aging)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 17

    Column Going Green ernize ferry operations, replace aging implemented to address grid and space increased power requirements. That vessels, and upgrade ferry terminals. constraints with electri? cation. can involve installing new conduit, The grants are critical to helping WETA is one of many U.S.

  • MN Feb-24#16 Column   
Going Green
For Ferries to Go Green, Governments)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 16

    Column Going Green For Ferries to Go Green, Governments Will Need to Provide the Green By Kaiya Levine, Energy & Sustainability Consultant, Arup Whether it is from international organizations ? ve nautical miles or less, meaning they have relatively low or state government agencies, there is growing

  • MN Feb-24#12 by giving company-speci? c training, which shows us how)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 12

    by giving company-speci? c training, which shows us how as two and a half years, but our maritime apprentice pro- these companies are being proactive in tracking trends and gram basically offers a fast track into the industry,” Gianel- analyzing what would suit their mariners best, beyond reg- loni said.