Kirby christens nation’s first plug-in hybrid inland towboat

Kirby christens nation’s first plug-in hybrid inland towboat

(HOUSTON) — Kirby Inland Marine christened Green Diamond, the nation’s first plug-in hybrid electric inland towing vessel, at a ceremony in Houston on Friday. The vessel will be time chartered by Shell Trading (US), which will use the boat to push barges throughout the Houston port region. Shell Energy Solutions is providing electrical power matched 100 percent by Green-e certified…
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RAL to design methanol hybrid fuel cell tug for Svitzer

RAL to design methanol hybrid fuel cell tug for Svitzer

(VANCOUVER, British Columbia) — Svitzer and Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL) have entered into an agreement to design the world’s first methanol hybrid fuel cell tug. Utilizing a combination of batteries, fuel cells and gensets, this tug will operate completely free of diesel fuel and is a major step forward on Svitzer’s path to the decarbonization of its global towage fleet.…
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Crescent adding Tier 4 tug for Mississippi River operations

Crescent adding Tier 4 tug for Mississippi River operations

(MOBILE, Ala.) — Crescent Towing has begun construction of a new 6,000-hp, Tier 4 z-drive tugboat at Blakeley BoatWorks in Mobile, Ala., to be immediately added to its Mississippi River ship-assist operations upon completion. “The addition of this new 6,000-hp z-drive in support of our Mississippi River operations highlights our continued commitment to providing our customers with the most powerful…
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Crowley charters Tier 4 tug to serve LA and Long Beach

Crowley charters Tier 4 tug to serve LA and Long Beach

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) ­– Crowley has entered into its fourth long-term charter for its newest Tier 4 ship-assist tug, Artemis, with Brusco Tug & Barge. The vessel reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainability while providing high performance. The 77-foot tug delivers 7,000 horsepower with a bollard pull of 96 tons using two Caterpillar Marine 3516 Tier 4-compliant engines, meeting U.S. Environmental…
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RAL designs pair of methanol tugs for KOTUG Canada

RAL designs pair of methanol tugs for KOTUG Canada

(VANCOUVER, British Columbia) — KOTUG Canada has selected Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards to build two RAsalvor 4400-DFM dual-fuel methanol escort tugs, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL), to service the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP). These tugs will escort tankers from the harbor limits of the Port of Vancouver to the open Pacific Ocean through the commercial shipping lanes of the…
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New AWO video touts industry as leader in sustainability

New AWO video touts industry as leader in sustainability

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has produced a new video highlighting the tugboat, towboat and barge industry's sustainability leadership and its commitment to protecting the environment. The two-minute video, "The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry: A Sustainability Leader Today, and Tomorrow," explains that the industry is the greenest mode of freight transportation today. Just one dry cargo…
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House panel OKs funding boost for inland waterways

House panel OKs funding boost for inland waterways

(WASHINGTON) — Thursday night, the House Committee on Appropriations approved by a vote of 34-24 the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Energy and Water Development (E&W) appropriations bill. Included in the bill are community project funding (CPF) requests for Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) construction projects. Overall proposed funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works is $9.57 billion, an…
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Three Illinois Waterway locks closed for repairs

Three Illinois Waterway locks closed for repairs

(ROCK ISLAND, Ill.) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, temporarily closed the Brandon Road, Dresden Island and Marseilles locks on the Illinois Waterway on Thursday to facilitate needed repairs and maintenance. The closures are scheduled to last through Sept. 30 and are being conducted simultaneously to limit impacts to navigation. During the closures, no vessels will…
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McAllister among inductees into NY/NJ maritime hall of fame

McAllister among inductees into NY/NJ maritime hall of fame

(NEW YORK) — Five global shipping and intermodal leaders were inducted Wednesday into the 29th International Maritime Hall of Fame sponsored by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey. The recipients were recognized for their leadership and commitment to advancing the maritime industry throughout their careers. The event was held at The Lighthouse at Pier…
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AWO elects Vane Brothers’ Iuliucci as new chairman

AWO elects Vane Brothers’ Iuliucci as new chairman

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The members of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national tugboat, towboat and barge industry association, elected a new slate of leaders this week during the association's Spring Convention and Annual Membership Meeting. Rick Iuliucci, vice president, The Vane Brothers Company, was elected chairman; Kelly Teichman, chairman of the board, T&T Marine, was elected vice chairman; and…
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