Posts Categorized: Marine Services
Young Brothers Invests Over $45 Million to Enhance Reliability of Interisland Shipping
October 3, 2024
MORGAN CITY, LA – Last week, Young Brothers christened the Kalohi and Nāulu barges, marking a milestone in the more than $45 million investment to enhance the reliability and resilience of the interisland shipping services. Entering service in December 2024, the new barges will provide additional cargo capacity and were designed with advanced technology and features that make it safer and more efficient to load and unload cargo.
The addition of these state-of-the-art vessels – the first new barges in nearly 20 years – is a major step forward in modernizing Young Brothers’ fleet and ensures we are well-positioned to deliver the frequent and reliable interisland shipping service to power Hawai‘i’s economy and connect our island communities,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers.
The Kalohi, a 286-foot-long barge, was designed to serve smaller ports like Kaunakakai (Moloka‘i) and Kaumalapau (Lāna‘i).
“As the only water carrier serving Lānaʻi and Moloka‘i, Young Brothers has a critical kuleana to these communities,” said Ana. “This investment in Kalohi reflects our deep commitment to enhancing the capacity and resiliency of our services moving what matters most for Lānaʻi and Moloka‘i.”
The Nāulu, a 365-foot-long barge, will be the largest vessel with the most cargo capacity in Young Brothers’ fleet. The versatile design enables Young Brothers to transport additional cargo during peak periods and realize significant operational efficiencies in the ease of loading and discharging cargo when volume returns to off peak levels. Nāulu will be homeported in Kawaihae (Hawai‘i Island) and will serve Young Brothers’ four larger ports.
Key Features of the Kalohi and Nāulu Barges
- Ballast technology raises or lowers the vessels in response to changing tidal and ocean conditions, increasing stability, safety and efficiency when loading and unloading cargo in the challenging ocean conditions often present at Young Brothers’ port locations.
- Additional cargo ramps across the barges, giving employees greater flexibility and enabling greater efficiency in safely loading and discharging cargo.
The vessels were custom-designed by Hockema Group, a Washington-based naval architecture firm, and built by Conrad Shipyard, a national leader in the construction of ships for commercial customers and the U.S. governments.
About Young Brothers
Young Brothers, LLC is Hawai‘i’s trusted interisland freight company. Founded more than 120 years ago, Young Brothers is responsible for transporting 100% of all ocean cargo that originates and ends in Hawaiʻi and is the only water carrier to serve Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. The publicly-regulated company offers 12 weekly sailings between the ports of Nāwiliwili, Honolulu, Kaumalapau, Kaunakakai, Kahului, Kawaihae, and Hilo. More than 400 highly skilled employees move what matters most to Hawai‘i using state-of-the-art shoreside equipment and a fleet of eight barges and eight tugboats, including four fuel-efficient Kāpena-class tugs. Young Brothers is an independently managed subsidiary of Foss and part of the Saltchuk family of companies. For more information, visit www.youngbrothershawaii.com and connect via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Conrad Shipyard
Conrad Shipyard, established in 1948 and headquartered in Morgan City, Louisiana, designs, builds and overhauls barges, dredges, and dredge support equipment, tugboats, ferries, drydocks, liftboats, offshore supply vessels and other steel products for both the commercial and government markets. The Company provides both repair and new construction services at its five shipyards located in southern Louisiana and Texas.
About Hockema Group
Hockema Group, Inc. is an independent, full service naval architecture firm primarily involved in commercial and government projects in various sectors of the marine industry. We provide naval architecture and marine engineering services for tugs, barges, commercial fishing vessels, dredgers, cargo vessels, workboats, passenger vessels and government/military service vessels.
New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal Opens Deep Water Berth to Accommodate Offshore Wind Vessels
August 29, 2024
Foss Transforms Derelict Power Plant Property into Gateway for Wind Industry to Provide Clean Energy
Foss Prevailing Wind docked at new NBFMT deep-water berth
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal (NBFMT) this month opened its first deep water berth after two years of demolition and construction to support North America’s emerging wind energy sector. The berth is part of Phase II of the project and was designed specifically to accommodate offshore wind service vessels. A 300-foot bulkhead has been installed and dredging has occurred to further improve the use of the berth for both domestic and international vessels.
Administrators with the operations and maintenance (O&M) facility under development anticipate that once completed, the terminal will host a monthly rotation of up to 300 offshore workers that will be a boon for the local economy, according to Andrew Saunders, a New Bedford native and president of NBFMT.
“It’s great to be part of a project that is transforming a derelict power generating station into a state-of-the-art offshore wind hub able to support projects here in the US Northeast,” Saunders said. “All of the old, outdated buildings are now gone and the recently completed waterside improvements position us to be the gateway to the offshore wind lease blocks. The opening of this new deep-water berth is just the beginning with more waterside and land side improvements that will occur over the next few years.
“We are very excited about what the future will bring for the industry and for the regional economy as a whole. We’re building up to provide advanced management and warehouse space for partners who are servicing the burgeoning Northeast wind industry. With the opening of the deep-water berth, a consistent circulation of industry workers will spend a few days in town every month spending their company dollars on local businesses. Physically and financially, it’s truly a breath of fresh air for New Bedford.”
Future Phase III Completion Rendering
The 27-acre private terminal, owned by Foss Offshore Wind and local business leaders, has progressed through collaborations with city, state and federal agencies, notably New Bedford mayor Jonathan Mitchell, the New Bedford city council, the Port of New Bedford, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). MassCEC so far has contributed $15 million to the project.
In order to complete the deep-water berth, The City of New Bedford facilitated state, local and private funds to dredge more than 80,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the waters just off the site. This work was part of the City’s Phase V Dredge Program that allows for the removal of legacy contamination from decades past. In all, the Phase V Dredge Program will remove and encapsulate more than 500,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from New Bedford harbor. When complete, the terminal will boast four large individual berths and a floating pier system that can accommodate up to eleven offshore wind construction and O&M vessels.
The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal is a model that Foss intends to emulate in multiple East and West Coast markets as the wind industry grows over the coming years, according to Foss Offshore Wind president Joel Whitman in Boston.
“Our nation needs electricity and we need it from resources that don’t continue to send environmentally damaging materials into the atmosphere,” he said. “The terminal is an investment in the people and ports necessary to make this energy transition possible.”
About NBFMT:
The New Bedford Foss Marine Terminal is a collaboration between Foss Offshore Wind, a Saltchuk Marine company, and Cannon Street Holdings, which is comprised of three local business leaders. Prior to transforming the property into a clean energy hub, the 27-acre property had a history of operating within the energy sector dating back to the whaling era more than a century ago then as a coal and oil facility through the modern era. Foss is developing the property through three phases: demolition that is complete, improvements to address the waterside infrastructure and site ground bearing capacity that is underway and eventual improvements to both expand the waterside capabilities and build out O&M warehouse, fueling capabilities and crew transport support structures. Further development, including a parking garage will coincide with industry growth over the coming decade.
About Foss Maritime
Foss was founded in 1889 in Tacoma, Wash., and grew to become the largest tugboat operation on the West Coast. Foss Offshore Wind was created in 2020 to service the growing offshore renewables market in the United States and globally. Encompassing the expansive service offerings from the Saltchuk family of companies, Foss Offshore Wind is uniquely positioned on the East and West coasts to provide clients with the full range of on- and offshore support services. Visit Foss Offshore Wind’s digital space to stay current on the New Bedford facility and future terminal and service expansions.
Saltchuk Summer 2024 Newsletter
August 1, 2024
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Eastern Shipbuilding Group awarded contract to construct four escort tugs for Saltchuk Marine
July 8, 2024
PANAMA CITY, FL – Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has been awarded a contract to construct four new escort tugs for Saltchuk Marine. The vessels will be built at ESG’s Allanton and Port St. Joe facilities, with delivery expected in 2026.
“We are pleased to partner with Saltchuk Marine on this significant fleet renewal project. Our team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable vessels with industry-leading low lifecycle costs that meet stringent environmental standards and support our customer’s missions for many, many years,” said Joey D’Isernia, Chairman and CEO of ESG. “This contract award is more solid evidence that ESG is able to successfully design and build both government and commercial vessels while remaining highly competent and competitive in both arenas.”
“As the West Coast’s premier tug operator for more than a century, it’s critical that we continue to innovate and provide ship assist services in a manner that prioritizes safety and minimizes environmental impact,” said Jason Childs, Saltchuk Marine’s president and CEO. “The combination of Robert Allan team’s naval architecture and engineering experience and ESG’s proven history of building best-in-class vessels will ensure that we continue to provide our customers with the most reliable service on the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska.”
As a premier builder of commercial vessels in the United States, Eastern Shipbuilding Group is renowned for delivering high-quality tugs on budget and on schedule that have the resilience to support operations for decades. Over the past 20 years, ESG has successfully delivered 35 ship assist tugs to satisfied customers. This contract marks the beginning of Saltchuk Marine’s long-term fleet renewal project, with the new tugs set to support West Coast port operations and comply with EPA Tier 4 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) environmental requirements.
VESSEL SPECS:
Customer – Saltchuk
Delivery – 2026
Type – Ship Assist/Escort Tug
Length, overall – 84′-0″ (excluding fenders)
Breadth, moulded – 42′-0″
Depth, moulded – 14′-0″
Draft, navigation – 18′-7″
Accommodation for – 8 persons
Speed, ahead – 12 knots
Bollard Pull, minimum – 95 Short Tons (86.2 MT)
Main Engines – Caterpillar 3516E, EPA Tier 4, 3500 hp (2610 kW) @ 1,800 rpm
Thrusters – Schottel RudderPropeller SRP 510
Hawser Winch – Markey Machine DEPGF-52, 75HP, Single Drum Class II Winch
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About Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) is an American owned and operated shipbuilder with three shipyards on the Florida Gulf Coast. They build world class vessels for national defense and commercial clients, including the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutters. ESG is the largest private sector employer in Northwest Florida and is a 2017 recipient of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Small Business of the Year award. With a portfolio of over 350 vessels and Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) certified systems, ESG is known as one of the most diverse vessel construction companies in the country. www.easternshipbuilding.com
About Saltchuk Marine
The Saltchuk Marine family, with the tugboat as the center of our services, is steeped in a rich and storied history of innovation and service. With a keen use of technology, Saltchuk Marine companies: Foss Maritime, Young Brothers, Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, AmNav Maritime, and Foss Offshore Wind continue to lead the industry in harbor services and marine transportation solutions, with safety and the environment leading our principles. Saltchuk Marine is part of Saltchuk. Saltchuk provides air cargo, domestic shipping, international shipping, logistics, marine services, and energy distribution services throughout North America. Visit www.saltchuk.com for more information.
Young Brothers Blesses $1.5M Mooring System to Improve Service for Lāna‘i
April 29, 2024
Lāna‘i becomes first port in the nation to use ShoreTension technology
PORT OF KAUMALAPAU, LĀNAʻI – Young Brothers, Hawai‘i’s trusted interisland freight company, blessed its $1.5 million ShoreTension mooring system, which keeps the barge steady against the dock during inclement weather, at the Port of Kaumalapau in Lāna‘i on Monday. The port becomes the first in the nation to implement this technology, which is utilized in harbors around the globe in countries like New Zealand, Peru and Italy.
“As the only water carrier to serve Lāna‘i, we take seriously our kuleana to provide safe, reliable, frequent and affordable shipping to this rural community,” said Jay Ana, president of Young Brothers. “This innovative mooring system reflects our commitment to enhancing the reliability of service for Lāna‘i so we can safely deliver the goods the community depends on despite rough conditions.”
Adverse weather, such as large swells, harbor surges, and high winds, regularly plague the Port of Kaumalapau, especially in the winter season, and can prevent Young Brothers crews from safely unloading and loading cargo from the barge. When delivery is impossible, Young Brothers regularly attempts recovery sailings at the company’s own expense to ensure Lānaʻi receives its cargo as soon as safely possible.
The mooring system addresses this issue by using a series of four 100-ton bollards and ShoreTension units to manage tension on the mooring lines that safely hold a barge against the dock during dangerous conditions. The ShoreTension units use the energy they store from the barge’s movement to automatically adjust the tension on the lines—loosening or tightening—as needed to keep the barge secure against the dock.
“Improving and modernizing our harbors is a priority,” said Dreana “Dre” Kalili, Deputy Director for the State Department of Transportation – Harbors Division. “We appreciate Young Brothers’ collaborative and proactive efforts to implement the ShoreTension mooring system because it will help ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods throughout our island chain.”
The blessing, conducted by Kahu Saul Kahihikolo, brought together elected leaders, Lāna‘i businesses and community members to mark the occasion.
Beyond the ShoreTension system, Young Brothers continues to reinvest in enhancing its services for Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. In winter 2024, the company will welcome a state-of-the-art $10 million barge, Kalohi, to its fleet. The 286-foot-long vessel offers more deck space and cargo capacity, ballastable technology to address changing tidal conditions, and five ramps that enable greater flexibility and efficiency for loading and discharging cargo.