Weekly News Summary For May 21-27, 2007:
The Senate voted 91–4 May 16 in favor of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which was passed by the House a month earlier by a vote of 394–25. The Senate action paves the way for the bill, H.R. 1495, to be sent to a House-Senate conference committee to iron out differences between the two chambers.
Before the bill was passed, the Senate took about 45 amendments and whittled them down to about a dozen. Among the amendments dealt with by the senators were several unrelated proposals concerning U.S. policy in Iraq.
During final statements on the bill, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) praised the measure and announced that part of what had delayed the agreement to reduce the number of amendments was a discussion on how to shut down the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet.
At the end of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) dubbed Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.)—instrumental in obtaining the bill’s approval—the “odd couple.” He praised WRDA as “a wonderful piece of work, and both (senators) should be proud. We will get this bill to conference as quick as we can.”…
Following a decision by ThyssenKrupp AG to build a steel mill in Mt. Vernon, Mobile County, Ala., the Alabama State Port Authority Board of Directors approved a resolution May 14 authorizing the construction of a new marine terminal to handle steel slabs for the firm.
ThyssenKrupp chose the Alabama site over one near Romeville, La., on the Mississippi River. Louisiana and Alabama both tried to lure the plant to their states with economic incentives; Alabama came out the winner. (See April 30 WJ.) The overall cost of the mill is estimated to be in the $4 billion range.
Tim Parker, chairman of the board for the authority, applauded the board, port management and Team Alabama for their leadership throughout the project’s competitive process.
“Many, many folks worked long, hard hours to secure this project for the state of Alabama,” he said. “The port now stands ready to provide the necessary marine assets to make ThyssenKrupp’s U.S. plant successful for generations to come.”
The authority plans to construct a freestanding marine terminal at Pinto Island with barge handling capability located behind the ship berth. The terminal will be equipped with three wide-span gantry cranes, each having 125 feet of outreach and 150 feet of back reach. The cranes will be configured to unload product from ships to either barges staged between the ship dock and the steel sheet pile wall or direct to a storage area located behind the sheet pile wall. An integrated barge-haul system will position barges under the cranes. The marine terminal, which will have a draft of 45 feet, will be capable of discharging 25,000 metric tons of semi-finished slabs from vessels and loading 10 barges per day, whether a vessel is in berth or not….
A loose fuel barge floated about 75 miles from Glasgow, Mo. down the Missouri River before being secured 20 miles north of Jefferson City, Mo. The barges broke loose about 8 p.m. May 11.
The bridges over the Missouri River at Highway 5 in Boonville, Mo. and at Interstate 70 were shut down momentarily until after the barge passed, said Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Tim Hull.
Officials worried about an explosion. “The fact that a runaway fuel barge came down river stirred up some anxiety,” said Lt. Nick Humphrey from the Missouri Water Patrol. “We were concerned that debris would have gone up on the highway.”
A towboat from Capital City Sand Company caught the fuel barge and brought it to Jefferson City about 10:25 a.m. May 12. It was taken to local sand plant docks, the Jefferson City News Tribune reported.
The fuel barge was originally attached to a restaurant barge at Glasgow. The barges were docked but broke loose and separated.
The restaurant barge went 10 miles before being caught at Mile 216 by the mv. Omaha, a 2,200 hp., twin-screw towboat, owned by McNational Inc….
Sneed Shipbuilding Inc. recently completed two new towboats for Blessey Marine Services Inc. They are custom-built with all of the amenities now common on Blessey boats. One particular feature does stand out though—one of the boats has a porch swing.
“For the last eight years, the only boats we have built have been for Blessey, because he (Walter Blessey) allows us to do these things,” said Martin Sneed, referring to the custom quality of the vessels. When it comes to safety and crew comfort, Blessey goes all out, said Sneed.
The twin christening took place April 17 at Brady’s Landing, Houston, Texas, where Blessey honored two longtime captains, Allen Billiot and Robert Swango. Both men have a long and successful history with the company.
Capt. Allen Billiot began his career with Blessey in 1994 and has been involved in the industry for over 40 years. Henry Billiot, his uncle, owned six boats and was his inspiration to join the industry. He started working with his uncle in 1966 and was piloting boats within a year.
“Back then, you didn’t need a license,” said Billiot. For several years, he worked with different organizations gaining valuable experience. “I was like most people back then, jumping around from company to company.” From 1972 to 1988, he worked for the former McKinney Towing Inc….
Maritime Day is May 22.
“It’s a day that we bring attention to the merchant marine, the U.S. fleet and its importance to our economy. In our part of the country, it’s also an opportunity to remember the importance of the inland waterways to the economy and throughout the nation,” said Bob Imler, president of the Port of Quad Cities Propeller Club.
The Propeller Club for the U.S. Port of Southwest Louisiana is in its fourth year of celebrating Maritime Day at the civic center on the lake. The boats line up at a parade, and the bishop blesses each boat as they come by. The mayor issues a proclamation. They have a prayer service and lay a reef in the water to remember those who died. They also bless the fleet and do a procession. Anyone is welcome to bring pleasure or commercial boats, said Patrick Lapoint, the treasurer of the Propeller Club.
“It (Maritime Day) plays a big role in our everyday lives. We fail to realize and remember that 95 percent of the stuff we use in America that makes our lives so easy comes by water. We don’t give enough credit to the merchant marine that sacrifices by being away from family and friends, spending a long time at sea, so our lives will be easy,” Lapoint said.
The Port of Quad Cities Propeller Club uses Maritime Day to focus on the importance of the inland waterway system, club president Bob Imler said….
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