The Maritime Minute

News from The American Maritime Partnership, April 5, 2011

AWO PROMOTING “BARGES ARE BEAUTIFUL”:
The American Waterways Operators are promoting the benefits of the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry on Capitol Hill. Their advertisements, which are appearing in beltway publications, include the themes: “Barges are Beautiful For the Economy” and “Barges are Beautiful For the Environment”. Click here to view the AWO ad that appeared in POLITICO.

MICHIGAN-BASED U.S.-FLAG OPERATOR PRAISED BY BP SHIPPING:
BP Shipping, the transportation division of British Petroleum, has honored Andrie Inc.’s tug/barge KAREN ANDRIE/ENDEAVOR as the company’s 2010 partner vessel of the year. The honor is for the energy company’s top ship outside of its own fleet. The 2-year-old tug/barge combination was cited by BP Shipping for its advantages with the environment, safety and lower costs, said Andrie President Stan Andrie. Click here to read more.

U.S.-FLAG LAKER KICKS OFF PORT OF DULUTH/SUPERIOR’S 2011 SHIPPING SEASON:
Maritime traffic through the Port of Duluth/Superior (Minnesota/Wisconsin) resumed on March 17 with the sailing of the season’s first laker, the U.S.-flag dry-bulk carrier JAMES R. BARKER. The vessel departed with 52,000 tons of coal for the power plant in Presque Isle, Michigan. Due to the dredging crisis on the Lakes, the BARKER could not carry a full load (about 60,000 tons), but when vessels this size can fully utilize their hauling power, they deliver enough coal each trip to power a metropolitan area the size of Greater Detroit for a day. Click here to read more.

DID YOU KNOW?
The domestic fleet also provided fully half of the mariners needed to crew U.S. government-owned sealift vessels activated from reserve status to support military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.