MARTAC Expands Across Western USA With Opening of San Diego Innovation Center
next phase of growth. The new center will support a range of activities, including advanced engineering and systems integration, live-water demonstrations of MARTAC’s autonomous vessels, customer training and mission planning and collaborative development with defense and industry partners. The facility is expected to create new jobs in the San Diego area and further cement MARTAC’s position as a leader in the rapidly growing unmanned maritime systems market.MARTAC’s facility expansion comes at a time of accelerating demand for autonomous maritime capabilities. The U.S. Navy has outlined
Pettengill Tapped to Lead Maine Port Authority
guidance of Nathan Moulton, Director of Office of Freight and Business Logistics, Burns will expand his scope of work to include all freight modes, including freight rail, trucking, and ports. Burns will continue to be the point person for the state's effort to develop a floating offshore wind port facility in Maine."I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish at the Maine Port Authority over the past several years and am excited to return to MaineDOT in a new role that will help me expand my skills while continuing to support economic opportunities for our state," said Burns
Mass. Maritime Renews Offshore Wind Training Partnership with RelyOn Nutec
partnership agreement with RelyOn Nutec GoM (Gulf of Mexico).The partnership was formed in 2019 and over the past five years has provided specialized Global Wind Organization (GWO) Basic Safety Training (BST) to close to 1,000 course participants entering the offshore wind industry. The MMA is the first facility in the nation to offer all five modules of GWO Basic Safety Training for Offshore Wind: Working at Heights, First Aid, Fire Awareness, Manual Handling, and Sea Survival.Upon completion of the GWO Basic Safety Training course participants possess an awareness of the hazards encountered when working
NOLA Terminal Hires Turkmen as Business Development Manager
NOLA Terminal announced it has hired Taylor S. Turkmen as its new business development manager.NOLA Terminal is building a facility at milepost 59 on the Mississippi River to offer a range of logistical connectivity, handling and storage options.Turkmen, a New Orleans native, attended Ursuline Academy and began her collegiate journey at Louisiana State University. In December 2015, she earned her bachelor’s degree from The University of New Orleans. Since 2017, Turkmen has gained extensive experience in the wine and spirits industry, working as a sales consultant for two of the largest distributor
Rayha to Succeed Graney as President of General Dynamics Electric Boat
expertise and strong leadership have been instrumental to the performance and continuous improvement of both NASSCO and Electric Boat,” Novakovic said.The longtime primary builder of submarines for the U.S. Navy, Electric Boat has a shipyard in Groton, Conn., a hull-fabrication and outfitting facility in Quonset Point, R.I., and a design and engineering facility in New London, Conn. It is currently building six Virginia-class submarines and one Columbia-class submarine and has another Columbia-class submarine on order.Kevin Graney announced his retirement from General Dynamics Electric Boat (Photo:
ACBL Announces Reorganization Plan
. Sutton will also lead ACBL's new barge pooling business segment.Taking over as COO is Brent Cervenka, who joins ACBL from previous roles at Target, Amazon, Pitney Bowes and most recently Pandion Logistics. As COO, he will oversee logistics and network operations, vessel operations, fleet and facility operations, safety and operational training.In addition, ACBL said it will reorganize its dry cargo division with the planned retirement of the division's SVP Bob Blocker in June 2025. Blocker will work closely with the dry cargo team and newly hired chief commercial officer (CCO) Ricky Stover
DSC Dredge Promotes Meyers to General Manager
, Fitter & Welder Foreman, and Director of Production.Bob and Bill Wetta, brothers and co-owners of DSC Dredge, said, "Waldon has been an integral part of DSC's growth and success. His dedication and expertise are unparalleled. He has always been a key person in overseeing our Poplarville facility, and there are no doubts that he will continue to lead our Poplarville team."
Maritime Employers: Working to Find Workers
& Economic Development. In an interview Jaeger and Draeger were asked for their insights about accelerating and expanding maritime workforce training.They offered the following core ideas:Invest in a dedicated space: Think of the classroom as an extension of the shipyard. A dedicated training facility provides the immersive learning experience necessary for mastering the skills needed on the job (NWTC opened its new North Coast Marine Manufacturing Training Center in Marinette in 2011).Allow flexibility in scheduling: Recognize the diverse needs of students and provide flexible training schedule
MARAD’s Centers of Excellence: Addressing Maritime Workforce Needs and Preparing the Next Generation
awareness about and foster interest in, maritime education,” Kumar explained.To accomplish this, MARAD works with schools, industry and government partners to foster interest in maritime education and connect potential students with dedicated educational and training institutions.For a school or facility to apply for a CoE designation, it must meet accreditation requirements as outlined under the codified statute 46 USC 51706. Summarizing the statute, Kumar noted that a training entity must provide training and education for the domestic maritime workforce, border the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic
Port of New Orleans CEO Brandy Christian to Step Down
; that provided a strategic roadmap for sustainable and inclusive growth. Christian has also overseen the beginnings of the largest economic development project in Louisiana history, raising nearly all of the funding to support the $1.8 billion Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), a new container facility in St. Bernard Parish that is set to begin construction in 2025 and will solidify Louisiana’s position as a vital hub for global markets."Reflecting on my time as President and CEO of Port NOLA and CEO of NOPB, I will be departing with immense gratitude for the dedicated team and supportive
Kruger Named President of Austal USA
General Dynamics including Electric Boat where she supported the Virginia-class submarine program and led strategic business development activities. At General Dynamics NASSCO she was director of outfitting and led international benchmarking efforts that contributed to facility upgrades maximizing outfitting on the ground, and was director of repair administration. While at NASSCO she was promoted to vice president, new construction planning. She subsequently moved to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) where she was vice president of operations and led a
Americraft Marine Appoints Peter Fetten as Chairman
Americraft Marine, one of the maritime subsidiaries of Libra Group that owns and operates a Jones Act shipbuilding facility in Palatka, Fla., has announced the appointment of Peter Fetten as Chairman of Americraft.A seasoned leader with four decades in the marine engineering and shipbuilding sectors, Fetten will help shape the strategic direction of Americraft Marine as it works to advance U.S. shipbuilding and the demand for Jones Act vessels. Americraft Marine's St. Johns Ship Building, performs both new construction and repair of a wide variety of steel and aluminum vessels, including ferries
Svitzer Building New Training Center in Australia
training capabilities to the East Coast of New South Wales (NSW).The company reports construction is underway at its Port of Newcastle tug base, where Svitzer’s innovative, new TRAnsverse tug vessels are forecast to enter service in 2025 (the second and third to be deployed in the world). The facility will feature state-of-the-art Kongsberg Digital maritime simulators in support of crew training and other marine applications.Svitzer Australia chief operating officer, David Phillips, said, ”We are excited to see construction underway for a facility that will provide the latest and most
Ramping up Warship Production, Shipbuilder to Add 1000 Jobs
Babcock International Group (Babcock) is creating more than 1,000 new jobs at its large-scale, advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth.The new job opportunities will include 400 apprenticeships, 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople, and graduates to support programs like the Type 31 frigate design and build."Attracting and retaining talent is essential to the future success of our business and directly benefits the local communities in which we operate," said David Lockwood, Chief Executive, Babcock International Group.
Barnard Joins Gibdock as Commercial Director
, Owner and CEO. "His exceptional track record in managing and leading diverse maritime engineering projects aligns perfectly with our vision for the future. We look forward to leveraging his expertise as we continue to strengthen Gibdock's position as a leading engineering and ship repair facility."(Photo: Gibdock
New Leadership at Mustang Survival and Wing Group
for this pivotal role at Mustang Survival. Kenny has consistently worked across the retail sector and knows how to navigate the complexities of commercial and military operations.’Ballard will lead from the Mustang Waterlife Headquarters Vancouver, BC, which includes the local manufacturing facility. He’ll be overseeing the newly moved and expanded Jacksonville Florida plant, operations in Spencer, Virginia, and the overseas office in Salisbury, UK.Lance Richardson will have his desk next to Ballard’s at the Vancouver headquarters. As an Arc’teryx and Herschel alumni, Richardson&rs
BAE Systems Begins Building Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow
. These new facilities will also enable a substantial expansion of the early careers programs at BAE Systems, doubling the intake in Glasgow to more than 200 new apprentices each year.Paul Feely, Academy and Engineering Director, BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said, "This new training facility is an exciting demonstration of our commitment to shipbuilding on the Clyde, allowing us to further support thousands of highly skilled jobs in Scotland. Our investment in Glasgow will help us to deliver the national endeavor that is the Type 26 program and ensure that we can provide navies around
