NOLA firm contract: $13M

Pontchartrain Partners of New Orleans was awarded a $13,428,800 firm-fixed-price contract for removal of damaged articulated concrete block mattresses, constructing rip-rap revetments to replace existing damaged articulated block revetment on Gulf Intracoastal Waterway facing dikes including reshaping and filling voids in the earthen dikes where needed for construction of the revetments. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Brazoria County, Texas; Matagorda County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 operation and maintenance; and civil works funds in the amount of $13,428,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/30/19)

Weeks Marine contract: $22M

Weeks Marine Inc. of Covington, La., was awarded a $22,375,000 firm-fixed-price contract for beach fill and advanced nourishment along the length of the design berm and a dune. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 civil construction; and Non-FED funds in the amount of $22,375,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of New York City is the contracting activity. (DoD 09/30/19)

Port ops support contract: $7M

Metson Marine Services of Ventura, Calif., is awarded $7,618,818 for modification P00009 to the previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N68836-19-C-0002) to exercise Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-9 for Option Period One for port operations support services that include maintenance and repairs of government furnished boats, service craft, and waterfront equipment; oil spill response; industrial marine services; docking regular overhauls; ship movement and fleet liaison support services; berth day support; facility response team services; counter-terrorism support; barrier and gate services; and exclusion buoy inventory in support of Commander, Navy Region Southeast. The contract will include a nine-month base period and four one-year option periods which if exercised, the total value of this contract will be $35,545,878. Work is expected to be completed by September 2020. If all options on the contract are exercised, work will be completed by September 2023. Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Ga, (30%); Kingsland, Ga. (28%); Mayport, Fla. (18%); Pensacola, Fla. (15%); Key West, Fla. (4%); Port Canaveral, Fla. (3%); Panama City, Fla. (1%); and Jacksonville, Fla. (1%). FY 2020 Navy operations and maintenance funds (98%); and FY-20 Coast Guard operations and maintenance funds (2%) in the amount of $3,398,123 will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation as a 100% total small business set-aside requirement with five offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 0930/19)

LST 325 making history beyond Mobile

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Work on a floating museum could be completed in November allowing the move of a restored WWII troop landing ship that is to be moved to a more prominent location along the Ohio River in downtown Evansville. Crews are now building a visitor center and barges, so LST 325 can move to the former site of the Tropicana Evansville casino boat. Evansville Port Authority chairman Pat Wathen tells the Evansville Courier & Press that the $3.6M project is on track and within budget. The ship took part in the 1944 D-Day landings in France and has been based in Evansville since 2005. (Source: The AP 09/29/19) Gulf Coast Note: LST-325 gained national publicity when a crew of gray-haired veterans sailed it across the Atlantic Ocean to Mobile, Ala., arriving Jan. 10, 2001, after a crew of 28 veterans brought it on a 6,400-mile voyage from Greece - despite advice against it by the Coast Guard. The LST-325 underwent restoration in Mobile and was the centerpiece at a national LST convention there in September 2001. But when Mobile never offered a free, highly visible location to serve as the ship's home, Evansville stepped in with an invitation, which the board of the nonprofit group that owns the ship accepted. Nearly 170 LSTs were built in Evansville during World War II. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/09/29/a-hero-of-d-day-lst-325-finally-moving-new-site/

LCS 10 1st with full load NSM missiles

The Mobile, Ala.-built Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) is the first Navy ship to fully integrate the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) next generation anti-ship and land attack cruise missile, according to a General Dynamics Mission Systems statement on Sept. General Dynamics explained it has integrated the new over-the-horizon (OTH) missile capability onto the Independence-class LCS in support of a Chief of Naval Operations mandate to increase the ships’ lethality and survivability. General Dynamics is the Independence-variant LCS systems integrator, responsible for the design, integration and testing of the navigation, command, control, computing, and aviation systems on each ship. General Dynamics was able to integrate the NSM system by determining equipment placement, adapting the ship’s navigation system to provide unique signals to the missile system, designing the operational station in the Integrated Command Center, designing the system for providing specialized power to the MK 87 and conducting all of the analyses necessary for a safe and effective system. The team, including Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., designed structures and foundations and accomplished the installation in San Diego. General Dynamics will serve as the prime contractor for the integration and installation of the NSM capability on all Independence-variant LCSs already in service. (Source: Naval News 09/29/19) https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/09/uss-gabrielle-giffords-is-the-1st-lcs-to-get-its-full-load-of-next-gen-nsm-missiles/

MS section Tenn-Tom reopens

TISHOMINGO, Miss. - A lock on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in northeast Mississippi reopened Sept. 28 after an oil spill was cleaned up. The Jamie Whitten Lock near Tishomingo had been closed since Sept. 8 after the hull of a barge was pierced, releasing more than 117,000 gallons of oil. WTVA-TV reports the reopened lock faced a significant backlog of barge traffic. Crews worked to contain the oil spill inside the lock, although the waterway was closed for 4 miles. The Savage Inland Marine barge was carrying about 321,000 gallons of oil, but nearly two-thirds was safely removed. It was the second lock closure in Mississippi in 2019. (Source: WVTA 09/28/19)

Energy, tech event in BR

TEC Next will host a two-day event Oct. 3-4 on facilitating conversations between the energy industry and technology leaders. The conference, at the Manship Theatre at Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, will explore and highlight what’s next for the technology and energy industries as they converge to create new, collaborative solutions for smart manufacturing. The conference will feature keynote remarks from Clark Dressen, Dow’s digital operations center director, and Travis Fuller, ExxonMobil’s North America Polypropylene growth venture executive. “With great opportunity for petrochemical and refining sector growth in the Gulf Coast region, the information technology sector is a natural partner to support creative solutions in the increasingly digitized energy industry,” said ExxonMobil Public and Government Affairs Manager Stephanie Cargile. Information and registration are at tec-next.org.

Propeller Club Convention

The International Propeller Club Convention & Conference, hosted by the Propeller Club of New Orleans, is Oct. 15-17 at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter in New Orleans. The conference will include networking, education events and information on the future of ports, fuels, crews, infrastructure and navigation. Topics include global trade dynamics with tariffs and treaties; environmental planning; balancing tourism and trade; planning for the increasing size of vessels; rapid growth globally of LNG as fuel and alternative sources of propulsion; future skills required of mariners. https://convention.propellerclub.us/home.

NOLA group files suit against feds

The New Orleans-based non-profit Healthy Gulf filed a lawsuit Sept. 26 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of the Interior and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and their directors, for allowing offshore drillers to waive safety protocols put in place after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Among factors found in an investigation into the explosion was the failure of a piece of equipment called a blowout preventer, the last line of defense against an oil spill. New regulations put into place in August 2016 stipulated how often and how long blowout preventers should be tested to ensure that they are fully functional. The lawsuit alleges that both DoI and BSEE granted offshore drillers "alternate compliance" and "departures" from the new rules hundreds of times, effectively waiving some crucial safeguards against blowouts. Weakening the blowout preventer systems is a "slap in the face" to Gulf of Mexico workers, coastal residents and businesses, said Cynthia Sarthou, director of Healthy Gulf. DoI released a statement contending that the lawsuit "grossly misrepresents the facts and issues false accusations." DoI says BSEE authorizes alternate procedures or equipment only when doing so provides a level of safety and environmental protection that equals or surpasses current requirements. (Source: NOLA.com 09/28/19) https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_0a8f2f64-e070-11e9-9795-2f80e45ffc1d.html

CG recovers body of missing man

NEW ORLEANS - A Coast Guard Special Purpose Craft boatcrew from CG Station Grand Isle, La., recovered a body matching the description of a person that was earlier reported missing in the water at Dulac, La, on Sept. 27. Initially, the CG received a report at 1 p.m. of a running vehicle with an empty boat trailer at a boat launch near Old Bridge Road with an unmanned vessel drifting nearby. CG later received a report that a surveillance camera had recorded a man from the vehicle enter the water in Bayou Dulac. (Source: Coast Guard 09/27/19)

17 GOMESA projects for south MS

BILOXI, Miss. - Seventeen blue economy projects in South Mississippi will receive more than $20M in funding from the latest Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act disbursement. Gov. Phil Bryant announced the GOMESA funding Sept. 27. The designated projects include everything from water quality testing and beach re-nourishment to buying fish for the Mississippi Aquarium now under construction in Gulfport. The projects will be administered by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. GOMESA was created in 2006 by Congress and shares leasing revenues among the four Gulf oil and gas producing states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and their coastal political subdivisions. (Source: WLOX 09/27/19) https://www.wdam.com/2019/09/27/gov-bryant-announces-million-gomesa-projects/

Houma firm barge pact: $9M

Thoma-Sea Constructors of Houma, La., is awarded a $9,152,347 firm-fixed-price contract to acquire a new barge and integrate a government furnished crawler crane into the barge. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Houma with an estimated completion date of May 27, 2021. Fiscal 2019 plant replacement improvement program funds in the amount of $9,152,347 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/27/19)

CG rescues two from capsized boat

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard rescued two people from a capsized vessel in about 500 yards south of Tiger Pass in Joe’s Bay, La., on around midnight Sept. 27. CG Sector New Orleans got a report at approximately 11 p.m. over Channel 16 VHF, the international distress marine radio frequency, of a capsized vessel with two people aboard. The CG launched of a 45-Foot Response Boat-Medium crew from CG Station Venice and diverted an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from CG Air Station New Orleans to the rescue. The aircrew arrived at 11:51 p.m. and located the two people clinging to the hull of the vessel; and transported them to Air Station New Orleans in stable condition. Earlier on Sept. 27, a missing diver, who was last seen about 10 miles southeast of Destin, Fla., was located in stable condition. CG Sector Mobile, Ala., received a report around 6 p.m. that Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had located the diver swimming to shore in stable condition. The diver had been missing since about 1 p.m. from the charter vessel, A-Salt Mission. (Coast Guard 09/28/19)

Conrad dry-dock pact: $8M

Conrad Shipyard of Morgan City, La., is awarded an $8,386,379 firm-fixed-price contract for the towing and repair of Dry-Dock 5081. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Memphis,and Amelia, La., with an estimated completion date of May 27, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance; and civil works funds in the amount of $8,386,379 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Memphis is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/27/19)

Weeks Marine dredge pact: $9.9M

Weeks Marine of Covington, La., is awarded a $9,993,750 modification (P00003) to contract W912P8-18-C-0045 for the Mississippi River, Baton Rouge to the Gulf, Head of Passes, Hopper Dredge disposal area project No. 18-1, Plaquemine Parish, La. Work will be performed in Plaquemine with an estimated completion date of March 13, 2020. Fiscal 2018 recovery act; civil works; and operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,993,750 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of New Orleans is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/27/19)

Hornbeck T-ASEs pact: $36M

Hornbeck Offshore Operators of Covington, La., is awarded a $36,030,519 modification for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded firm, fixed-price contract (N6238715C2507) to exercise a one-year option period for the operation and maintenance of four modified offshore-supply vessels (T-AGSEs) serving as blocking vessels in support of the Navy. The contract includes a 215-day base period, nine one-year option periods and one 150-day option period. Work for this option period will be performed at sea worldwide, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. Transportation working capital funds in the amount of $36,030,519 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was issued on an other than full and open competition basis. U. S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, headquartered in Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/27/19)

Senate passes CR funding

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate passed a short-term funding measure - Continuing Resolution (CR) - to ward off a potential government shutdown. The measure was sent to the President only days before the end of FY 2019 at midnight on Sept. 30. The stopgap legislation that passed the House last week would keep the government open through Nov. 21 while lawmakers try to pass new annual-spending legislation for FY-20. A White House official said the President intends to sign the CR by Oct. 1, but an exact timing was unclear. The measure also extends a number of health-care programs and other expiring measures, including the National Flood Insurance Program. (Source: Wall Street Journal 09/26/19) https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-passes-short-term-spending-measure-11569518324

NSWCPC's Rhea to USMMA HoF

KINGS POINT, N.Y. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., project manager Jena (Jeffries) Rhea was inducted into the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 20. Rhea, the project manager for Amphibious Assault Systems Integration and the lead test director for the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) 100/ Ship Interface Test at NSWCPC, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her athletic achievements in volleyball and softball while serving at the academy from 2000-04. (Source: NSWCPC 09/25/19) https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/1971162/nswc-panama-city-project-manager-inducted-into-us-merchant-marine-academy-athle/

68% more barges unloaded at NOLA

Barge grain movements totaled 501,809 tons for the week ending Sept. 21, which was a 32 percent decrease from the previous week and 25 percent less than the same period last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. During that same time period, 327 grain barges moved down the Mississippi River, 146 fewer than the previous week. There were 629 grain barges unloaded in New Orleans, which was 68 percent more than the previous week. (Source: Work Boat 09/26/19) https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/barge-grain-movements-slip-by-32-from-last-week/

La. parishes negotiate first settlement

Lawyers representing Louisiana’s coastal parishes have negotiated their first settlement with mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Inc. and its subsidiaries, one of several oil and gas (O&G) firms accused in court of damaging the state’s coastal area, a possible ground-breaking move to provide funds for coastal restoration. The Freeport-McMoRan settlement will result in payments totaling $100M in cash and environmental credits over multiple years, says John Carmouche, a lawyer with the Baton Rouge-based firm of Talbot, Carmouche & Marcello. Linda Hayes, the vice president of communications for Freeport, confirmed the settlement agreement. All of the money collected would have to be spent by the state or local governments to restore coastal marshes and wetlands, Carmouche said. The deal establishes a potential settlement template for the dozens of other firms being sued, including major oil companies. Carmouche said Freeport’s wells account for only 4 percent of wells drilled in the coastal zone, suggesting the settlement number may be only a fraction of any broader settlements, should they come to pass. A pair of the state’s energy lobbyists - Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association - denounced the deal, calling it a win for trial lawyers whose plans were to “shake down” O&G companies for “legally conducting production activities" that followed the rules laid out by state and federal regulators over decades. The lawsuits charge that O&G companies failed to follow state law in drilling wells, building canals, disposing of wastes, and in restoring the land and wetlands to their conditions before oil and gas operations began. (Source: NOLA.com 09/26/19) https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_bb453b96-e070-11e9-be4c-d7a9572b4e20.html

NOLA firm pact: $9.7M

Pontchartrain Partners of New Orleans was awarded a $9,787,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dike raise. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Houston, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 construction and civil works funds in the amount of $9,787,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/25/19)

Feds declare fisheries disaster

The U.S. Department of Commerce has declared a federal fisheries disaster for Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi from the freshwater flooding from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico from the prolonged opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway. The spillway opening is being blamed for high mortality rates of oysters, dolphins, sea turtles and other aquatic life. A fisheries disaster declaration also followed the Bonnet Carre’s opening in 2011, freeing up federal funds for replanting oyster beds, which have died again. Congress this year appropriated $165M for fisheries disasters, money that also will cover declarations for fisheries disasters that occurred between 2017 and 2019 in Alaska, California, Georgia, and South Carolina. (Source: Sun Herald 09/25/19) https://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/harrison-county/article235468007.html?

Army: Potential shooting at Joker film

Soldiers and families at Fort Sill, Okla., and other military installations around the country are being made aware of a credible mass shooting threat targeting "an unknown movie theater" on Oct. 4, an Army official told Task & Purpose on Sept. 19. A memo posted on its Facebook says there has been "disturbing and very specific chatter in the dark web" regarding targeting a theater during the release of the new Joker film next week. The memo says that CID was tipped off by a Texas county sheriff's office, but the information came from the Texas Department of Public Safety's Joint Crime Information Center. The memo does not specifically target Fort Sill. Other installations around the country may follow suit. (Source: MSN 09/24/19) UPDATE: The Army issued a Sept. 18 memo in response to social media posts from so-called "incels" that were uncovered by the FBI. https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/us-army-base-issues-warning-over-potential-shooting-threat-related-to-joker/ar-AAHOoWq

Shark partners on autonomous vessel

JEANERETTE, La. - Alabama-Louisiana shipbuilder Metal Shark and Sea Machines, a Boston-based leading developer of autonomous marine technology, have partnered to introduce a new 29-foot autonomous vessel being offered through Metal Shark’s “Sharktech” autonomous division. The Sharktech Defiant welded aluminum monohull pilothouse vessel features OEM-integrated Sea Machines technology offering a full range of advanced capabilities including active control and collision avoidance. The system allows for both traditionally- reduced-crew, or unmanned operations. Sharktech was formed in 2018 to streamline customers’ paths to autonomy by bridging the gap between the industry’s autonomous software developers and the traditional shipbuilder, according to Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. Sea Machines is a leader in pioneering autonomous control and advanced perception systems for the maritime industry. Metal Shark is a diversified shipbuilder specializing in the design and construction of welded aluminum and steel vessels from 16- to more than 300-feet, and with three shipbuilding facilities in Mobile, Ala., and Jeanerette and Franklin, La. - and a dedicated engineering facility in Croatia. Metal Shark produces more than 200 vessels annually. (Source: Metal Shark 09/24/19) https://www.metalsharkboats.com/september-24th-2019-metal-shark-and-sea-machines-launch-new-sharktech-autonomous-vessel/

GoM trash innovative EPA grants

DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Gulf of Mexico Division announced the availability of grant funding for innovative projects focused on reducing the amount of trash in our waterways through trash prevention and/or removal. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $5M. “These funds will incentivize new projects to reduce marine litter and protect the health of the Gulf of Mexico and the many communities that rely upon it,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. EPA Regions 4 and 6 divide the states that make up the Gulf Coast. Eligible applicants include state agencies, federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia, any agency or instrumentality of local governments, nonprofit organizations, interstate agencies, and colleges and universities. EPA anticipates awarding 10 or more grants not exceeding $500,000. The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. The Gulf division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities. (Source: EPA 09/24/19) https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-availability-funding-waterway-trash-reduction-projects-gulf

Austal keel-laying for LCS 28

Austal USA shipyard held a keel-laying and authentication ceremony for the Navy’s future USS Savannah (LCS 28) at its Mobile, Ala., yard on Sept. 20. Ship’s sponsor, Dianne Isakson, wife of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), authenticated the keel for the 14th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship during the ceremony. While the keel laying traditionally represents the formal start of a ship’s construction, fabrication of the ship began months ago. Keel-layings continue to symbolically recognize the joining of the ship’s components and the ceremonial beginning of the ship. There are four other Independence variants undergoing construction at Austal USA, with five additional ships in pre-production planning. (Source: Naval News 09/22/19) https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/09/austal-laid-keel-of-future-uss-savannah-28th-u-s-navy-littoral-combat-ship/

Gulf Craft delivers new catamaran

A new multi-functional catamaran passenger vessel, Coastal Explorer, has been delivered for a whale-watching excursion operator in Bar Harbor, Maine. The catamaran was built by Gulf Craft in Franklin, La. It closely follows two predecessors delivered in 2018, Acadia Explorer and Schoodic Explorer, and brings the operator’s number of Incat-Crowther-designed vessels to five. (Source: Marine Link 09/23/19) https://www.marinelink.com/news/new-catamaran-bar-harbor-whale-watch-470975?utm_source=MT-ENews-2019-09-23&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MT-ENews

$24.4M Houma steel barge contract

Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors of Houma, La., was awarded a $24,491,400 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement and delivery of a steel barge. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Houma with an estimated completion date of July 19, 2023. FY 2019 Mississippi River and Tributaries funds in the amount of $24,491,400 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/23/19)

HII raises $50K for special olympics

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division raised a record-breaking $25,000 for Special Olympics Mississippi during the company’s eighth annual “5K on the Causeway” race held Sept. 21 on Singing River Island. “This 5K has become an event (that) families along the Gulf Coast look forward to each fall,” said HII shipbuilding president Brian Cuccias. In addition to surpassing last year’s total of $20,000, the 5K received a matching donation from Irwin F. Edenzon, former president of Ingalls Shipbuilding, in the amount of $25,000. With Edenzon’s contribution, Ingalls donated a total of $50,000 to Special Olympics Mississippi. More than 950 runners registered for the 2019 race. This year’s top male and female shipbuilders were Sergio Martinez-Castillo and Melly Brown. The overall winner was Josh Pittman of Ocean Springs. (HII 09/23/19) https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/file/5k-on-the-causeway-2019.

CG, Samaritan rescue 11 boaters

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard rescued five of 11 people in the water after their vessel capsized in Mississippi Sound on Sept. 21. Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., received a report at 2:55 p.m. Saturday that there were an unknown number of people in the water about two miles south of Gulfport (Miss.) Harbor. The CG launched a 45-Foot Response Boat crew from CG Station Gulfport to rescue the people. A good Samaritan aboard a personal watercraft rescued six of the 11. The boat crew arrived at 3:36 p.m., rescued the remaining five and transported them to CGS Gulfport in stable condition. (Source: Coast Guard 09/23/19)

B&K project in NOLA: $14M

B&K Construction Co. of Mandeville, La., was awarded a $14,205,897 firm-fixed-price contract for flood control and damage reduction project. Bids were solicited via the internet with four bids received. Work will be performed in New Orleans, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 2, 2025. FY 2019 funds operations and maintenance, civil in the amount of $14,205,897 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of New Orleans is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/20/19)

Weeks project in NY: $26M

Weeks Marine Inc. of Covington, La., was awarded a $26,307,500 firm-fixed-price contract for a renourishment project which provides reduction of storm damages from coastal erosion and flooding through storm protective berm and beachfill. Bids were solicited via the internet with two bids received. Work will be performed in Long Beach, N.Y., with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2020. FY 2019 civil works funds in the amount of $26,307,500 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of New York is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/20/19)

SW La. dredge pact: $28.6M

Mike Hooks LLC of Westlake, La., was awarded a $28,651,505 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging of the Calcasieu River and Pass in Louisiana. Bids were solicited via the internet with two bids received. Work will be performed in Glenmora, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 1, 2020. FY 2017, 2018, and 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $28,651,505 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of News Orleans is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/20/19)

Ship Island contract

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. of Oak Brook, Ill., was awarded a $56,651,056 firm-fixed-price contract for Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Ship Island, Miss., with an estimated completion date of September 19, 2020. FY 2019 civil works funds in the amount of $56,651,056 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/20/19)

Seabees aid Army combat teams

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Gulfport, Miss.-based Seabees of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 supported the U.S. Army’s 4th and 25th Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) in a joint readiness exercise (JRE) here on Sept. 17. NMCB-133’s Gulfport detail was tasked with clearing a beaching area and constructing a ramp for the IBCT to offload equipment from a landing craft, and utility vessel. Constructing an offloading area from nothing wasn’t easy. “When we first arrived, there was nothing but a 10-foot grass area on the beach,” said Builder 1st Class Charles Page, NMCB-133, site leading petty officer. “It took us about a day and a half to clear the area and build the timber ramp.” The Seabees were there “to make sure nothing fell apart,” he noted. “We even had some of our guys operate some of their equipment, driving off of the vessel while showing us what it is they do.” The JRE was a combined arms exercise to assess strategic operational readiness with an integrated capability response to establish joint partnerships and expand joint capabilities to support expeditionary operations. The JRE exercise was the culmination of years of coordinated effort to highlight and market the interconnectedness of South Mississippi’s military infrastructure. It is the first time a brigade (with 1,450 pieces of equipment) deployed to Camp Shelby, Miss., using all the components of the South Mississippi Defense Corridor, including port, rail and highway systems. (Source: NMCB 133 09/20/19)

ESB tests LCS’ MCM package

NORFOLK, Va. - The Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams (T-ESB 4) recently completed a three-day maneuver in Chesapeake Bay to test the Littoral Combat Ship’s Mine Countermeasure (MCM) portable control station. The ship maneuvered MCM launch and recovery equipment and tested its command and control of unmanned vehicles. The demonstration demonstrated ESB’s ability to serve as an MCM-capable platform to embark 12 twenty-foot equivalent units, vehicles, and support equipment required to operate, launch, and recover one full MCM mission package, including the buried mine hunting and unmanned sweeping mission modules, with flexible ship modifications. “(C)ounter-mine capabilities are very important (to ESB ships) because we have to be able to keep the enemy at bay,” said Officer in Charge, Capt. David Gray. Representatives from Program Executive Office for Ships (PEO Ships) and Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) had overall responsibility for the event, with support from Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., and other agencies. Initial assessments showed positive results, and will help inform the feasibility of integration of the MCM package with ESBs, and other vessels of opportunity. (Source: PEO Ships 09/19/19) Gulf Coast Note: NSWC Panama City is the testing ground for the LCS’ Mine Countermeasure warfare package.

ESG launches new tug for Bisso

Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., announced the Aug. 22 launching of the first of two 80-foot 5,100 HP Z-Drive tugs, the C.D. White, for Bisso Offshore - a division of E.N. Bisso & Son of New Orleans. The C.D. White is under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility, along with its sister vessel, the A. Thomas Higgins. The White is scheduled for delivery in December. E.N. Bisso is a long-time customer of ESG, and has taken delivery of four previous modern Z-drive Ship Assist Tugs starting in 2007. The two new tugs have been customized to provide specific operational features, including 63+ ton bollard pull, enhanced maneuverability and escort performance, better fuel economy, safety under the new USCG Sub-M requirements and reduced emissions. E.N. Bisso currently has a tug fleet of 17 blended vessels featuring seven modern tractor class/equivalent tugs along with conventional twin-screw tugs. E.N. Bisso is a fifth-generation family-owned company. (Source: Eastern Shipbuilding 09/18/19) www.easternshipbuilding.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2019/09/ESG-H225-CD-WHITE-Launch-Press-Release-Final-R-5.pdf

Mil.Con warnings & The Wall

The Defense Department had warned Congress for more than five years of poor outcomes unless monies were made available to pay for urgently needed military construction (Mil.Con) projects – some of the same projects that have been canceled to fund the President’s border wall. The warnings are contained in DoD budget requests over the years. They include potentially hazardous living conditions for troops and their families, as well as unsafe schools. In numerous cases, DoD warned that lives would be put at risk if buildings don’t meet the military’s standards for fire safety or management of explosives. Before the $3.6B in construction funding was pulled to support the wall, some military buildings had been neglected in favor of other priorities. The defense spending limits, which took effect after a 2013 budget deal designed to end a government shutdown, starved the Mil.Con budget for years, officials and analysts say, and are long overdue. The Washington Post uncovered budget documents pertaining to 29 of 43 military construction projects in the U.S. that are being canceled to pay for the wall. The review excluded two projects that had been canceled before the emergency authorization. Many of these documents are publicly available. The Pentagon insists that the projects are merely being delayed, not canceled. The details in the budget documents underscore risky trade-offs made in declaring a national emergency to divert funding for the wall. One such project includes, the Air National Guard’s need to replace an aircraft parking ramp at NAS/JRB New Orleans in Belle Chasse, which abuts a public road. Munitions-loading aircraft, which are kept on alert in the event of a terrorist attack, expose the public to the “unacceptable risk” of being affected by an explosive accident, the Air Force wrote in 2018. An AF analysis calculated that members of the public are inside the jets’ “explosive arc” for about 3,800 hours annually as they pass by the base. The shelters that hold the aircraft when they are on the tarmac are on sinking concrete slabs causing pipes and electrical connections to disengage. The shelters do not have fire protections, DoD wrote in 2018. Additionally, DoD warned that highly decentralized weapons maintenance buildings at the Anniston, Ala., depot would continue to increase the risk of accidents because of the “unnecessary movement of artillery pieces.” (Source: Washington Post 09/19/19) https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/pentagon-has-warned-of-dire-outcomes-if-military-projects-canceled-for-wall-dont-happen/2019/09/18/03e99ac6-d988-11e9-ac63-3016711543fe_story.html

H2O purifying plant for Bahamas

Resolve Marine Group has assembled and launched a critical response barge that has transported a water purifying plant to Freeport that can produce 5,000 gallons of potable water per day. The need was met following Hurricane Dorian hitting the islands. The plant system consists of three reverse-osmosis water purifiers. It left from Port Everglades, Fla., and arrived in Freeport Harbor where RMG is planning assembly operations. The ability to send the relief barge directly to Freeport harbor is a result of the firm’s 24-hour Hurricane Dorian response team. While Dorian was still active, RMG and its partners activated a vessel and hydrographic survey team. Resolve plans to continue operating throughout the Bahamas chain in support of relief efforts wherever feasible. Resolve Marine Group’s humanitarian subsidiary, Mission Resolve, has already provided resources for humanitarian support, according to Joe Farrell Jr., president/CEO. (Source: Work Boat 09/17/19) Gulf Coast Note: RMG has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; New Orleans and Theodore, Ala.)

Gulfport firm FMS pact: $9.5M

United States Marine Inc. of Gulfport, Miss., is awarded a $9,510,838 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-2226) in support of the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for eight 11 meter Naval Special Warfare rigid-hull inflatable boats, eight forward looking infrared systems, ship spare parts and other technical assistance for the Egyptian navy. Work will be performed in Gulfport and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $9,510,838 will be obligated at time of award and contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), this contract was not competitively procured: International agreement. Naval Sea Systems Command of Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/17/19)

State of LCS (Part 2 of 2)

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – With both variants of the Littoral Combat Ship in serial production at two yards, and those ships kicking off an overseas presence, the Navy is turning its focus to increasing the lethality and survivability of each hull. In the near term, the Naval Strike Missile is going to be quickly installed on all LCSs that will give each ship a greater offense regardless of which of the three combat mission packages – surface warfare, mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare – with which it deploys. In the early 2020s, the Navy will focus on that two-phase upgrade plan by adding electronic warfare capabilities, anti-missile decoys, and perhaps laser guns or other advanced systems. The Austal USA-built USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) underwent a backfit process before deploying with the NSM; and left its San Diego homeport to deploy with greater ability to target enemy ships. Backfitting every current LCS with the launcher will take a few years. Starting with LCS-27, and follow ships, the hulls will be built from the start with the space, weight and power reserved for the NSM. “The fact of the matter is, LCS is going to have an offensive punch at range. And that starts with Gabrielle Giffords,” said Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Richard Brown, “and that will be true in the years to come, which then complicates any enemy’s targeting because … every adversary has to worry about where all the ships are because of the reach of the weapons systems we’re putting on them.” By FY 2022, the first LCS will begin going through an upgrade process that will address longstanding calls to up-gun and up-armor. Beyond the phase 1 upgrades, early phase 2 talks are looking at “everything from radar (upgrades) to directed energy to the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile or (Standard Missile)-2 via (vertical launching system),” he said. Overall, the upgrades are moving the single-mission LCS – where nearly all capability resided in the warfare package – into more of a multi-warfare ship. (Source: USNI News 09/06/19) Gulf Coast Note: The Independence variant of LCS is built at Austal's Mobile, Ala., shipyard. https://news.usni.org/2019/09/06/the-state-of-lcs-navy-moving-to-add-firepower-capability-to-both-classes

Deep South’s big ditch

EPES, Ala. - Almost 100 years in the making, the 234-mile man-made Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway - connecting the Tennessee River from Pickwick Lake to the Black Warrior-Tombigbee River system - was designed to fulfill the dream of growth and prosperity for the Deep South when it opened in 1985. It hasn't worked out. Delayed for decades by environmental concerns and detractors who called the Tenn-Tom project a boondoggle, the $2B shipping shortcut to the Gulf of Mexico has never come close to traffic projections used to sell it to the public. Poverty rates have increased in most of the counties it flows through in Alabama and Mississippi. There are pockets of relative prosperity near Demopolis, in west Alabama, where it has helped lure industry. Yet these days, fishermen along its banks are about as likely to see retirees headed to the Florida Keys in their cabin cruisers than tugboat designed to be pushing a string of barges. "It was the greatest thing that was going to happen. It was the thing. It was the hope," body shop owner and Epes Mayor Walter Porter said. "Now it's just a ditch." An $8M port, meant to help spur development in rural Sumter County, sits unused near the Mississippi state line. (Source: The AP 09/16/19) https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2019-09-16/2b-waterway-through-deep-south-yet-to-yield-promised-boom

South Ala. firm's sub contract: $14M

International Marine and Industrial Applicators of Spanish Fort, Ala., is awarded a $14,152,760 firm-fixed-price contract for the accomplishment of preservation and non-SUBSAFE structural repairs and maintenance on USS Louisiana (SSBN 743). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $14,495,622. The work to be performed on this contract will support main ballast tank, superstructure, sail, recesses, sonar dome, interior and external hull to include commercial blast, non-SUBSAFE structural repairs and preservation. The contractor shall furnish the necessary management, material support services, labor, supplies and equipment deemed necessary to perform the work. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Wash., and is expected to be completed by December 2020. FY 2019 Navy operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,152,760 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility at Bremerton, Wash., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/16/19)

Metal Shark delivers catamaran to Fla.

JEANERETTE, La. – Metal Shark shipbuilding delivered a new excursion vessel Sept. 15 to Southwest Florida tour and charter boat operator Pure Florida. The “Sea Flight” is a custom 40-foot x 14-foot welded aluminum foil-assisted catamaran designed and built to USCG Subchapter “T” standards and configured to carry up to 33 passengers. Specially engineered forward and aft transverse hydrofoils elevate the hull at planing speeds to reduce drag, resulting in increased performance and fuel economy with modest power requirements. It’s powered by twin 440-horsepower Yanmar 6LY440 diesel engines and cruises at speeds in excess of 30 knots, and with a top speed of 40+ knots. The second Jutson-designed vessel of its type to be built by Metal Shark, Sea Flight’s layout has been optimized to accommodate a range of Pure Florida’s eco tours, dolphin watching cruises, and offshore fishing trips while offering a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable passenger experience. Pure Florida operates a fleet of 20 vessels at locations in Naples and Fort Myers, Fla. Metal Shark is a diversified shipbuilder specializing in the design and construction of welded aluminum and steel vessels from 16- to more than 300-feet for defense, law enforcement, and commercial operators. With three fully self-contained shipbuilding facilities in Mobile, Ala., and Jenerette and Franklin, La., and a dedicated engineering facility in Croatia, Metal Shark’s 500+ employees produce more than 200 vessels annually. (Source: Metal Shark 09/16/19) https://www.metalsharkboats.com/september-16th-2019-metal-shark-delivers-new-foil-assisted-catamaran-excursion-vessel-to-pure-florida/

Private shipyard plan may mirror SIOP

With its public shipyard improvement efforts going strong, the Navy currently is developing plans to "mirror" those for private shipyards, according to Vice Adm. Tom Moore, head of the Naval Sea Systems Command. "It's going to mirror the (shipyard infrastructure optimization plan – SIOP)," he told reporters Sept. 13 at the Pentagon. "We went out to each of the private yards and said: 'What would you need in terms of investments to be more successful’?" The private shipyard optimization initiatives were a small brief in the Navy's VY 2020 ship maintenance and modernization plan. "For private shipyards, the Navy, in conjunction with the ship repair industry, is developing Private Shipyard Optimization (PSO) initiatives for optimal placement of facilities and major equipment in each region," according to the funding document that was headed by Navy acquisition executive Hondo Geurts. "This includes an investment plan for infrastructure needed to support availability maintenance in support of a 355-ship Navy," according to the document. These initiatives are designed to do for private shipyards what the service already does its 20-year plan to improve its four public shipyards. The effort is likely to be more complicated because the money will be going to private yards instead of government-owned entities. One option would be similar to the Navy's Small Business Innovative Research fund, which has a pool of money the service can pull for a worthwhile idea. Geurts did not provide a timeline as to when Navy might bring it up Congress. However, the modernization plan document suggested by the time DoD transmits its FY-21 budget. (Source: Inside Defense 09/13/19) Gulf Coast private shipyards include Austal USA, HII-Pascagoula, Eastern Shipbuildand VT Halter Marine to name but a few. https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/moore-navys-private-shipyard-investment-plan-will-mirror-siop

Algae: Sound needs to cool first

The blue-green algae continues to linger along Mississippi’s coastal waters, longer than environmental experts expected after the closure – opened for a historic 123 days - of the Bonnet Carré Spillway on the Mississippi River in Louisiana. The river dumped trillions of gallons of fresh water that has found its way to the Gulf of Mexico. What’s the best guess scenario of when it will go away? Local scientists are saying the waters in the Mississippi Sound will have to cool before the algae dies, which means it could be months. (Source: Sun Herald 09/13/19) https://www.sunherald.com/news/local/counties/harrison-county/article235073037.html?#storylink=cpy

JAR Assets mod pact: $8.8M

JAR Assets LLC of Mandeville, La., has been awarded a contract modification (P00026) on contract HTC711-16-C-W001 in the estimated amount of $8,869,099. The modification provides continued transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel fuel by tug and barge for the Defense Logistics Agency. Work will be performed at ports and points along the inland waterways and Gulf Coast locations. The option period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020. FY 2020 defense working capital funds will be obligated at the start of performance. This modification brings the total cumulative estimated face value of the contract to $43,880,983. U.S. Transportation Command's Directorate of Acquisition at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/13/19)

NOLA firm contract: $9.95M

Pontchartrain Partners of New Orleans was awarded a $9,956,700 firm-fixed-price contract for mobilization and demobilization, clearing and grubbing, stripping, containment dike construction, interior and semi-compacted berm construction, demolition and construction of drop-outlet structure, turfing, and as-built drawings. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. FY 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $9,956,700 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/13/19)

New USN post to sustain lethality

WASHINGTON - In an effort to deliver and sustain lethal capacity, James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, announced Sept. 13 the creation of a new leadership position, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for sustainment [DASN-S], along with ongoing initiatives across the ship-repair enterprise to move more quickly in responding to a growing fleet. “Building a workforce aligned to mission is critical to competing and winning,” Geurts said. Establishing the DASN-S is designed to develop, monitor and implement policy and guidance throughout the Navy and "will enable us to better plan, program, budget and execute the Navy’s sustainment mission,” he added. “Sustainment is as critical as new construction … (and) this position will allow us to improve and align the complex drivers of maintenance and modernization completion; that in turn will increase our output to the fleet. We have to get better, and this will help.” DASN-S will report directly to Geurts. Among other things, the Navy is taking steps to improve maintenance flow. For surface ship maintenance availabilities conducted at private shipyards, the Navy is adjusting its contracting to group multiple surface ships into one contract. This will provide workload stability for the private shipyards. (Source: NAVSEA 09/13/19) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?Story_id=110890&utm_source=phplist3540&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=Headlines

Industry note: MMUV pre-solicitation

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) intends to issue a solicitation (N00024-20-R-6301) for the award of multiple contracts for the design, development, and production of the Medium Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (MUUV). MUUV will be a modular, open systems, and open architecture Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV). The MUUV will provide persistent surface launched and recovered Mine Countermeasures (MCM) and submarine-based autonomous oceanographic sensing/data collection in support of Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE) and MCM. Initial MUUV production systems are expected to support Expeditionary MCM companies. Additional production deliveries are expected to support submarine-based autonomous oceanographic sensing/data collection in support of IPOE and MCM. The solicitation will be issued via Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) at http://fbo.gov, and interested parties must comply with that announcement. FBO is the single point of entry for posting of the synopsis and solicitations to the internet. NAVSEA plans to host an Industry Day to discuss requirements for development of MUUV. The purpose of Industry Day is for the Government to brief interested contractors in order to improve industry's understanding of the prototyping requirement and anticipated contracting approach. Industry Day is being planned for the Washington, DC, metro area in the November/December timeframe. MUUV Industry Day registration form and the exact address will be provided via separate correspondence to pre-registered and confirmed companies only. Pre-registration is required for Industry Day. DISCLAIMER: This pre-solicitation notice is for information only, and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to solicit contractual offers or award contracts. Prior to release of the final solicitation, the Government is not soliciting, nor will it accept, proposals as a result of this synopsis. (FBO.gov. 09/12/19) GULF NOTE: Knifefish was one of the initial UUV developments between General Dynamics and NSWC Panama, City, Fla. https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=57cd3603f84c1b6cb49652e086e36d82&tab=core&_cview=1

GA-Tupelo to build 2 BSS for subs

Defense contractor General Atomics, which has a major facility in Tupelo, Miss.’s Lee Industrial Park South, will build two large Bearing Support Structures (BSS) for the Navy's new multi-billion-dollar Columbia Class submarines. GA’s Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) was awarded the contract from Naval Surface Warfare Center at Carderock, Md., for an undisclosed amount. “This contract leverages our extensive manufacturing competencies to ensure these critical structures are delivered to NSWCC as the first new Columbia class submarine begins construction in October 2020,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “We have a proven track record in the manufacture of First-Time Quality components and safety-critical systems for undersea and surface vessels. This award further positions GA-EMS as a ‘go-to’ resource for shipyards to get complex components into production to meet hard and fast schedule deadlines.” The BSS will be built in Tupelo. The Navy intends to build 12 Columbia Class submarines over the next 20 years. (Source: Daily Journal 09/1/19) https://www.djournal.com/news/business/general-atomics-to-build-components-for-next-generation-us-navy/article_27d638b9-39c2-5355-a156-51a73284f87b.html

LUMCON, USM to share vessel

HOUMA, La. - Operation of a new $106M research ship has been awarded to a state marine research center in Cocodrie, La., opening opportunities for studies along the Gulf Coast, officials announced Sept. 10. The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) will share the research vessel with the University of Southern Mississippi. Scientists plan to use it for more extensive and lengthier trips into the Gulf of Mexico. LUMCON Executive Director Craig McClain said the center's current research vessel, the Pelican, works in shallow waters but can't travel deep into the GoM for oceanographic work. It's also nearing the end of its life cycle. The new ship will be capable of carrying a crew of 29 for 21 days at sea. LUMCON applied for the grant two years ago in response to a call for proposals from the National Science Foundation. NSF will spend at least $318M to build three new research vessels, including the one to be operated by LUMCON and USM. All three ships will be constructed by Gulf Island Fabrication in Houma, whose yard is near the Houma Maritime Campus now in the planning stages. The campus is a collaboration among Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever, LUMCON and other public universities and community colleges, including Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. Once built, the ship will be able to dock in the Houma Navigation Canal or Gulfport, Miss. Construction is set to be complete by 2023, and operational in 2024 after sea trials. An LSU economic impact analysis estimates the new marine campus may lead to more than $125M in earnings and $470M in economic output over 20 years. (Source: Houma Today 09/10/19) https://www.houmatoday.com/news/20190910/local-marine-center-to-operate-106-million-research-ship

UPDATE: Tenn-Tom barge removed

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard continues to respond to a crude oil discharge Sept 11 that is contained within the Jamie Whitten Lock at mile marker 412 - east of New Site, Miss., in Tishomingo County - on the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway. CG Sector Ohio Valley received a report at 6:46 a.m. on Sept. 8 from the National Response Center that crude oil was discharging from a damaged crude oil barge owned by Savage Inland Marine. The damaged cargo tank on the barge had an estimated capacity of 321,000 gallons of crude oil. The estimated amount released and contained in the Jamie Whitten Lock is 117,000 gallons. The remainder was removed from the barge. E3 Environmental has been contracted to contain and recover the spill. Five vacuum trucks, seven skimmers, 75 personnel as well as emergency management response contractors are on scene conducting 24-hour oil recovery operations. (Source: Coast Guard 09/11/19) UPDATE: Crews have removed a damaged barge that spilled oil from Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in northeast Mississippi. The Jamie Whitten Lock remains closed as cleanup continues and the barge's cargo is removed. The barge spilled more than 117,000 gallons of oil Sept. 8. The barge will be transported to New Orleans for repair. The Savage Inland Marine barge was carrying about 321,000 gallons of oil, but nearly two-thirds was safely removed. The Coast Guard is investigating. (The AP 09/16/19)

Navy marine mammals shelter at PC

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Nearly two dozen Navy marine mammals stationed at Kings Bay, Ga., were moved to NW Florida out of danger and ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s path and seeking shelter at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWCPC) this past week. Mark Patefield, a biological technician from Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) in San Diego, says the animals are a key component of the Swimmer Interdiction Security System that security systems that helps protect against any underwater intruder that might come into Kings Bay,” said Patefield. Kings Bay is home to a Naval Submarine Base. Safety and care of the mammals and working staff is paramount; and that led them to Panama City. NSWCPC “opened up their … fantastic facility to allow us to shield our team from the path of Hurricane Dorian,” said Patefield. NSWCPC has successfully moved the Kings Bay sea lions and dolphins for three separate recent-year hurricanes. “We personally understand the trials and tribulations that come with the devastation of a hurricane,” said Nicole Waters of NSWCPC, especially after Hurricane Michael devastated the region last October. (Source: NSWCPC 09/09/19) https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/1955103/navy-marine-mammals-shelter-in-panama-city-during-hurricane-dorian/

Ala. harbor dredging; dock expansion

MOBILE, Ala. – The Alabama State Port Authority announced it has received authorization from the Army Corps of Engineers to modernize Mobile Harbor allowing for the accommodation of larger vessels and improving transit efficiencies at the Port of Mobile. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) South Atlantic Division signed the Record of Decision for the Mobile Harbor General Reevaluation Report (GRR) and Integrated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on Sept. 6. USACE will next execute a design agreement with the port authority. Construction on the modifications could begin in late 2020. The proposed improvement project would deepen the existing Bar, Bay and River Channels to 52 feet, 50 feet, and 50 feet respectively. The project also includes widening the Bay Channel by 100 feet (for 3 nautical miles) to accommodate two-way vessel traffic, expanding a Post-Panamax-sized turning basin. Shoreside, the Alabama State Port Authority and its partner APM Terminals have been expanding the terminal to meet year-over-year growth. A $50M expansion was completed in 2017. In 2018, another $50M expansion was launched. A phase three expansion, when completed in February 2020, will extend the dock to allow for simultaneous berthing of two Post-Panamax-sized vessels. (Source: Alabama State Port Authority 09/09/19): Alabama State Port Authority 09/09/19) http://www.asdd.com/newsroom.html.

Tropical disturbance heading for GoM

A tropical disturbance headed for Florida and the Gulf of Mexico has a 60 percent chance of developing into at least a tropical depression, hurricane forecasters warned Sept. 11. If it strengthens to a tropical storm, it will be called Humberto. The National Weather Service said the system could bring higher tides and heavy rainfall to portions of southeast Louisiana and coastal Mississippi on Sept. 14-15. Forecasters also are tracking two other systems in the Atlantic on Sept. 11. (Source: NOLA.com 09/11/19) https://www.nola.com/news/hurricane/article_5443eef0-d496-11e9-9e97-072e16d763ce.html

NSWCPC sends aid to Bahamas

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - After Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, employees from Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., (NSWCPC) rallied to collect supplies to aid with relief efforts by those affected by the Category 5 storm. Eric Pierce, Human Systems Integration lead at NSWCPC, said he started this effort when he could not find another means of donating. Hurricane Michael caused horrendous damage to Panama City in October 2018, “but at least it kept moving,” he said. Dorian battered the islands for 30 hours. “It's a miracle anyone survived.” Paula Oliver, NSWCPC Test, Evaluation, and Prototype Fabrication Division administrative assistant, said she and Pierce wanted to pay it forward for the aid the Panhandle got after Michael. Once the word got out, NSWCPC employees joined in to donated work gloves, water, baby supplies, pet food, toiletries, clothing, and non-perishable food items, among other disaster relief items. Pierce delivered the supplies to a drop-off zone in South Florida where the supplies were transported to the Bahamas via private planes. (Source: NSWCPC 09/10/19)

CG polar cutter office set to open

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Representatives from the Coast Guard Acquisitions Program are scheduled to preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony here at 10 a.m., Sept. 11, at VT Halter Marine's shipyard, which will formally open the Polar Security Cutter Project Resident Office. The Project Resident Office will be responsible for overseeing the construction of the new CG Polar Security Cutter is being built at VT Halter Marine. The new icebreaker will be the first of six planned icebreakers the CG needs to meet its missions in the high latitudes." Against the backdrop of great power competition, the Polar Security Cutter is key to our nation's presence in the polar regions," Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said in a previously released statement. (Source: CG Media Notice 09/10/19)

Austal PSA pact: $7M

Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., is awarded a $7,466,598 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N69316-19-F-4001) against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-15-G-2304) to accomplish the post shakedown availability (PSA) for the USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). This effort encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, non-standard equipment and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish the USS Cincinnati PSA. The work to be performed will include correction of government responsible trial card deficiencies, new work identified between custody transfer and the time of PSA, and incorporation of approved engineering changes that were not incorporated during the construction period which are not otherwise the building yard's responsibility under the ship construction contract. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed November 2020. FY 2019 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding for $7,466,598 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair Gulf Coast of Pascagoula, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/10/19)

Austal-built LCS deploys with NSM

USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) left its San Diego homeport Sept. 10 carrying the Navy’s new anti-ship Naval Strike Missile (NSM) that can detect enemy vessels at a range of 100 nautical miles. A similarly equipped LCS, USS Montgomery (LCS 8), was deployed to the Pacific Fleet in June. The missiles transform the ships from under-armed to a legitimate threat to warships. A Navy official said only that USS Gabrielle Giffords is deploying to the Indo-Pacific theater. USS Montgomery is currently in the Gulf of Thailand. The two Independence class ships were built by Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala. A third LCS, USS Detroit will deploy from Mayport, Fla., this year to join the other two ships in the Pacific. Armament about include the NSM and the MQ-8C Fire Scout drone. When combined, they can destroy over-the-horizon (OTH) targets at 100nm. The Navy’s current Harpoon anti-ship missile has a range of 67nm. The Navy is installing the weapons on all LCS under construction. USS Giffords, commissioned in 2017, was retrofit with the missiles and drones. It’s a game-changer for LCS. They will still have their focused anti-ship, mine-countermeasures and/or anti-submarine warfare missions. The Navy plans to have 35 LCS; and 17 have been delivered. All LCS will be equipped with the OTH missile, a Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, the Nulka MK 53 Decoy Launching System, improvements to the 57mm gun through installation of the Mk 48 Mod II Gun Weapon Control System, either retrofit or installed at construction, by 2022. (Source: UPI 09/10/19) https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/09/09/Littoral-combat-ship-USS-Gabrielle-Giffords-heads-to-Pacific-with-ship-killing-weaponry/2781568055275/

Helo firm emerges from Chapter 11

Lafayette, La.-based helicopter transport company PHI has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reduced its debt by $500M. The company completed its debt restructuring process … and got federal approval of its reorganization in August, which included CEO and board chairman Al Gonsoulin retiring and replaced with COO Lance Bospflug and PHI's unsecured creditors owning 100 percent of its equity. PHI had reported a $11.5M loss in the third quarter of 2018 following months of a slumping oil and gas industry. PHI is HQ’s on the Evangeline Thruway and is used to shuttle people and equipment from offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and to foreign countries. Customers include Shell, BP, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, among others, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (Source: Acadiana Advocate 09/09/19) https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/business/article_c0b7e4c4-d30b-11e9-952b-3b3d1b9751a3.html

Metal Shark expands into Peru

JEANERETTE, La. - USA-based shipbuilder Metal Shark announced its expansion into Peru with a new 45-foot Defiant-class patrol boat already in production, and a multi-year co-production agreement established with the state-operated Peruvian shipyard Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA-PERU SA). The first round of Peruvian Navy interdiction vessels are now being built by Metal Shark in Jeanerette, La. Under a co-production agreement with SIMA, Metal Shark plans to deliver multiple similar vessels to Peruvian interests through training and the transfer of designs, technological resources, and production. “This strategic move will further bolster Metal Shark’s presence in Latin America while allowing Peruvian military and commercial operators expedited access to Metal Shark’s engineering and technological resources, as well as our extensive portfolio of proven vessel designs,” said Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. Metal Shark is a diversified shipbuilder specializing in the design and construction of welded aluminum and steel vessels from 16-feet to over 300-feet for defense, law enforcement, and commercial operators. Metal Shark has three fully self-contained shipbuilding facilities in Alabama and Louisiana plus a dedicated engineering facility in Croatia. Metal Shark’s 500+ employees produce over 200 vessels annually. (Source: Metal Shark 09/06/19) https://www.metalsharkboats.com/september-6th-2019-metal-shark-expands-into-peru-with-multi-vessel-patrol-boat-order-and-co-production-agreement/

HII's 3rd HS talent development lab

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division, along with the Pascagoula-Gautier School District, celebrated the opening of a new talent development lab at Pascagoula High School on Sept. 6. The talent development lab at PHS is the third in a partnership in the Ingalls Strategic Technical Education Partnership forged with area high schools to bolster each of the school’s technical programs, especially in shipbuilding trades. The first lab opened last year was at Moss Point (Miss.) High School. The third school is at Alma Bryant High School in Irvington, Ala. “These labs will give students along the Gulf Coast a head start in their prospective trades, making them some of the most highly competitive applicants when the time comes for them to enter the workforce," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. I-STEP was established to assist local students in a career path by supporting technical/welding programs and, in turn, cultivating the next-generation workforce. In addition to the renovations to the facilities, Ingalls has provided the schools with modern welding equipment and all of the necessary safety equipment to ensure industry standards are met while learning, which will provide an easier transition from student to professional. (Source: HII 09/06/19)

LCS 20 commissioning Oct. 5

The USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), built at Austal USA's shipyard in Mobile, Ala., will be commissioned Oct. 5 in Gulfport Miss. The commissioning ceremony is open to the public, but tickets must be requested (by Sept. 8) in order to ensure security at the event. (Source: Cincinnati Commissioning team 09/06/19) https://cincinnaticommissioning.org/commissioning/tickets

State of LCS (Part 1 of 2)

SAN DIEGO – In five years, there may be as many Littoral Combat Ships deployed as Navy destroyers. The ships are growing their footprint, according to Vice Adm. Richard Brown, head of the surface force. “LCS is mainstreamed. It equals the ability to deploy of our DDGs,” Brown told USNI News. In a few years, the Navy will have 66 LCS crews to support 38 hulls in deployments, training and testing activities. There are 68 destroyer crews. While the LCS program won’t rival DDGs in manpower (LCS have smaller crews), the LCS’ higher operational availability makes it conceivable that LCS may be on deployments as much as destroyers. The Austal USA-built USS Montgomery (LCS-8) is now deployed to the Western Pacific. A second Independence-variant hull, USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10), deployed this week, to WESTPAC like its sister ship, the Navy confirmed Aug. 30. Freedom-variants USS Detroit (LCS-7) will deploy from Mayport, Fla., later this year to U.S. Southern Command. A handful of LCS have been operating off San Diego, and in the greater U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations, conducting testing/training activities and surface warfare and maritime domain awareness operations, according to Rear Adm. Casey Moton, executive officer for Unmanned and Small Combatants. LCS class got off to a slow operational start, Brown said, but is moving in the right direction to achieve forward-deployment to Bahrain and Singapore. Brown said there will likely always be multiple LCS on deployment going forward, starting in the fall. (Source: USNI 09/05/19) Gulf Coast Note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence variant of the LCS. https://news.usni.org/2019/09/05/the-state-of-lcs-navy-pushing-more-ships-to-sea-this-fall-as-class-matures

DoD bidders: Cyber-secure certs

Businesses intending to bid on Defense Department contracts will have to get certified as cybersecure before they can be awarded the work starting in 2020, according to Katie Arrington, chief information security officer for the assistant defense secretary for acquisition. Arrington told the Billington Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 5, that the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification framework (CMMC) is out in draft form for public comment. It would start appearing as a requirement in pre-solicitation acquisition documents like RFIs in June 2020. "In the fall, we will start putting it into (actual bid solicitation documents) RFPs," she said. (Source: AF Magazine 09/05/19) http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/September%202019/DOD-Contractors-Will-Need-Cyber-Certification-Beginning-Next-Summer.aspx

NSWCPC working with Marines AAV

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The Navy and the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) recently harnessed the power of unmanned technology in successfully testing the Remote Control Assault Amphibious Vehicle (RC AAV). AAVs are structured to carry troops in water operations from ship-to-shore, through rough water and the surf zone, according to Dustin Bride, system engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla. “This modernized upgrade will allow the Marine Corps to remotely traverse from ship-to-shore with an organic vehicle capability to breach and proof lanes and landing zones for landing forces.” NSWCPC’s RC AAV team spent two weeks testing in the open ocean and surf zone at the Marines’ Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch at Camp Pendleton, Calif. The duo are concurrently developing three remote breaching/proofing mission sets for the RC AAV’s control system. To accomplish this, NSWCPC is leveraging optimal technical expertise by networking with experts across DoD’s littoral battlespace communities. There are two additional unmanned remote breaching/proofing sets under development. According to Bride, further development and testing of the RC AAV with the breaching mission sets will occur over the next two years. The end goal is to demonstrate that the RC AAV is a logical and suitable choice for the future of the Marine Corps’ investment into unmanned ground and amphibious platforms, according to Bride. “These upgrades will create a more efficient and lethal force that can come from land or sea.” Stephen Hunt, head of Expeditionary and Maritime Systems Department at NSWCPC believers that DoD is “ushering in a new cultural shift that encourages the NR&DE to collaborate in order to make rapid, impactful advances in capability.” (Source: NSWCPC 09/04/19)

Pierce to engineering lead at Bollinger

 LOCKPORT, La. - Bollinger Shipyards announced Sept. 5 the promotion of Christian Pierce to director of engineering. He will lead the engineering department in all facets of engineering on both government and commercial programs; and is responsible for the execution of functional and design engineering compliant with customer requirements. Since joining Bollinger in 2017, Pierce has held positions of lead engineer and engineering manager in which he was responsible for supervising and directing the naval architecture, marine, electrical, electronics, and outfitting engineering disciplines in execution of the company’s design programs. Pierce has more than 20 years of shipyard experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of New Orleans. Bollinger Shipyards is a leading designer/builder of fast military patrol boats, ocean-going double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels, tug boats, rigs, lift boats, inland waterways push boats, barges, and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards. Bollinger has 10 shipyards strategically located throughout Louisiana with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. It is also the largest vessel repair company in the Gulf of Mexico region. (Source: Bollinger 09/05/19)

Austal-build EPF to be named Cody

WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has announced the newest Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship will be named USNS Cody (T-EPF 14). The future USNS Cody is the first ship named in honor of the City of Cody, Wyoming. EPFs transport personnel, equipment and supplies. They can transport 600 short-tons of military cargo with a crew of 26 civilian mariners - equipped with airline-style seating for 312 embarked troops, along with a fixed wing berthing outfitted for another 104 personnel. With a shallow draft under 15 feet, a flight deck for helicopter operations, and vehicle offload ramp, EPFs can support a wide range of operations from port access to littoral operations. Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., is contracted to build the EPF. (Source: SECNAV 09/05/19)

Tech Solutions part of DIA pact

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Sept. 5 that its Technical Solutions division is one of 16 companies awarded a contract by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to provide a wide range of analytic and operational support services. The multi-award contract has a base period of five years and a potential value of $17B. In addition to the DIA, HII currently supports the intelligence requirements of the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO), U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Air Forces-Europe, U.S. European Command, U.S. Central Command and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. HII provides contractor-owned, contractor-operated manned and unmanned airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to the Pentagon. The contract was directly awarded to Fulcrum IT Services, a company acquired by HII in February. Technical Solutions has nearly 6,000 employees in 45 states and 16 countries, providing professional services and business solutions to a variety of government and commercial customers worldwide. One of TS' sites is located in Panama City, Fla. (HII 09/05/19) https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/huntington-ingalls-industries-awarded-intelligence-analysis-contract-by-the-defense-intelligence-agency

Pascagoula gets 5% of AWS work

Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems of Moorestown, N.J., is awarded a $50,307,909 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-5151 to exercise options for ship integration and test of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) for AWS Baselines through Advanced Capability Build 16. The contract provides for Aegis shipboard integration engineering, Aegis test team support, Aegis modernization team engineering support, Ballistic Missile Defense test team support, Aegis ashore support and AWS element assessments. This contract will cover the AWS ship integration and test efforts for nine new construction DDG 51 class ships and the major modernization of seven DDG 51 class ships. It will additionally cover the integrated combat system modifications and upgrades for all current ships with all AWS Baselines up to and including ACB 16. Work will be performed in Moorestown (49%); Deveselu, Romania (12%); Norfolk, Va. (8%); San Diego (8%); Washington, D.C. (7%); Pascagoula, Miss. (5%); Mayport, Fla. (4%); Bath, Maine (3%); and various places each below one percent (4% cumulative), and is expected to be complete by September 2024. Fiscal 2014 Navy shipbuilding and conversion; FY 19 Navy operation and maintenance; and FY 19 other Navy procurement funds in the amount of $4,774,574 will be obligated at time of award and $1,452,864 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command of Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 09/03/19)

Marines award NSWCPC rep

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - James Goodwin, operations and equipment specialist at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWCPC), Fla., was presented the Marine Corps Excellence in Acquisition Support Award on Aug. 20. Goodwin received the award for his support to Marine Corps Systems Command as the field service representative on the MK154 Mod 1 system that allows an amphibious breach lane that provides maneuverability for assault forces as they push forward to provide fire and maneuver on enemy defended breaches. “I was fortunate to be part of a hard-working team that was passionate to produce a platform that allowed our war-fighters to remain safe at the tip of the spear. It was especially rewarding being able to train the Marines again and support them as they continue to train and operate with the MK154 Mod 1.” Goodwin’s team provided support to the Fleet Marine Forces of 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Blount Island Command, and Marine Corps Logistic Base Albany, Ga. Goodwin credits this latest success to his team in support of delivering solutions to ensure war-fighting dominance. (Source: NSWCPC 09/03/19) The MK154 Launcher, Mine Clearance (LMC) is part of the Mark 1 Mod Mine Clearance System which also includes three M59 Linear Demolition Charges (LDCs), three MK22 Mod 3/4 Rockets and an AAVP7A1. The MK154 LMC, mounted in an AAVP7A1, can deploy three linear demolition chargers from the water or land.