President Biden highlighted parts of his energy-efficient infrastructure plan in his joint address to Congress on April 28. Much of his agenda focused on creating jobs while addressing the issue of climate change. “For too long, we’ve failed to use the most important word when it comes to meeting the climate crisis: jobs,” Biden said… Read More
NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — On Tuesday, two North Carolina lawmakers introduced legislation with hopes to gain needed federal financial assistance to protect the shoreline on North Topsail Beach. Congressmen Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) and David Rouzer (NC-07) are pushing to revise the boundaries of Unit L06 of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier… Read More
EMERALD ISLE — Florida-based contractor EarthBalance made great progress in the first week of hand-planting vegetation on new dunes created in the recent Emerald Isle beach nourishment project. Greg Rudolph, manager of the Carteret County Shore Protection Office, said in an email Friday the company’s crews had completed the labor-intensive work in far western Emerald… Read More
EMERALD ISLE — The Carteret County Beach Commission, during its meeting Monday, explored the idea of bringing in a second person to work in the County Shore Protection Office. The concept is to at some point hire a water resources and resilience manager under Shore Protection Office Manager Greg Rudolph. In concept, that person could… Read More
Last week’s federal approval of Vineyard Wind’s first-in-the-nation project was hailed as the start of the offshore wind era — and the project that moves up in the state’s queue is introducing itself to more residents as it prepares for its own turn under the microscope. Mayflower Wind, the Shell and Ocean Winds North America… Read More
By Basil M. Karatzas, Founder, Karatzas Marine Advisors & Company Basil Karatzas Until recently, the offshore drilling market had the distinction of employing the most expensive assets in the maritime industry. A decade ago, eighth generation drillships cost almost a billion dollars each to build. The winds of change, however, have been taking—metaphorically—the wind off… Read More
Projects paid for with $256.6 million in BP oil disaster money Three major restoration projects to build more than 2,900 acres of marsh, coastal ridges and barrier island beaches and dunes have started construction in southeast Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Wednesday. They are designed to: Restore key features of West Grand Terre Island… Read More
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Work has begun on a $365 million project to improve the ship channel for Alabama’s seaport, work which officials said would keep the docks competitive in the global economy. The two-phase project includes both deepening and widening the channel, which large ships use to enter and exit the state docks at… Read More
The US Army Corps has politely asked a state environmental agency to stand down—for now—on its questions about the quality of sand that would be scooped from Scusset Beach and deposited on Town Neck Beach. Michael S. Riccio, the Army Corps’ project manager for the New England District, said in a recent email to Town… Read More
So far, 99 maritime companies, organisations and flag states, including BIMCO, have signed the Gulf of Guinea Declaration on Suppression of Piracy, according to BIMCO’s release. In 2020, 135 crew were kidnapped from their ships globally, with the Gulf of Guinea accounting for over 95% of the crew numbers kidnapped. This has happened in international… Read More
The Dare County Board of Commissioners is set to hold a public hearing on establishing county service districts to help pay for a proposed more than $12 million beach nourishment project in Avon. The hearing on the proposed county service districts for beach erosion control and flood and hurricane protection works is at 9 a.m…. Read More
A project to protect James City County’s Chickahominy Riverfront Park from further erosion and to preserve recreational spaces is almost complete, according to parks and recreation staff. Park Administrator Alister Perkinson said a contractor is putting the finishing touches on the Chickahominy Riverfront Park Shoreline Restoration project. “The project is mostly finished, with a few… Read More
After closing for all of 2020, Lloyd Beach now has a new breakwater system, board walk and boat storage structure. WINNETKA, IL — After a year of closure Lloyd Beach and boat is set to reopen to the public later this month with a new breakwater system, a new boardwalk, restored bluffs and a replenished… Read More
NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH – Several property owners here at a public hearing Saturday morning spoke out against a proposal that would divvy a portion of the town into districts for special assessments to help pay for a multi-million-dollar, 50-year joint beach project on Topsail Island. A majority of the nearly 20 property owners who spoke… Read More
The first seaweed farm in US tropical waters has been installed in Puerto Rico, in a bid to support large-scale production of algal biomass for biofuels and other valuable bioproducts. The pilot farm was established by Loretta Roberson of the University of Chicago’s Marine Biological Laboratory. Additional farms are being tested in Florida and Belize… Read More