NOAA
was aware there were “conversations started in March” over costs between Hornblower and Horizon, and there had been assurances Hornblower could subsidize labor costs. In an email to WorkBoat, Horizon president Travis Short said his company delivered on “the extremely aggressive delivery schedule,” but that racked up costs. “Halfway through the project (February of this year), we realized we would be experiencing many more labor hours than originally budgeted,” Short wrote. Discussions on price adjustments started immediately with Hornblower and city officials, and continued up until a 10th boat was delivered in September. Short said the price adjustments never came to fruition and Horizon was forced to suspend normal operations shortly after delivery of the 10th boat. Beaver said he was getting paid “right up until I started on (vessel) 206.” Hornblower then began asking him to sign lien releases, and “the payments didn’t stop until those liens were signed,” he said. Beaver protested vigorously, but the city and Hornblower aren’t going to do anything, he said. In a statement, Hornblower officials said their company has “no legal relationship whatsoever with Kamcor, with
Fuel oil from the B. No. 120 barge was offloaded after a 2003 spill in Buzzards Bay.
respect to this project.” “Our contractual relationship was with Horizon, and we have fulfilled all of our obligations under that contract. As for Horizon’s current situation, we wish them well and would be willing to work with them in the future, should their situation change.” NYCEDC officials have stayed out of the fray, saying only that it is Hornblower’s responsibility to the city to deliver the ferries. An August contract for four 97', 350-passenger Subchapter K catamarans was awarded by NYC Ferry to Metal Shark, where they are under construction. — Kirk Moore
www.workboat.com • DECEMBER 2017 • WorkBoat
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Bouchard pays another $13 million for 2003 Buzzards Bay oil spill
M
ore than 14 years after one of its barges grounded and spilled 98,000 gals. of fuel oil into Buzzards Bay, Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. agreed in October to pay an additional $13 million in damages to the federal government and state agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In volume, the 2003 spill is far down the list of U.S. accidents. But its
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11/3/17 11:05 AM