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www.marinelink.com MN 51 Wisconsin’s Oldest Operating Ferry Gets an Upgrade Wisconsin’s oldest operating ferry service is about to get its newest boat. By July 9, 2011, the Cassville ferry serv- ice will have a new tug and barge to make its Mississippi River crossing. On December 3, 2010, Skipperliner was awarded a $1.7m contract to deliver a new tugboat and ferry barge. Skipperliner will construct a new 78-ft barge that can carry about 12 typical vehicles, as well as a 45-ft tugboat to push it. While the company has built numer- ous commercial and industrial vessels, this is its first ferry to transport vehicles. The new Cassville ferry will replace the existing Charlie D, which carries up to nine cars. Charlie D has been crossing the Mississippi River at Cassville since 1966. Ferry service here dates as far back as 1833. Cassville’s new ferry was designed by Farrell and Norton Naval Architects. The funds for the project came from $1.8m in federal stimulus dollars. Wisconsin was among 19 states that received some of the $60m desig- nated specifically for ferry replacement and refurbishment through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. CG Admiral Calls Foss an Industry Leader Foss Maritime is an industry leader in safety and com- pliance, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral J.R. Castillo said after the company's San Francisco Bay Area-based tug group became the first to complete voluntary examina- tions for all of the vessels in its northern California group. Company officials say the rest of Foss' fleet will soon pass the voluntary exam, which the Coast Guard and federal government consider a bridge to mandatory towing vessel regulations in the future. The Richmond, Calif.-based northern California group was the first in the nation to complete the voluntary towing safety examinations. Captain Igor Loch, Foss Maritime's director of marine assurance, said all of the company's regional operations are participating in the voluntary effort and that 36 tugs nationwide have passed. Completion is pending for two others.
