Responders have managed to locate and address the cause of flooding on the 145-foot passenger-ferry Sili in Pago Pago, on February 17. Namely, the dive team notice a two-inch diameter hole on the port side of the engine room and applied a temporary patch. The ship will remain out of service until it is dry docked and permanent repairs effected.
The US Coast Guard is calling ice fishermen and the public to be very careful and be prepared while on Lake Champlain. Ice can be very dangerous, making people or heavy objects susceptible to falling through. In case this happens, every minute will count. For this reason, preparation may be crucial and be the difference between life and death.
The US Coast Guard responded to a report of four people in the water after two vessels collided near Baptiste Collette Bayou, Louisiana, on January 16. The boat is now half sunken in Baptiste Collete Bayou outside the channel waiting for salvage. Namely, a 40-foot commercial deck boat with eight people aboard collided with a 24-foot bay boat with four people aboard.
The US Congress passed a spending package last week under which the US Coast Guard will receive a US$675 million funding for new icebreakers. The USCG is namely receiving $655 million to start construction on the lead ship for a new class of Polar Security Cutters.
Oregon firefighters were battling flames on board the vessel St. Clair at the Port of Toledo, on February 16. The ship was moored in the Port for winter season repairs. No one was aboard, and there was no cargo on the vessel at the time of the fire. In addition, a helicopter crew and a pollution responder, aboard a helicopter carried out an aerial observation of the area on February 17 and found no pollution in the Maumee River.
USCG wrapped up a safety inspection at the Cameron Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, enabling it to move on to loading its first LNG cargo for global export. Cameron LNG also submitted its Marine Operations Manual and Emergency Manual to the Coast Guard for examination.
The Senate passed, on February 14, a compromise package to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year. President Donald Trump signed it, which resulted to ending what would be a second government shutdown. Amongst other results, the announcement means that the USCG members will most likely continue receiving pay, along with federal employees.
The research vessel ‘Hugin Explorer’ found a 57-year-old mariner in distress, approximately 230 miles offshore of Galveston, Texas, Wednesday. USCG Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report from the crew of the ‘Hugin Explorer’ stating the sailing vessel ‘Pomodoro’ was taking on water and in need of assistance.
12th February marks 36 years after a major marine casualty in US waters, which changed USCG marine safety procedures. On the aftermath of the tragedy, which claimed lives of 31 crewmen, the US Coast Guard tightened its inspections of 20-year or older ships and initiated the rescue swimmer program, among others.
The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its 23rd application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the HK-S(E) Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Japanese Miura Co., Ltd. Last week, USCG awarded the 16th type approval certificate to Envirocleanse LLC.
