Tag: USCG

Preparations for a worst-case-scenario close to US coasts The U.S. Coast Guard continues to work closely with federal, state and local agencies as well as maritime industry officials to update contingency plans to ensure readiness to respond to any potential oil spills in international waters that could potentially impact U.S. waters and coastline.At the local-level, Coast Guard Sectors Jacksonville, Miami, Key West and St. Petersburg are updating their respective Area Contingency Plan, which will have specific response guidance pertaining to, the near and on-shore response efforts to be conducted along all of the State of Florida coastline that is within the 7th Coast Guard District's area of responsibility.On a broader scale, the Coast Guard is overseeing work on an Offshore Drill Response Plan and Regional Contingency Plan that focuses on response operations; strategies and tactics that will be employed out at sea to combat a spill and other response operations."Our primary focus for the past several months has been updating our contingency plans, ensuring they are ready to be activated in the event an incident was to occur that posed a substantial risk to our marine environment, and ensuring that lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are incorporated ...

For a national standard for ballast water discharges by oceangoing vessels in the Great Lakes The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to pass legislation that would establish a national standard for ballast water discharges by oceangoing vessels in the Great Lakes and block states from setting their own tougher standards. The measure is a critical part of the U.S. Coast Guard's budget authorization bill.Lawmakers are expected to approve language that would direct the Environmental Protection Agency and the Coast Guard to adopt the International Maritime Organization standard for ballast water discharges nationwide.All 15 of Michigan's House members oppose the ballast water provisions, and support language that would give states the authority to set their own stricter ballast water laws to keep invaders from the lakes. If passed by the House, the Coast Guard authorization bill still must win the approval of the U.S. Senate, along with President Obama's signature, before it becomes law.There are more than 180 non-native aquatic species in the Great Lakes, fouling beaches, destroying commercial and recreational fishing, and causing the mass death of birds and dead zones in the lakes where fish and wildlife cannot survive. Economists estimate that aquatic invasive species cost the region ...

To locate derelict vessels that pose a possible pollution risk The Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach has launched Operation Neptune's Rise, to locate derelict vessels that pose a possible pollution risk. The mission will run from Nov. 7th through the 30th and will cover almost every port, harbor, marina, anchorage and yacht club between Morro Bay, Calif., and Dana Point, Calif."We must identify boats that pose a risk to our pristine California waters and shorelines," said Coast Guard Capt. Roger Laferriere, the commanding officer of Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.A derelict vessel is defined as a vessel in which its structural integrity or its owners/operatorsnegligence towards the vessel's maintenance poses a potential pollution threat to the environment.Coast Guard pollution investigators will identify, document, and make recommendations for future actions involving derelict vessels.The Coast Guard will ensure that vessel owners and marina managers are made aware of vessels deemed to pose an environmental threat so actions can be made to avoid any pollution releases.Source: USCG

There were no reported injuries Marine salvage contractors have have suspended operations for the removal of damaged containers aboard the motor vessel Elka Apollon, a 799-foot chemical tanker, Thursday.Removal of damaged containers aboard the motor vessel Nederland, a 782-foot container ship,were completed Wednesday and salvage experts had planned on removing the remaining containers aboard the Elka Apollon Thursday, but due to high winds operations were put on standby."The Coast Guards number one priority is the safety of the responders during a response," said Capt. Hal Pitts, deputy commander of Sector Houston-Galveston. "We take multiple factors into account when we perform operations, including weather conditions."Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a report at approximately 9:47 a.m., Saturday, that the Nederland and Elka Apollon collided near the Bayport Ship Channel andHouston Ship Channel intersection.Three containers fell from the Nederland onto the deck of the Elka Apollon. One of the containers, containing tractor equipment, leaked a small amount of hydraulic fluid onto the deck.The ship channels are still open to traffic.There were no reported injuries and the Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.Source: USCG

A new tool provided by NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) posted the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA) Gulf Response.This is an online mapping tool that provides up-to-date information about the spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico.It was developed by NOAA and the University of New Hampshire, with assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Coast Guard, and the Department of the Interior.Source: NOAA

EMSA plays an important role in the monitoring of maritime traffic through the SafeSeaNet System On 18 October the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) took over the Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) International Data Exchange (LRIT-DE) from the US Coast Guard, which had hosted the Exchange temporarily since 2009.The LRIT-DE ensures the flow of information between various LRIT datacentres around the globe. EMSA was appointed by the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee during its 87th session, and the transfer process has now been successfully completed.In addition to its role of operator, EMSA also hosts the EU's LRIT Co-operative Data Centre, which collects position reports from the fleet of the EU Member States, as well as those from several overseas territories, Norway and Iceland and some third-world countries.EMSA plays an important role in the monitoring of maritime traffic through the SafeSeaNet System. SafeSeaNet uses AIS (Automatic Identification System) and LRIT position data to generate an accurate overview of traffic passing along the European Coast, providing and receive information on ships, ship movements, and hazardous cargoes.Source: INTERTANKO

Sentenced for misconduct of a ship operator causing death at 2 crewmembers Matthew R. Devlin, 35, of Catskill, New York, was sentenced Tuesday to one year and one day in prison for misconduct of a ship operator causing death, in relation to the "Duck boat" accident on the Delaware River here July 7, 2010.In the accident, the barge, The Resource, which was towed by the towing vessel Caribbean Sea, piloted by defendant Devlin, ran over a boat operated by the tourism company Ride the Ducks International LLC. As a result, two passengers on the duck boat who were visiting from Hungary, Szabolcs Prem, 20, and Dora Schwendtner, 16, were killed.The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Legrome D. Davis. Devlin is to report to prison on Jan. 5, 2012. Devlin also surrendered his Coast Guard-issued license as a mate.Devlin pleaded guilty to the charge on Aug. 1, 2011, admitting that for an extended period of time prior to the collision, he was distracted by his use of a cell phone and a laptop computer to attend to personal matters. He elected to pilot the Caribbean Sea from its lower wheelhouse, where he had significantly reduced visibility in ...

No injuries have been reported The US Coast Guard reports that it is responding to a collision between a container ship and chemical tanker at the point where the Houston ship channel and the Bayport Ship Channel meet.At 9:47 a.m. Coast Guard sector Houston-Galveston received a report that the 782-foot container ship, MSC NEDERLAND, had collided with the 799-foot chemical tanker, ELKA APOLLON.Three containers from the NEDERLAND have fallen onto the deck of the ELKA APOLLON. Some hydraulic fluid from one of the containers containing tractor equipment is leaking onto the deck of the tanker.No injuries have been reported and the shipping channels remain open. The vessels owners/operators are working on a salvage plan to return the vessels to operation.The ELKA APOLLON is a Greek flagged chemical/oil products tanker owned by Lydia Investments and operated by European Product Carriers. The NEDERLAND is a Panama flagged container ship owned by Messina Shipping Ltd. And operated by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co.The Coast Guard will be investigating the incident to determine the cause of the collision.Source: USCG

ECDIS MITAGS-179 course The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) has received approval of updates to its Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) (MITAGS-179) course that is part of the Advanced Navigation course. This approval now aligns the course with the latest revisions of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) code as amended in 2010."Any applicant who has successfully completes the ECDIS course at MITAGS will now be considered to have successfully demonstrated the competencies of the amended STCW code of 2010," said Eric Friend, Director of Training for MITAGS. "Our Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI) will be seeking approval for their course as well. MITAGS-PMI has strived to maintain its leadership in maritime training and will continue to remain vigilant about any and all changes to U.S. Coast Guard and International Maritime Organization requirements regarding training under the STCW Convention."The U.S. Coast Guard endorsed the ECDIS approval by stating the following on the approval letter received by MITAGS. "The Plan and Conduct a Passage and Determine Position: Thorough Knowledge of and Ability to Use ECDIS of Table A-II/1 of the STCW Code as amended including the amendments: And Determine Position and the Accuracy of the ...

No injuries were reported SEATTLE - Debris from the 50-foot fishing vessel New York has washed ashore on the beach north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Oct. 23, 2011. Coast Guard pollution investigators have responded to the incident. No injuries were reported. U.S. Coast Guard photo.SEATTLE - The Coast Guard is responding to a pollution incident on the beach just north of the Coos Bay entrance near North Bend, Ore., Sunday.The 50-foot fishing vessel New York ran aground on the beach shortly after reporting that the vessel was taking on water at approximately 5:30 a.m.Coast Guard Station Coos Bay in Charleston, Ore., launched a 47-foot motor life boat and Group Air Station North Bend in North Bend, Ore., launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to respond. The helicopter crew attempted to hoist the three fishermen on board but was unable to because of the vessel's instability due to the surf. The fisherman eventually swam ashore on their own.The helicopter crew landed on the beach, picked up the fisherman and transferred them to awaiting EMS at Group Air Station North Bend.The vessel's captain later reported that approximately 300 gallons of diesel, 15 gallons of hydraulic oil and 1/2 ...