Tag: USCG

Coast Guard has adopted an aggressive posture in order to mitigate illegal passenger charter activities, due to recent back-to-back law enforcement cases that took place in Florida. As smartphone applications make it easier for passengers to locate and hire charter vessels, USCG is making greater efforts in detecting illegal chartering activities and seeks maximum enforcement actions against the vessel owners and operators.

The towing vessel 'Michelle Anne' sank at Baton Rouge General Anchorage, Mississippi River, while pushing an empty dry cargo barge, on Thursday morning. The video shows the vessel catching crossways on an anchored ship shortly after.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) issued an alert informing that deficiencies related to firefighting safety and appliances continue to be the leading cause of detentions in the San Francisco area. During the fourth quarter of 2018, there was also an increase in deficiencies that related to missing or unserviceable fireman’s outfits.

The US Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) informed it is experiencing delays in the time necessary to issue a Certificate of Documentation. To assist mariners, the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance issued guidance on Certificate of Documentation.

The crew of US’s only heavy icebreaker, Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, returned to Seattle on Monday, March 11, after supporting Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica, the US military operation to resupply the US Antarctic Program. The crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star experienced flooding, an electrical outage, electrical switchboard issues and an incinerator fire, before accomplishing their mission.

On March 8, the crew of the US Navy destroyer USS James E. Williams helped rescue 26 people from a vessel in distress 48 miles southeast of Long Key attempting to illegally enter the United States. The US Coast Guard received a notification from a good Samaritan boat reporting for a 30-foot disabled wooden sail vessel with passengers waiving for help.

USCG is aware of the challenges owners and operators face in opting and installing a BWMS in order to keep up with the USCG regulations. Therefore, after considering the interpretation of the 'next scheduled drydocking' with regard to 33 CFR 151 Subparts C and D, the Coast Guard provides extra guidance on what constitutes entry into drydock and the end of an extension period.

Good Samaritan vessels and a U.S. Coast Guard boat crew rescued 15 passengers from a catamaran after it struck a rock off Lanai and began to take on water. There were no injuries or pollution reported. Sector Honolulu got a call in distress from a passenger catamaran Kaulana. The vessel reported to have been struck a rock off Manele Bay while under way from Lanai to Maui. 

An oil sheen was reported after the towing vessel 'St. Rita' sank on the Mississippi River near Laplace, Louisiana, Thursday. The US Coast Guard and good Samaritans responded to the sinking. The St. Rita is estimated to have approximately 13,000 gallons of diesel onboard.

The US Coast Guard and local agencies rescued 46 ice fishermen from an ice floe that broke free near Catawba Island, in western Lake Erie, Saturday. An additional estimated 100 people were able to self-rescue themselves from the ice floe either by swimming or walking on ice-bridges.