BASALT ROCK

U.S. DOT Recycles Two More JRRF Ships

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has awarded contracts to recycle two more of the obsolete government-owned ships, which are currently moored in the James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF) in Virginia.  The two ships being recycled are the Escape and the Cape Cod.   These two vessels will be the 83rd and 84th ships to leave the JRRF since 2001. The Escape (ARS-6) was built as a Navy rescue ship in 1942 by Basalt Rock Co. in Napa, Calif.  The vessel supported the nation's "Mercury" manned spaceflight program in the early 1960s.  The Escape will be recycled at Bay Bridge Enterprises, LLC, of Chesapeake, Va., at a cost to the federal government of $115,200.  The Cape Cod (AK-5041) was built as a break-bulk cargo ship in 1962 by Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Md.  The Cape Cod will be recycled by All Star Metals, LLC, of Brownsville, Texas, for $328,122. The Maritime Administration stores ships at three National Defense Reserve Fleet sites: the James River Reserve Fleet, the Beaumont Reserve Fleet, and the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California.   When ships become obsolete, the Maritime Administration arranges for their disposition in an environmentally sensitive manner.  When a ship is recycled, the recycler often salvages and sells metal and other materials, and disposes of other materials in accordance with state and federal law

More Ships Depart Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

Two obsolete vessels, the Reclaimer and Sagamore, are scheduled to be towed from the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet on Monday, May 16, 2011.    The departures mark the 20th and 21st ships to leave the National Defense Reserve Fleet since October 2009, when the Obama Administration announced its commitment to clean up the site and improve the surrounding environment.  As a result, the U.S. Maritime Administration is more than four months ahead of schedule in removing obsolete U.S

Ross Labs Delivers Survey Boat

In mid-May Ross Laboratories, Inc., Seattle, Wash., delivered the first of two survey boats to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Rock Island District. The Ross "Mini-Sweep" is a small boat multi-channel survey system, designed for inland rivers and shallow water surveying. The vessel was named MV Holling by the Rock Island District, named after a long time marine surveyor who worked for the RI District who recently passed away

Bridge and Ship Collide in the Black Rock Canal

The Coast Guard responded to the collision between the small passenger vessel MISS BUFFALO II and the International Railroad Swing Bridge located on the Black Rock Canal, four miles north of downtown Buffalo on June 5. Following a tour of the Buffalo water front area, the passenger vessel was returning to its dock with 175 persons onboard including 120 school children from Maple West Elementary School in Williamsville, N.Y., parents, teachers and the vessels crew.

Rapp Hydema Seattle Expands Yard

Rapp Hydema U.S. has begun a major expansion of its industrial yard in Seattle, increasing its yard size by some 2700 sq. ft. Owing to a substantial equipment inventory, Rapp has leased space in recent years at a nearby Commodore Way yard from the Port of Seattle; the new yard expansion will, however, allow all that inventory to be more conveniently placed--on Rapp's own property. In order to utilize this back part of Rapp's original site

Petrobras Sends 20 Ships To Monitor Oil Spill

Petrobras moved about 200 men and 20 ships to monitor oil spilled offshore after the world's biggest rig was rocked by blasts and sank earlier this month. On March 15, three blasts ripped through Petrobras' 40-storey platform, the world's biggest oil rig, killing 11 and spilling about 11,000 gallons of diesel oil. Petrobras has mobilized 11,000 m of retaining barriers, 21 oil collecting units, 18 suction pumps and 40

NCL Christens Norwegian Pearl

At a ceremony at the Port of Miami, talk show host Rosie O'Donnell served as Godmother and christened Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) newest ship, Norwegian Pearl. The new 93,530-ton Freestyle Cruising vessel boasts an industry first -- a four-lane ten-pin bowling alley; and two NCL firsts -- a rock-climbing wall and two top-of-the-ship Deluxe Owner's Suites. The christening ceremony took place alongside the striking

Greece Fines Company for Sunken Ship Pollution

The owners, operator and captain of a cruise ship that hit the rocks off the island Santorini and sank were fined a total of $1.57m Monday for polluting the Aegean Sea, the AP reported. The Sea Diamond leaked an estimated 300 tons of fuel into the sea since sinking off the island two months ago. Nearly 1,600 people, most of them Americans, including two dozen students from North Carolina, were evacuated from the Cypriot-owned ship on April 5

Chief Officer Was Drunk When Ship Ran Aground

The Polish chief officer of a cargo vessel that ran aground off the coast of Scotland reportedly admitted that he was drunk at the time. Jerzy Pawluk pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of the Bahamian-registered freighter Roustel and endangering the lives of his crew. Magistrates referred the matter to Newcastle Crown Court, saying that only a prison sentence would be appropriate. The offense - conduct endangering ships

Petrobras CEO Defends Company's Honor

The top executive of Brazilian state oil giant Petrobras on Tuesday defended his company's acceptance of an industry achievement award despite suffering the loss of the world's largest deepwater oil rig in March. Petrobras president and CEO Philippe Reichstul dedicated the 2001 Offshore Technology Conference Distinguished Award for Companies and Organizations to the 11 workers who died when two explosions rocked the P-36 rig on March 15.