ICE FLOE

Nichols Brothers Resumes Work

Nichols Brothers Boat Builders returned to work after the company laid off 185 employees Nov. 2. Shortly thereafter, the company filed for bankruptcy protection, a move necessitated by a big lawsuit filed by a disgruntled customer. While the bankruptcy issues are far from settled, Nichols Brothers was allowed to negotiate with individual boat owners to see that their projects, shut down on Nov. 2, could be completed. Those boat owners are now paying the workers’ salaries, as Nichols Brothers as a company is broke and is up for sale. The rehiring process will continue as more existing contracts are placed online though negotiations with individual companies. The 54 workers brought back Monday are working on two tugboats and one catamaran already started, and another catamaran that’s ready to start. Nichols said a repair job is likely to arrive this week, and more jobs are expected in the next few weeks. “ Representatives from the prospective boat yard purchaser, Ice Floe, based in Alaska, are scurrying around the facility on Holmes Harbor this week. Ice Floe is owned by the Usibelli coal mining family, which has worked with Nichols Brothers for years. While they’re the likely purchasers and already put up some money to keep the boatyard afloat, Nichols said offers are also being solicited from other prospective buyers.

Tanker Grounding Update

On behalf of the Unified Command, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) issued a Situation Report stating that the tanker Seabulk Pride grounded in Cook Inlet near Nikiski. No pollution was reported initially. The tanker was apparently pushed aground by an ice floe. A Second Situation Report states that several tugs and a response barge are being mobilized. A small amount of oil was spilled when the tanker was pushed away from its mooring by the ice

This Day in Coast Guard History – Jan. 25

1799- Having existed essentially nameless for 8-1/2 years, Alexander Hamilton's "system of cutters" was referred to in legislation as "Revenue Cutters."  Some decades later, the name evolved to Revenue Cutter Service and Revenue Marine. 1940- The ocean station program was formally established on 25 January 1940 under orders from President Franklin Roosevelt.  The Coast Guard, in cooperation with the U. S

This Day in U.S. Coast Guard History – January 25

1799- Having existed essentially nameless for 8-1/2 years, Alexander Hamilton's "system of cutters" was referred to in legislation as "Revenue Cutters."  Some decades later, the name evolved to Revenue Cutter Service and Revenue Marine. 1940- The ocean station program was formally established on 25 January 1940 under orders from President Franklin Roosevelt.  The Coast Guard, in cooperation with the U. S

Submarine Force Participates in Ice Exercise 2007

Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) is submerged after surfacing through two feet of ice during ICEX-07, a U.S. Navy and Royal Navy exercise conducted on and under a drifting ice floe about 180 nautical miles off the north coast of Alaska. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shawn P. EklundCommander, Submarine Force has announced the participation of USS Alexandria (SSN 757), home ported in Groton, Conn., in a joint U.S

Christening of Gemini, Eco-Friendly Ferry

On Dec. 12, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) christened the first of its fleet of ferries, Gemini, to enhance the region’s emergency response capability and water transit network. Representative Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson performed the christening ceremony. Ms. Haught Johnson applauded the Bay Area for coming together to forge strong partnerships to enable WETA to build a fleet of ferries that are

USS Charlotte Achieves Milestone During Under-Ice Transit

By Lt. j.g. Dave Ozeck, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs The improved-Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Charlotte (SSN 766) arrived in Norfolk, Va., Nov. 29, following an historic transit that began in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and took the boat under the arctic ice cap. During the transit, Charlotte surfaced at the North Pole, ascending through 61 inches of ice - a record for a Los Angeles-class submarine.

Mississippi Traffic Picks Up

Traffic on the mid-Mississippi River was picking up this week from Davenport, Iowa, southward as ice melt improved navigation and locks were open to pass barges, river officials said Tuesday. “There are vessels in pool 14 near Le Claire, Iowa, through to St. Louis,” said Ron Fournier, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman for the Rock Island District. About a half-dozen tows were traveling from Le Claire, Iowa, at lock and dam 14 just north of Davenport, to Muscatine, Iowa

Arctic Ocean Free of Ice in Summer Perhaps in a Few Years

Sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing at a far greater rate than previously expected according to latest dedicated satellite data. Preliminary results from the European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 probe indicate that 900 cubic kilometres of summer sea ice has disappeared from the Arctic ocean over the past year. This rate of loss is 50% higher than most scenarios outlined by polar scientists and suggests that global warming

Arctic Sea Ice at Record Low Level

National Snow & Ice Data Center reports Arctic sea ice tracking at record low levels After a period of rapid ice loss through the first half of June, sea ice extent is now slightly below 2010 levels, the previous record low at this time of year. Sea level pressure patterns have been favorable for the retreat of sea ice for much of the past month. Overview of conditions On June 18, the five-day average sea ice extent was 10.62 million square kilometers (4.10 million square miles)