US Inland Waterways: High Waters & Swirling Currents
The inland waterway system, flowing through the United States heartland, is a microcosm of all that has been happening in 2020: trade tensions, infrastructure issues, shifting trends in fuel consumption and the pandemic that has gripped us since the winter months. Shortly after the initial coronavirus outbreak here in the U.S., maritime workers were deemed to be āessentialā, paving the way for cargo flows to recover from their springtime nadir. As COVID-19 infections turned up on U.S. shores, the boats continued plying the waterways, albeit with reduced volumes in some cases.
Coalition Urges Congress to Address Asian Carp in the Great Lakes
A coalition of maritime business and industry organizations sent a letter to key Members of Congress on Friday, March 24 urging funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to further support efforts undertaken by the State of Illinois to slow, stop and reverse the migration of Asian carp, an aquatic invasive species, through cost-effective measures. In the letter, the UnLock Our Jobs (UOJ) coalition members review the record of success that the GLRI has had in working with the State of Illinois to develop a range of strategies to control Asian carpā¦
Eleventh Amendment and removal of admiralty case
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that the Eleventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not prevent removal of an admiralty case to federal court where the state involved is the plaintiff. In the instant case, the State of Oklahoma brought suit in state court against the owner of the tugboat that allided with a highway bridge, resulting in severe damage to the bridge and the deaths of various persons. Defendant tugboat owner removed the case to federal court. The stateās motion to remand back to state court was denied and the state appealed. The appellate court held that the Eleventh Amendment only applies in cases where the state is the defendant, so as to avoid states being involuntarily involved in federal court proceedings.
Eleventh Amendment and Limitation of Liability
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that the Eleventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does not prevent a ship owner from pursuing a limitation of liability claim where one of the claimants is a state. In the instant case, the State of Oklahoma brought suit in state court against the owner of a tugboat that allided with a highway bridge, resulting in severe damage to the bridge and the deaths of various persons. Defendant tugboat owner removed the case to federal court. The state contended that, under the Eleventh Amendment, a state cannot be prohibited from pursuing its claim in state court and cannot be forced to pursue its claim in federal court. The federal appellate court held that the Eleventh Amendment is a shield, not a sword.
Boatracs Appoints New Personnel
Boatracs, a business unit of Advanced Remote Communication Solutions, Inc., has appointed new personnel to better service clients, and expand sales coverage in the Pacific Northwest. In newly created positions, Robert Trainor joins the company as Sales Engineer, managing activities for the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and western Canada, and Steven M. Bryan, Sr. as Manager of Projects, Design and Development. Both positions report to Charles J. Drobny Jr., Chief Operating Officer of Boatracs. Trainor is responsible for expanding Boatracs' regional coverage by delivering products and services that improve safety, integrate information, manage data, and facilitate fishermen's ability to obtain the best price for their catch while at sea.
