Relief Ships News

Since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 19, TOTE Maritime’s vessels have brought cargo to the island nine times delivering more than 7,200 containers of food, water, oxygen, generators and other essential relief and recovery items, along with the island’s regular day to day commercial needs. Through its efforts, TOTE Maritime has supported a 20 percent increase in cargo movement to the island. TOTE Maritime said it is working closely with customers to ensure the most critical items are receiving priority status…

After 5 May 2016, companies responsible for shipping commercial goods or services to Saleef, Mokha and Hodeidah ports in Yemen must obtain port clearance via the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM). Yemen’s Ministry of Transport has announced that, after 5 May 2015, shipping companies or owners shipping commercial goods or services to ports not under the direct control of the Government of Yemen (the ports of Saleef, Mokha and Hodeidah and associated oil terminals) must notify and apply for an entry permit via UNVIM. The permit application must be submitted upon departure from the port of origin of their cargo and at least five days prior to arrival at their port of destination in Yemen. See notice from the Yemen Ministry of Transport published 2 May 2016 for details.

The three amphibious ships supporting Hurricane Sandy relief efforts off the coast of New York & New Jersey return to their homeports in Virginia. Operations in support of relief have shifted into the recovery phase and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are fully operational and providing sustained assistance as requested by state and local authorities. Navy and Marine Corps forces aboard the ships systematically transitioned the services…

1932-The Steamboat Inspection Service and Bureau of Navigation were combined to form the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection (47 Stat. L., 415). The new agency remained under the control of the Commerce Department. 1933-The airways division, which had been conducted as a division of the Lighthouse Service, but under the administrative supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Aeronautics, Department of Commerce, was separated from the Lighthouse Service. (USLHS AR 1933, p. 97). 1939-"At the end of the year, the total number of lighthouse tenders was 65, of which 64 were in commission and ‘.1 was out of commission and advertised for sale. Of the vessels in commission, 42 were steam-propelled, 18 had diesel engines, and 4 had diesel-electric drive.

1932-The Steamboat Inspection Service and Bureau of Navigation were combined to form the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection (47 Stat. L., 415). The new agency remained under the control of the Commerce Department. 1933-The airways division, which had been conducted as a division of the Lighthouse Service, but under the administrative supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Aeronautics, Department of Commerce, was separated from the Lighthouse Service. (USLHS AR 1933, p. 97). 1939-"At the end of the year, the total number of lighthouse tenders was 65, of which 64 were in commission and ‘.1 was out of commission and advertised for sale. Of the vessels in commission, 42 were steam-propelled, 18 had diesel engines, and 4 had diesel-electric drive.

Mercy Ships is a nonprofit organization operating medical relief ships that travel to the poorest countries of the world to perform medical services and community development programs. In order to serve such communities, the ships have three basic requirements: a place to dock, fresh water and telephone access. In these poor countries, it is very common to have a wired public phone system that is very old, overloaded, and not readily available at the dockside. However, GSM cellular service is generally available in the port area, so finding a way to use that cellular service has been a must for Mercy Ships. In their quest to access the GSM cellular service…

According to reports, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) is seeking to designate one or more vessels as relief ships for rescue operations during disasters. Speaking on the sidelines of the API Tanker Conference 2006, Varshney said that MarAd and the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) should collaborate to make this idea materialize. This was suggested in the aftermath of the hurricane season in the U.S. Gulf Coast last year, which raised several questions about contingency plans for disasters and logistics problems. Source: Reuters

The Mississippi state legislature has honored Mississippi Gulf Coast-based Navy commands for their service to their communities in the Hurricane Katrina evacuation and relief effort. State Sen. Scottie Cuevas of Pass Christian, Miss., presented the concurrent resolution April 25 to Rear Adm. Timothy McGee, commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. McGee’s command is based at Stennis Space Center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The resolution was enacted in the recently adjourned legislative session. “It was very difficult work that nobody [hopes to have] to do,” McGee said of the recovery work that the members of his command did immediately after the storm. Also honored were Cmdr.