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Final Report News

07 Jan 2024

MARAD and AAPA Working to Identify US Port Cargo Handling Needs

© Dragoș Asaftei / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) announced they are surveying port authorities and marine terminal operators to identify national port cargo handling needs over the next five to 10 years.In addition, through interviews with ports and U.S. manufacturers, this effort will assess the interest and capability of American and foreign manufacturers to produce cargo handling equipment and other relevant port equipment in the U.S.

26 Nov 2023

Engine Room Fire Investigation Highlights Due Diligence Failings

Source: ATSB

A fire on board a multi-purpose vessel chartered by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) while transiting the Southern Ocean highlights the risks and challenges of operating in harsh, remote conditions.On April 5, 2021, the 145 meter MPV Everest was en route from Antarctica to Hobart with 37 crew and 72 Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) staff on board when a fire broke out in its port engine room.The fire was contained and eventually extinguished using the engine room water mist fixed fire-extinguishing system after about 2.5 hours…

12 Oct 2023

Fatigue, Complacency a Factor in Washington State Ferries Allision -NTSB

The damaged Cathlamet after the contact with the dolphin (left) and the damaged dolphin (right). (Source: NTSB (left), Washington State Ferries (right))

Fatigue and complacency led to a Washington State Ferries passenger and car ferry striking a mooring structure, or dolphin, at a Seattle ferry terminal last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. The contact resulted in $10.3 million in damages to the vessel and $300,000 in damages to the dolphin.The Cathlamet had crossed the Puget Sound with 94 people on board and was approaching the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal on July 28, 2022, when it struck the ferry terminal dolphin.

21 Sep 2023

Excessive Speed Led to Tugboat Grounding -NTSB

Excessive speed during a bow-to-bow harbor-assist maneuver led to the grounding of the tugboat CC Portland in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.It is the second marine casualty the NTSB investigated in 2022 caused by excessive speed in azimuthing stern drive, or ASD, tugboats while in the center lead forward position. The NTSB said it continues to encourage owners and operators of ASD tugboats that perform bow-to-bow harbor-assist operations to set speed limits.“The risk of a casualty during these operations with ASD tugboats increases with increasing speed,” NTSB investigators said in the final report. “Higher speed reduces the amount of reserve propulsion power available to the operator.

15 Jun 2023

Foss Chooses Markey Machine for Winch Upgrades

Markey DEPC-32 Model aboard the Foss tug Hawaii. (Photo courtesy of Dan Riser, Foss Maritime)

Foss Maritime recently elected to refurbish two existing Markey winches aboard the Foss tug Hawaii.Though other options were considered, “these winches have been ideal for bringing the barge up tight against the stern of the tug,” noted Foss’ Danny Riser, Captain. “The brake-holding capacity of the 32s (Markey model DEPC-32) is well-suited for mounting on our 5200 HP Z-drive tugs. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Markey winches, so for us it was an easy decision.”The tandem electric models had served so well historically that only refurbishment made sense.

07 Jun 2023

Interim Report Describes Grounding After Failure of Rudder Angle Indicators

Source: ATSB

An interim report from an ongoing Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation has detailed the sequence of events of a loaded iron ore carrier’s grounding in a channel while departing Port Hedland, Western Australia in 2022.The interim report details factual information but contains no analysis or findings.In the early hours of April 9, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Hagen Oldendorff departed its berth at Port Hedland, with a harbour pilot onboard. About 50 minutes after departure…

29 May 2023

South Africa to Investigate U.S. Allegations of Arms Shipment to Russia

Simonstown harbor view - Credit: Adriaan

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a panel to investigate U.S. allegations that a Russian ship had collected weapons from a naval base near Cape Town last year, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday.The U.S. ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said on May 11 that he was confident that a Russian ship, which docked at a naval base in Simonstown in the Western Cape in December last year, took aboard weapons from South Africa. An allegation South Africa has since denied.

27 Apr 2023

Ladder Accident Attributed to Weak Safety Culture

Source: TAIC

The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released its report on the injury of a crew member during ladder operations on the container ship Moana Chief, citing weak safety culture on the part of the vessel’s operator.The incident occurred in the Port of Auckland on December 10, 2021 when the container ship Moana Chief was preparing to leave port. The crew had started to retrieve its telescopic accommodation ladder for stowing. A crew member’s leg was…

20 Oct 2022

Severe Weather Led to Fatal Seacor Power Capsizing

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

Severe winds during a thunderstorm led to a loss of stability and ultimately the capsizing of the liftboat Seacor Power, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday during a public board meeting. Of the 19 people aboard the vessel, six died and seven are missing, presumed dead. Six people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and other vessels. The Seacor Power, valued at $25 million, was a total loss.On April 13, 2021, the Seacor Power, a liftboat supporting offshore work on oil-producing platforms, capsized off the coast of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

09 Jun 2022

FMC Reveals Plans to Aid Shippers and Improve Supply Chains

© frimufilms / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it is establishing three new initiatives that will provide enhanced assistance to shippers, continue to improve legal and regulatory compliance of regulated entities, and focus on remedies to supply chain problems.At the direction of Chairman Daniel Maffei, the Commission will establish a new and permanent International Ocean Shipping Supply Chain Program, re-establish the Export Rapid Response Team, and take the steps necessary for carriers…

07 Dec 2021

NTSB Issues 10 Safety Recommendations Following Dredging Pipeline Strike

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

The National Transportation Safety Board issued 10 safety recommendations Tuesday during a public board meeting held to determine the probable cause of the fatal August 21, 2020, hazardous liquid pipeline strike and subsequent explosion and fire aboard the dredging vessel Waymon Boyd.The Waymon Boyd struck a submerged 16-inch hazardous liquid pipeline carrying propane during dredging operations in Corpus Christi, Texas. A geyser of propane gas and water erupted adjacent to the vessel. Shortly thereafter, propane gas engulfed the dredge and an explosion occurred.

31 Mar 2021

Dredger Digs Up VDR from Crashed Sriwijaya Air Jet in the Java Sea

Indonesia has recovered the cockpit voice recorder from a Sriwijaya Air jet that crashed into the Java Sea in January, and the air accident investigator said on Wednesday it could take up to a week to be able to listen to the recording.The CVR could help investigators understand the actions taken by the pilots of the doomed jet, which crashed shortly after take-off on Jan. 9, killing all 62 people on board.A preliminary report by investigators released in February said the plane had an imbalance in engine thrust that eventually led it into a sharp roll and then a final dive into the sea. The report included information from the flight…

30 Oct 2020

ATSB Publishes Preliminary Report on APL England Incident

A preliminary investigation report published by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) details that a containership was rolling and pitching heavily in rough seas and high winds when it lost 50 containers overboard about 46 nautical miles south-east of Sydney in May 2020.The ongoing investigation’s preliminary report sets out the incident’s sequence of events and outlines that as the APL England travelled down the east coast of Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology issued regular forecasts regarding a complex low pressure system developing off the south-east of the country…

21 Oct 2020

Coral Reef Health Report: Palau’s Coral Reefs - A Jewel of the Ocean

Photo: Copyright Keith Ellenbogen/iLCP

The latest report from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation finds Palau’s reefs had the highest coral cover observed on the Global Reef Expedition—the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history.Scientists at the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) have released their findings on the state of coral reefs in Palau. Their research, based on extensive underwater surveys, found Palau’s reefs had the highest live coral cover of all the reefs studied on the Global Reef Expedition…

10 Aug 2020

Lebanon's Leaders Were Warned in July About Explosives at Port

© Erich / Adobe Stock

Lebanese security officials warned the prime minister and president last month that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut’s port posed a security risk and could destroy the capital if it exploded, according to documents seen by Reuters and senior security sources.Just over two weeks later, the industrial chemicals exploded in a massive blast that obliterated most of the port, killed at least 163 people, injured 6,000 more and destroyed some 6,000 buildings, according…

18 Feb 2020

Anatomy of a Marine Casualty Investigation

MV Argo Merchant was a Liberian-flagged oil tanker that ran aground and sank southeast of Nantucket Island, Mass., on Dec. 15, 1976, causing one of the largest marine oil spills in history. U.S. Coast Guard Archives

Blank Rome’s maritime attorneys have represented clients in some of the largest maritime casualties in the last 20 years, including the Staten Island Ferry allision with a maintenance pier in New York, the blow out and eventual loss of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the sinking of the El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin, and the collision between the Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain and the tanker ALNIC MC in the Singapore Strait. These casualties have resulted in the catastrophic loss of life…

03 Jan 2020

Op/Ed: What Good Boats Can Do

(Photo: OMSA)

Stay in your lane. Ignoring such wisdom can result in catastrophe if you’re drag racing and lead to general unpleasantness on bowling league nights. This same guidance in other circumstances, for example, can be toxic. It can inhibit innovation and, at the worst possible moment, prevent the sensible use of available resources to improve a bad situation.In satisfying the demands of the offshore energy sector, the U.S. maritime industry has developed incredibly versatile tools.

13 Dec 2019

Offshore Wind: Decisions Needed Sooner, not Later

AOT is working to develop a new port, specifically configured to serve Atlantic Ocean wind projects, on 30 acres along the Arthur Kill tidal strait between Staten Island and New Jersey. 
Boone Davis, President & CEO, Atlantic Offshore Terminals

On September 26, the State University of New York Maritime College hosted a conference on the emerging east coast offshore wind industry. “Offshore Wind Power, Planning for America’s Ocean Energy” focused on four fundamental topics:• East Coast Wind Farm Overview – Status of the Industry.• Jobs and Supply Chain Technical Working Group.• Wind Farm Port Development.• Offshore Wind Maritime Operations.In some ways, actually clocking in for a day’s work on an offshore wind turbine is tantalizingly close. Ditto for power flowing from an offshore substation to a mainland interconnection.

11 Dec 2019

Scientists Study French Polynesia's Coral Reefs

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has released their findings from the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition ever conducted in French Polynesia.The Global Reef Expedition: French Polynesia Final Report provides a comprehensive summary of the research findings from the expedition, an assessment of the health and resiliency of French Polynesia’s coral reefs, and recommendations for preserving French Polynesia’s coral reefs into the future.The Foundation embarked on the Global Reef Expedition to understand the coral reef crisis on a global scale. As part of the Expedition, an international team of 73 scientists worked side by side with local experts to gain a thorough census of reef health throughout French Polynesia.Over the course of seven months…

25 Oct 2019

Hepburn and Sons Secures NSRP Award

The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) has awarded Hepburn and Sons LLC with the R&D Insulated Bus Pipe (IBP) Standard Interface to Naval Electrical Equipment.The team consist of Hepburn and Sons LLC, TEFELEN, NSWCPD, GD-Bath Iron Works, RSL Fiber, AeroNav, Staubli, FSU CAPS, KATO Engineering, Northrop Grumman Sykesville, General Atomics, Rolls Royce, ABS, ABB, DRS, and Roxtec. The NSRP investment is $1.14 million and the industry investment is $1.14 million. The duration of the project is 24 Months.The scope of this project is to conduct research and test a common connector that will work with the majority of electrical equipment installed on board Navy ships.

20 Aug 2019

New Jersey to Create WIND Institute

New Jersey's Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to establish a Council for the Wind Innovation and New Development (WIND) Institute.The institute will develop and implement a plan to create a regional hub for New Jersey’s offshore wind industry and will build upon the Murphy Administration’s commitment to making the state a national leader in offshore wind.“From job creation to workforce development to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, the WIND Institute and the council tasked with its development make good on our commitment to building a New Jersey economy fit for the 21st century,” said Governor Murphy.“Centralizing…

11 Jul 2019

Quieting Ships to Protect Environment

Acentech, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based noise, vibration and acoustical consulting firm, has issued its final report to Transport Canada concerning the Quiet Ship Workshop held at the International Maritime Headquarters (IMO) in London.For Canada, this issue is part of a broader concern with the health of the oceans and waterways that surround the country and its marine eco-systems.Canada’s oceans are home to 42 distinct populations of whales, in particular, the Southern Resident Killer whale, the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga and the North Atlantic Right whale, one of the most endangered of all large whale species.Over 140 subject-matter experts from around the world gathered at this event for two and a half days.

23 May 2019

MOL to Join TCFD Consortium

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that it will participate in the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Consortium, which was established to provide a forum for discussions among corporations and financial institutions that agree with "TCFD recommendations"."This aims to ensure that companies factor in climate change-related risks and opportunities when they disclose their strategies to investors," said a press note from MOL.The final report, released in June 2017 by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which was established by Financial Stability Board (FSB), by reflecting intention of G20 Financial Ministers and Central Bank Governors.Four core elements—governance…

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