Hurricane Relief

Coast Guard Prepares For Hurricane Rita

The Coast Guard is preparing assets throughout the Gulf states for the arrival of Hurricane Rita, which is expected to reach the Gulf Coast later this week. The Coast Guard is making strategic shifts in personnel resources while others are conducting overdue maintenance to aircraft used to support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Coast Guard crews are pre-positioning search and rescue, pollution response, and aids to navigation assets inland for post storm response. Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) departed from Metairie, La. and will be standing by in Houston to provide relief in the event of a disaster. Coast Guard units in Texas are conducting pre-storm video surveys of areas that potentially lay in the path of Rita. The surveys will assist in rescue and recovery efforts to those areas affected by the storm. The Coast Guard also cautioned mariners of the upcoming storm and is urging them to heed the weather warnings and small craft advisories. An advisory has also been issued to evacuate all oil rigs and platforms in the Gulf of Mexico that may potentially be in the path of Rita.

Crowley Completes Rapid Response for Emergency Aid to Bahamas

Crowley Successfully Completes Rapid Response for Emergency Aid to Bahamas Following Hurricane Irene.    As one of the warehouses contracted by the U.S. Agency for International Administration (USAID) to provide pre- and post-disaster relief commodity storage services for the United States, Crowley Maritime Corporation's logistics group recently provided the rapid deployment of emergency aid commodities for the Bahamas in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.   

Fed Funds Gets NOLA Transport Rolling

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta traveled to New Orleans to announce the first installment of federal funding and the deployment of additional resources to repair damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina on the area’s transportation systems. “I want the people of New Orleans to know that we are going to help you rebuild, and that includes repairing damaged transportation systems so New Orleans can get moving again,” Secretary Mineta said.

This Day in Naval History--August 28

August 28 1867 - Captain William Reynolds of Lackawanna raises U.S. flag over Midway Island and took formal possession of these islands for the U.S. 1942 - 120 women, commissioned directly as ENS or LTJG, reported to "USS Northampton," Smith College for training. 1952 - Units on USS Boxer (CV-21) launch explosive-filled drone which explodes against railroad bridge near Hungnam, Korea. First guided missile launched from ship during Korean Conflict.

This Day in Naval History – Sept. 4

1804 - USS Intrepid (LT Richard Somers) blew up in failed attack on Tripoli 1941 - German submarine, U-652, attacks USS Greer, which was tracking the submarine southeast of Iceland. Greer is not damaged, but drops depth charges, damaging U-652. 1954 - Icebreakers, USS Burton Island (AGB-1) and USCG Northwind, complete first transit of Northwest passage through McClure Strait. 1954 - P2V from VP-19 shot down by Soviet aircraft near Swatow, China

President Bush Waives Jones Act

The White House released a speech by President Bush where he stated that, as part of the government’s efforts to assist in relief from Hurricane Katrina, he has instructed Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff to temporarily waive the requirement that oil and gasoline be transported from one U.S. port to another via U.S. coastwise-qualified ships. President Bush said in his speech yesterday, “Another challenge we face is that the downed pipelines are causing the need to transport

Coast Guard Foundation Initiates Fund Drive

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, has announced  that it is launching a fundraising campaign to support Coast Guard members and their families who were affected by Hurricane Sandy.   Working closely with the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Foundation will distribute funds to Coast Guard members who are stationed in the affected areas of Maryland, New York, New Jersey

NAVSEA Responds, Provides Hurricane Ike Relief

From Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), a directorate of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, managed the deployment of salvage equipment Sept. 16 in direct support of Hurricane Ike relief efforts in Galveston, Texas. NAVSEA's SUPSALV received the request from the Galveston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) Sept. 15 for U.S. Navy assistance in removing a number of small vessels sunk in the Gulf Intracoastal

Falling Price of Oil Raises Relief Hopes

Petroleum prices have drifted down toward $70 a barrel in recent days from a record high last month, as the summer driving season comes to a close. Does this mean crude oil could fall to as low as $60 a barrel? Or is it more likely to reverse course and climb toward $80? The price of gasoline at the pump is largely determined by the price of petroleum in the global market place, and a variety of difficult-to-predict factors, only starting with global demand

MMS Responds with Royalty Relief Modifications

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) has updated two Notice to Lessees (NTL) to help the domestic industry adjust to and survive low prices. "Oil prices, adjusted for inflation, are down to levels last seen in the early 1970's," said Carolita Kallaur, associate director, Offshore Minerals Management Program. "While benefitting consumers generally, unanticipated price drops have some adverse consequences for society