Hurricane Relief News

A ship carrying a cargo of diesel fuel initially barred from hurricane-hit Puerto Rico anchored at the island's Guayanilla port on Friday to unload under a Biden administration waiver, the Refinitiv Eikon vessel tracking service showed.The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker GH Parks, which loaded in Texas this month, was stopped from discharging four days ago by the Jones Act, a maritime law that requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by U.S.-flagged ships.BP Plc, which chartered the vessel, said it submitted a waiver request with the U.S. customs service on Sept. 20 to allow for the diesel to be diverted from its original destination to Puerto Rico to assist with hurricane relief efforts.GH Parks was carrying about 308…

The MOD has agreed to sell HMS Ocean to the Government of Brazil after 20 years of service. Sold to the Brazilian Navy for around £84M ($117m), the profit generated from the sale will be reinvested in defence at a time when the Royal Navy is being strengthened with two types of brand new frigates and two huge aircraft carriers. HMS Queen Elizabeth, which will eventually take on the role as the nation’s new flagship, recently set sail from the port of Gibraltar carrying two Chinooks and four Merlin helicopters as she readies for helicopter trials at sea.

Austal said it has successfully completed acceptance trials on USNS City of Bismarck, Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF 9), October 20, in the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel, the ninth ship in Austal’s 12-ship EPF contract valued at over $1.9 billion, is slated for delivery to the U.S. Navy later this year. “Austal is proud of the continued success of this important program evidenced by the completion of this major milestone, EPF 9 acceptance trials,” Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle said. Trials involved the execution of intense comprehensive tests by the Austal-led industry team while underway, which demonstrated to the Navy the successful operation of the ship’s major systems and equipment. Acceptance trials are the last milestone before delivery of the ship.

SUNY Maritime College’s training ship has returned to campus Tuesday after nearly two months aiding hurricane relief workers in Florida and Puerto Rico. The ship Empire State VI was used to provide power, housing, food and water to emergency relief workers, first in Florida following Hurricane Irma, then in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Empire State VI is owned by the Maritime Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and used by Maritime College throughout the year to educate and train future maritime industry professionals.

The U.S. government has chartered another commercial cruise liner to serve as a floating hotel for relief workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Carnival Cruise Line said it reached an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will see the 2,052-passenger vessel Carnival Fascination docked in St. Croix to provide housing and meals for relief workers during a four-month charter from October 15 to February 3, 2018.

20 Vessels, 6,500 Loads of Cargo will be Offloaded by Week’s End. The Full-Scale Logistics Operation includes 375 Trucks Used to Expedite Deliveries. With employees working around the clock and its vessels calling the Port of San Juan almost daily, Crowley Maritime Corp. said today it will have offloaded by the end of this week more than 6,500 loads of FEMA and commercial cargo from 20 vessels since Hurricane Maria struck the island in late September. And the company projects another 9 vessels, carrying between 2,500 and 3,000 loads, will arrive in Puerto Rico next week. “I am very grateful for the extraordinary work of our teams in San Juan, Jacksonville and in other parts of the country,” said Tom Crowley, chairman and CEO.

Today's address by FMC commissioner William P.Doyle brought transparency to the massive U.S.-based efforts expended during this hurricane season at the 17th Annual Port Industry Day conference in Jersey City, NJ. Good Morning New York and New Jersey. It’s a great day here in Jersey City. I know that Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao really wanted to attend the 17th Annual Port Industry Day conference today. Even with a long-standing commitment, she tried to make her schedule work. Secretary Chao is a good friend. Before I begin, I want to address this year’s hurricane season. It’s been a tough one – Harvey, Irma and Maria. I am proud of the work performed during the recovery efforts by the U.S. Merchant Marine. The Merchant Marine consists of American mariners serving aboard U.S.

Foss Maritime Company said it has contracted with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Three accommodation vessels are being utilized and will serve as floating hotels, providing safe housing and warm meals for responders. With these vessels, Foss will be able to help feed and temporarily house 729 people.

The Pentagon named a senior general to command military relief operations in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Thursday and the Trump administration sent a Cabinet emissary to the island as U.S. lawmakers called for a more robust response to the crisis. The U.S. territory of 3.4 million people struggled through a ninth day with virtually no electricity, patchy communications and shortages of fuel, clean water and other essentials in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly 90 years. The storm struck on Sept. 20 with lethal, roof-ripping force and torrential rains that caused widespread flooding and heavily damaged homes, roads and other infrastructure. The storm killed more than 30 people across the Caribbean, including at least 16 in Puerto Rico.

Crowley Maritime Corp. announced that it has established a flow of relief cargo into San Juan, Puerto Rico, following Hurricane Maria, the devastating Category 4 storm that made direct impact with the island on Wednesday. To make this possible, Crowley has four vessels loaded with a mix of relief and commercial cargo currently en route to the company’s Isla Grande terminal in San Juan, with two more scheduled to follow. These six vessels will begin entering the harbor as soon as the U.S. Coast Guard deems it is safe to do so, which some reports indicate may be as early as tomorrow morning.

When Sandy struck New York and New Jersey in October 2012, Foss applied lessons learned from the 2010 Haiti earthquake. A year after Hurricane Sandy struck America's East Coast, the federal government has honored Foss Maritime Company for its part in critical relief work. Vice Admiral Mark D. Harnitchek, director, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), made the award to the Seattle-based company during a ceremony at the agency's headquarters, citing its ability to quickly move personnel and equipment to devastated, hard-to-reach locations in New York and the New Jersey shore.

Sandy Hurricane relief and maritime support charity, Virginia's House of Hope, celebrated its accomplishments and raised funds for the future at their recent polo match benefit. This was its first summer event and was held at Conyers Farm, Greenwich CT, on July 14th., with more than 200 friends and supporters of VHH in attendance. In addition to enjoying the graceful and exciting competition between two internationally ranked teams, and petting the horses, the participants actively bid on a beautiful selection of auction items…

U.S. efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Felix. The redeployment of the U.S. Nicaragua and in close coordination with the U.S. the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Disaster Assistance. approaching the Panama Canal as a command and control vessel for a fleet of more than 30 multinational ships participating in exercise Fuerzas Aliadas PANAMAX. It is expected to arrive off the coast of Nicaragua Thursday. As part of its mission, U.S. in times of crisis. U.S. and alcohol- poisoning victims in 2006. U.S. to assess recovery needs in the affected areas and identify additional U.S. military units that may be able to provide assistance.

The United States Merchant Marine plays an important role in ensuring our national security and strengthening our economy. As we celebrate National Maritime Day and the 70th anniversary of the Merchant Marine Act, we pay tribute to merchant mariners and their faithful service to our Nation. Since 1775, merchant mariners have bravely served our country, and in 1936, the Merchant Marine Act officially established their role in our military as a wartime naval auxiliary. During World War II, merchant mariners were critical to the delivery of troops and supplies overseas, and they helped keep vital ocean supply lines operating. President Franklin D.

The Training Ship Empire State left New Orleans on Friday, March 3, marking the end of an unprecedented six-month mission for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd). Ten of the agency’s ships were activated to aid in recovery and relief efforts in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This marked the first time the ships of MARAD’s Ready Reserve Force were activated at the request of the Secretary of Transportation to deal with a domestic emergency, and the first time training ships provided by MARAD to State maritime academies were pressed into service to provide food and shelter. Six ships of the Ready Reserve Force: Cape Kennedy…

Three Carnival ships currently under charter to the U.S. government for hurricane relief efforts will resume their previously operated schedules in 2006. The Holiday resumes year-round four-and five-day cruises from Mobile, Ala., March 27; the Sensation launches four- and five-day service from New Orleans Oct. 26; and the Ecstasy begins four- and five-day service from Galveston April 8. Elation, which replaced the Ecstasy on four- and five-day cruises from Galveston, will continue that program through April 3, then reposition to Miami for its new seven-day cruise program beginning April 30.

According to the AP a Navy plan to pay Gulf Coast shipbuilders about $1.7 billion for losses related to damages and construction delays from Hurricane Katrina may overstate the actual costs and could dampen efforts to collect insurance payments, according to a Congressional report. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said Northrop Grumman may be able to collect insurance claims for future increased costs related to labor and overhead. If the government pays now, the report said, the company will have little incentive to negotiate with insurers for those payments. The researchers said Northrop Grumman may be covered for losses related to disruption of work caused by the hurricane…

Representative Young (R-AK) introduced the Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act of 2005 (H.R. 4508). The bill commends the Coast Guard for the planning and preparation it engaged in as Hurricane Katrina approached the Gulf Coast and the immediate and sustained response effort it undertook after passage of the Hurricane. If enacted into law, the bill would also provide the Coast Guard with authority to extend the duration of the license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner document of any U.S. mariner or the certificate of inspection of any U.S. vessel impacted by the hurricane. The House of Representatives passed the bill by voice vote. It will now go to the Senate for consideration. Source: HK Law

Tom Crowley Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation, presented a check for $100,000 to the Northeast Florida chapter of the American Red Cross for the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. The donation, which was presented to Jack Morgan, CEO American Red Cross Northeast Florida chapter, represented about $50,000 from Crowley employees worldwide coupled with a matching Crowley grant. The company launched the two-and-a-half week campaign where it matched donations from employees dollar for dollar. Employees from across the United States, in Central America and in the Caribbean came together to support the effort. "We are very proud of our employees," said Tom Crowley Jr.

Carnival Corporation announced that the severe weather caused by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent port closures resulted in the cancellation of one voyage and the shortening of two voyages, as well as other voyage disruptions and related costs, for the company's Carnival Cruise Lines brand. In addition, Carnival Cruise Lines has two vessels, the Carnival Conquest and Sensation, which homeported out of New Orleans. Given the tremendous damage to New Orleans, the company does not expect these ships to operate from New Orleans for an extended period of time. The Carnival Conquest will relocate indefinitely to Galveston, Texas. Carnival Cruise Lines has chartered three vessels…

Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up today at Camp Shelby, Miss. , as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, Air Force Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U. S. Northern Command spokesman, confirmed today. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U. S. Army commander, will head the task force to coordinate DoD active-duty support for disaster relief efforts in the hurricane's aftermath, much of it already under way or in the works. Meanwhile, the number of National Guardsmen on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida rose to almost 8,300 today. National Guard units and members in 17 more states remained on standby today…

WASHINGTON – Along with thousands of active-duty and National Guard troops, several commercial passenger ships are also reporting to duty to support hurricane-relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, U.S. Northern Command officials announced. The ships, contracted by the Navy's Military Sealift Command, are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's massive response to provide relief for displaced victims, officials said. The command awarded contracts for four ships to provide interim housing to those displaced by the hurricane and possibly relief workers, as well. Three of the ships, Sensation, Holiday and Ecstasy, belong to Carnival Cruise Lines and the fourth, MV Scotia Prince, to Scotia Prince Cruises, officials said. FEMA Director Michael D.