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Joint Investigation News

02 Feb 2023

'Spirit of Norfolk' Fire Hearing Concludes

Capt. Ryan Nadeau, master of the Spirit of Norfolk, delivers his testimony during a formal hearing regarding the events of the Spirit of Norfolk vessel fire Jan. 27, 2023 in Virginia Beach, Va. (Photo: Edward Wargo / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board concluded the formal public hearing proceedings into the fire and total constructive loss of the passenger vessel Spirit of Norfolk Feb. 2, 2023.The joint investigation team reviewed and considered evidence related to the fire and total constructive loss of the passenger vessel, which occurred on June 7, 2022.The investigation team heard from 23 witnesses who provided testimony into pre-accident historical events, regulatory compliance…

13 Aug 2021

Seacor Power Public Hearing Concludes

A U.S. Coast Guard Response Boat-Medium boat crew heads toward the capsized lift boat Seacor Power about 8 miles off Port Fourchon, La. on April 13, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Cutter Glenn Harris)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board on Friday wrapped up the formal public hearing proceedings into the sinking of the liftboat Seacor Power and the death of 13 of its 19 crewmembers in the Gulf of Mexico.The Seacor Power capsized in heavy winds and seas on April 13, 2021, about seven miles south of Port Fourchon, La. Six crewmembers were initially rescued, and six were recovered unresponsive during the course of the response.Over the course of the nearly two-week-long hearing…

02 Dec 2020

Dive Boat Captain Charged in Fire that Killed 34

(Photo: VCFD via NTSB)

The captain of a dive boat that caught fire last year near Santa Cruz Island, resulting in 34 deaths, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter.Jerry Nehl Boylan, of Santa Barbara, was named in the indictment by a federal grand jury that alleges Boylan, as the captain and master of the Santa Barbara-based Conception, “was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel, its crew, and its passengers.”The indictment alleges that Boylan caused the deaths of 33 passengers and one crewmember “by his misconduct…

08 Sep 2020

US Seizes $27 Mln Found on a Cargo Ship in the Caribbean

U.S. authorities in San Juan, Puerto Rico seized $27 million of undeclared currency found inside boxes aboard a cargo ship bound for St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized the vacuum-sealed cash packs on board the vessel Norma H II during a joint investigation between CBP, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico on Saturday, officials said.CBP said one of its K-9 units discovered the cash in unmanifested palleted home moving boxes while inspecting outbound cargo on board the Togo-flagged vessel at Pier 10 in San Juan. A total of 34 cargo boxes containing $27 million was seized under failure to declare and bulk cash smuggling laws.

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…

04 Jan 2019

Dutch Authorities Demand Clean-Up Costs From MSC Line

(Photo: Coast Guard Netherlands)

Dutch authorities will hold Swiss shipping line MSC liable for the cost of cleaning up debris from more than 270 cargo containers that fell off one of its vessels and washed up on shore, officials said on Friday.The Dutch coastguard said a criminal investigation had been launched by prosecutors into the incident, one of the largest of its kind off the coast of the Netherlands.The containers, some holding hazardous chemicals, fell off one of the world's largest container ships…

18 Oct 2017

Dordrecht Inland Seaport to Get LNG Bunker Station

The Port of Rotterdam Authority wants a new multi-fuel bunkering station for refuelling with LNG and other cleaner fuels. The anticipated location of the bunkering station is Krabbegors/Duivelseiland at Dordrecht Inland Seaport. The Port of Rotterdam Authority and PitPoint.LNG have therefore signed a declaration of intent regarding a joint investigation into the construction of such a multi-fuel bunkering station. “As operator of Europe’s largest port, the Port Authority sees the establishment of a multi-fuel bunkering station as fitting in with its policy of pioneering European energy transition. It will help us stimulate the replacement of fuel oil by LNG as the fuel for shipping”, says Ronald Paul, COO at the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

28 Jul 2017

Vietnam asks Indonesia to Investigate South China Sea Shooting

Vietnam's foreign minister has asked his Indonesian counterpart to investigate and clarify reports that the Indonesian navy shot and wounded two Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said on Friday. Pham Binh Minh told Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi by telephone that the reported incident was "very serious ... and not appropriate with the strategic partnership relationship between Vietnam and Indonesia," the Vietnamese foreign ministry said in a statement. "Vietnam is deeply concerned about this incident and proposes Indonesia to quickly investigate and clarify the incident and inform Vietnam of the results and to stop repeating similar acts," Minh was quoting as saying.

13 Apr 2015

US Well Control Regulations Proposed

BSEE Director Brian Salerno

U.S. In response to the findings of investigations into the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, and following a thorough evaluation of recommendations from industry groups, equipment manufacturers, federal agencies, academia and environmental organizations, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced proposed regulations to better protect human lives and the environment from oil spills. The measures include more stringent design requirements and operational procedures for critical well control equipment used in offshore oil and gas operations.

14 Oct 2013

Indian Coast Guard Detain AdvanFort Security Vessel

'Seaman Guard Ohio': Photo courtesy of AdvanFort

In a swift operation, the Indian Coast Guard has detained a Sierra Leone-flagged vessel with 25 armed guards on board, at Tuticorin. The vessel, 'Seaman Guard Ohio' is owned by US-based maritime security firm AdvanFort, but those on board were unable to explain why they had entered Indian waters, reports 'The Hindu'. 'The Hindu' cites Inspector-General and Commander Coast Guard (Region East) Satya Prakash Sharm as stating that the operations centre received information late on Friday that a vessel with armed guards on board was seen near the Tuticorin coast.

27 Aug 2013

Coast Guard to Construct New Menemsha Boathouse

A rendering of the boathouse design for Station Menemsha. Image courtesy M.A. Mortenson Company

The Coast Guard has received all necessary regulatory permits to commence construction of a new boathouse at Station Menemsha on Martha's Vineyard in early September, 2013. The original 6,000 square-foot boathouse, built in 1941, was destroyed by fire on July 12, 2010. A joint investigation, completed in 2011 by local, state, and federal authorities, was unable to determine a cause for the fire. The approved scope of work includes construction of a 5,000 square-foot single-bay boathouse. The facility will include boat maintenance and crew support spaces as well as a new boat ramp.

08 Oct 2012

Offshore Drilling

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”) issued three significant documents addressing response, enforcement, and safety issues related to offshore operations in August 2012. Specifically, BSEE issued (1) new guidance concerning regional Oil Spill Response Plans (“OSRPs”), (2) formalized policy addressing direct enforcement actions against contractors engaged in offshore activities, and (3) a Final Rule implementing new safety measures related to well control operations occurring on the outer continental shelf (“OCS”). The following is a summary of these new developments.

02 May 2012

BSEE's Watson Weighs in at OTC

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director James A. Watson.

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director James A. Watson delivered remarks today at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. Director Watson discussed recent recruitment incentives, BSEE's offshore safety focus and regulatory priorities. Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s continued efforts to enhance safety offshore. This is my first time at OTC, and I have been extremely impressed by the scientific and technical know-how on display…

23 Mar 2012

Maritime Pollution and Other Legislation Outlook 2012

Jonathan K. Waldron

It has been almost two years since the Deepwater Horizon incident occurred on April 20, 2010. As a result of this incident, although there have been many bills introduced in Congress to address issues raised by this incident, as well as numerous related hearings, Congress was unable to see the way clear to actually enact any pollution-related legislation, or for that matter any substantial maritime legislation in 2011. The following is a summary of the action taken by Congress last year and a perspective on such legislation for 2012.

10 Nov 2011

BSEE: Safety Alert on the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Spill

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) today issued a Safety Alert relating to the Macondo well blowout. The Safety Alert was distributed to oil and gas leaseholders and contractors working on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). It  briefly summarizes the findings of the Joint Investigation of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, and highlights recommendations for immediate action that leaseholders and contractors can incorporate into their work. ”We must ensure that the lessons learned from the investigation of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill are widely disseminated and used to enhance the safety practices used by offshore oil and gas operators and contractors in their day-to-day activities,” said BSEE Director Michael R. Bromwich.

04 Nov 2011

Deepwater Horizon Lingers

It has been more than 16 months since the Deepwater Horizon incident on April 20, 2010 which resulted in the deaths of 11 and injuries to 17 men working on the platform and the discharge of approximately five million barrels of oil. The well was finally capped on July 15, 2010 yet the Joint Coast Guard and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Investigation final report (Joint Investigation) has not been completed and released to the public. In addition, Congress continues to wait until the final results are released to make its own assessment of what legislation should ultimately be enacted and the complex litigation will be with us for years.

14 Sep 2011

Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team Releases Final Report

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)/U.S. Coast Guard Joint Investigation Team (JIT) today released its final investigative report on the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon explosion, loss of life, and resulting oil spill. The report is comprised of Volume I, covering the areas of investigation under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard; Volume II, covering the areas of the investigation under BOEMRE jurisdiction; and a supplement to Volume I – the Final Action Memo from Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp. The JIT was formed on April 27, 2010, by a convening order of the Departments of the Interior and Homeland Security to investigate the causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion…

11 Sep 2011

Offshore Vessel Operators Suffer As Gulf Oil Output Sags

Marine Management, LLC managing member Cliffe Laborde (left), with Peter Laborde

As seen in the August edition of MarineNews, Susan Buchanan updates readers on the GOM oil production situation. BP's gushing well was capped more than a year ago but life is hardly back to normal in the U.S. Gulf--where rigs and vessels remain underutilized. At least ten rigs have moved overseas since last summer. Gulf oil production is below pre-spill levels and won't recover anytime soon, analysts say. Issuance of drilling permits picked up this spring as operators agreed to use oil-containment systems but permitting lags earlier rates.

23 Apr 2011

Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Preliminary Report: USCG Jurisdiction

The Joint Investigation Team charged with examining the explosion on board the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon and resulting oil spill – comprised of representatives of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and the U.S. Coast Guard – announced Friday that the Coast Guard members of the team have released their findings related to issues under Coast Guard jurisdiction. The findings, which comprise Vol. I of the Joint Investigation Team Report, cover five aspects of the disaster – including the explosions on the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) Deepwater Horizon; the resulting fire; evacuations; the flooding and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon; and the safety systems of the MODU and its owner, Transocean.

06 Apr 2011

Seventh Session of Deepwater Joint Investigation Concludes First Day

The Deepwater Horizon joint investigation board concluded April 4 the first day of its seventh session of hearings examining the circumstances surrounding the loss of 11 lives, the sinking of the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Deepwater Horizon and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, following the April 20, 2010 explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon. The joint investigation board has the powers of both convening agencies, the United States Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), and is co-chaired and staffed by representatives of both agencies. For the public hearing…

24 Mar 2011

BOEMRE, USCG to Conduct Seventh Session of Investigation into Deepwater Horizon

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)/U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Joint Investigation Team, which is examining the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill, today announced that it will hold a seventh session of public hearings the week of April 4, 2011. The hearings, which will focus specifically on the forensic examination of the Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer (BOP), are scheduled to take place at the Holiday Inn Metairie, New Orleans Airport, 2261 North Causeway Blvd., Metairie, La. BOEMRE and the Coast Guard have made the forensic examination report prepared by U.S. Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Columbus…

15 Oct 2010

Joint Investigation Team, BOP/LMRP Testing Status

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) posted its BOP/LMRP testing status report, outlining the ongoing forensic testing process regarding the blowout preventer (BOP) and lower marine riser package (LMRP) recovered from the seabed at the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. The final testing protocols are being developed. Testing of the BOP and the LMRP will commence once the protocol is approved by the JIT. An interim test report should be submitted to the JIT approximately 35 days after initial tests begin. (10/12/10). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)

30 Aug 2010

Deepwater Joint Investigation Concludes 4th Day

The Deepwater Horizon joint investigation concluded the fourth day of the fourth session of hearings August 26 into the circumstances surrounding the explosion, fire, pollution and sinking of the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Deepwater Horizon, with multiple loss of life in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. The joint investigation has the powers of both convening agencies, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM), and is co-chaired and staffed by representatives of both agencies. For the public hearing, the joint investigation is following the policies and procedures…

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