Tropical Storm

USCG – Tropical Storm Ernesto Update

The US Coast Guard stated that the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City have been closed due to the approach of Tropical Storm Ernesto. It also said that cargo and bunkering activity within Sector North Carolina must cease and vessels bound for North Carolina should seek an alternative destination until after the storm passes. The Port of Hampton Roads is preparing for the arrival of the storm. Similar preparations are being made in the Port of Baltimore. Restrictions previously imposed for ports in Florida have been lifted. Source: HK Law

BOEMRE Guidelines for Reporting Effects of Hurricanes, Storms

As the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season gets under way, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) issued its annual guidance to offshore operators on reporting tropical storm and hurricane effects on oil and gas operations, and the specific information to be included in the various reports required by BOEMRE. These requirements are explained in a Notice to Lessees, NTL No. 2011-G01, which is available at: www.gomr.boemre.gov/homepg/whatsnew/hurricane/index

NJ Sues RCCL After Diversion

Reports indicate that New Jersey's attorney general sued Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for diverting a Bermuda-bound cruise to Canada last summer and refusing to issue refunds. The cruise line said a looming storm prompted the change, and was adhering to policies. The state's lawsuit accuses the cruise line of violating the state Consumer Fraud Act. It seeks restitution for the people aboard the ship plus civil penalties.

China Deep-Dive Expedition Anchors to Avoid Typhoon

The oceanographic ship carrying 'Jiaolong', China's manned deep-sea submersible, anchored in Yangtze entrance to avoid typhoon Mawar ahead of a 7,000-meter attempt The ship, the Xiangyanghong 09, left the eastern port city of Jiangyin earlier on Sunday and travelled about 155 nautical miles to an anchorage at the mouth of the Yangtze River near Shanghai, according to the onboard headquarter of the operation. The submersible, named after a mythical sea dragon, will dive 7

Hurricane Season Stakes Raised by NOAA

NOAA raises hurricane season prediction despite expected El Niño, updated outlook calls for near- or above-normal Atlantic season. This year’s Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, with 6 named storms to date, and may have a busy second half, according to the updated hurricane season outlook issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The updated outlook still indicates a 50 percent chance of a near-normal season

This Day in Coast Guard History – June 9

1910-Congress passed the Motorboat Act that required inspections on recreational and commercial motor boats over 40-feet in length.  It was enforced by the Revenue Cutter Service. 1990- The 853-foot Norwegian tanker Mega Borg exploded near Galveston, Texas, killing two of her crew.  Coast Guard  units consisting of 500 Coast Guardsmen fought the fires and cleaned up the resulting oil spill.  The units included CGCs Buttonwood, Point Spencer, Steadfast

COMSAT Mobile Communications -- Working With U.S. Coast Guard to Save Lives at Sea

Two employees of the COMSAT Mobile Communications (CMC) Land Earth Station in Southbury, Conn., were recognized recently by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for coordinating life-saving satellite communications for the Coast Guard, the maritime vessel Ocean Wolf and four rescue ships. The incident began around 6:30 p.m. EST on Monday, October 30, 2000, when the (USCG) Station in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contacted Southbury requesting assistance in communicating with Ocean Wolf

Crowley’s First Ocean Class Tugboat Performs Inaugural Job in Cuba

The first of four Crowley Maritime Corporation ocean class tugboats, Ocean Wave, completed its inaugural project earlier this month by removing a grounded containership from the northern coast of Cuba. The job is additionally significant because it utilized many of Crowley’s unique capabilities, equipment and established relationships with Cuban entities and government to complete the job quickly despite many challenges.

NOAA to Use New Hurricane Wind Scale

NOAA's National Weather Service will use a new hurricane scale this season called the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  The scale keeps the same wind speed ranges as the original Saffir-Simpson Scale for each of the five hurricane categories, but no longer ties specific storm surge and flooding effects to each category. Herbert Saffir, a consulting engineer, and Robert Simpson, who was director of the National Hurricane Center from 1967 through 1973

First FPSO Approved for Gulf of Mexico

BOEMRE Approves First-Ever Use of Deepwater Floating Production Storage Offloading Facility in Gulf of Mexico The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) today provided the final approval necessary for Petrobras America, Inc. to begin oil and natural gas production at its Chinook-Cascade project using a Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) facility. This will be the first time this technology is used in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico