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Port Of Hampton Roads News

09 Apr 2021

China is Paying a High Price for Its Ban on Australian Coal

© chungking / Adobe Stock

China is paying a high price for its unofficial ban on coal imports from Australia, with the cost of domestic and alternative foreign supplies rising for both thermal and coking grades of the fuel.China, the world’s biggest importer, producer and consumer of coal, has effectively ended imports from Australia, the biggest shipper of coking coal used to make steel and number two in thermal coal used to produce electricity, as part of an ongoing political dispute between the two nations.The restrictions on imports from Australia came into effect in the second half of last year…

12 Oct 2018

Coast Guard reopens North Carolina, Virginia ports

The port of Wilmington, NC (CREDIT: NC Ports)

The Captain of the Port for Hampton Roads has reopened the port without restrictions Friday morning.The COTP for North Carolina reopened the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City Friday morning. Mariners in North Carolina are advised to exercise extreme caution when transiting due to possible shoaling, debris, and aids to navigation that may be off station or unreliable.North Carolina ports have been impacted twice within the past two months; first by hurricane Florence and this week, by the remnants of hurricane Michael.

14 Sep 2018

Virginia Ports See Limited Impact from Hurricane Florence

A high-definition video camera outside the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Florence as a Category 4 storm of Tuesday (Image Credit: ESA/NASA–A. Gerst)

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads has reopened the ports in Virginia, which saw limited impacts after Hurricane Florence made landfall as a category 1 storm on Friday morning.“Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads is coordinating very closely with our port partners to ensure a quick and safe recovery from Hurricane Florence,” said Capt. Kevin Carroll, the commander of Sector Hampton Roads. “Our number one priority is saving lives and preventing life-endangering activities on our waterways.

12 Sep 2018

Hurricane Florence Barrels in on US East Coast

Hurricane Florence is forecast to be a major hurricane when it nears the U.S. coast on Thursday, bringing life-threatening storm surge and rainfall to portions of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic states, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory on Wednesday morning.The extremely dangerous hurricane, currently a category 4, is located about 530 miles southeast of Cape Fear, N.C. packing maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour, it said in an advisory issued…

21 Apr 2014

Grounded Bulker Refloated off Virginia Beach

A bulk carrier ship was refloated Friday morning after running aground near Virginia Beach. (USCG photo)

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said it oversaw the refloating of the 751-foot bulk carrier, Ornak, Friday. At approximately 9:35 a.m., the Ornak was refloated offshore of the Virginia Beach Resort and Convention Center and repositioned to the Lynnhaven anchorage. Agencies involved in the removal of the grounded ship were Svitzer, the contracted salvage company, McAllister towing, the Virginia Pilots and the Coast Guard. "Freeing this vessel from the beach was truly a collaborative effort," said Capt. John Little, the Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads.

17 Apr 2014

Stranded Virginia Beach Bulker Salvage Plan Set

Stranded Bulk Carrier: Photo USCG

The Coast Guard advises it is in the final stages of reviewing a salvage plan that is scheduled to begin Friday morning to move the 751-foot bulk carrier, 'Ornak', aground near First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach, Va. “Moving a vessel of this size off the beach is a complicated and dynamic operation, requiring close coordination of multiple stakeholders,” said Capt. John Little, the Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads. Ballast water will begin to be pumped off the vessel Friday morning and tug boats will attempt to remove the vessel at high tide, which is at approximately 10:45 a.m.

12 Dec 2008

Reminder - Naval Vessel Protection Zone

The Coast Guard is encouraging boaters in the Hampton Roads area to familiarize themselves with the federal regulations governing the security zone surrounding all naval vessels more than 100 feet in length. Recently boaters have been approaching naval vessels too closely within the Port of Hampton Roads. Protecting naval vessels from sabotage and terrorist acts is one of the country's and the Coast Guard's highest priorities. For this reason, Congress mandated a 500-yard Naval Vessel Protection Zone to be established around all U.S. naval vessels more than 100 feet in length. When within 500 yards of a naval vessel, all boaters, both commercial and recreational, shall operate at the minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course.

08 Jun 2004

JHOC: Eyes Wide Open

The Joint Harbor Operation Center (JHOC) — pronounced "Jay - Hawk" —v on Naval Station Norfolk is the pinnacle of cooperation between the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy; jointly devised, outfitted, staffed and maintained to protect what is arguably one of the most diverse, sensitive and valuable series of waterfront installations in the nation. The JHOC established on Naval Station Norfolk in wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks is serving as a sort of prototype for the rest of the nation, with a similar JHOC under development in San Diego. It is unique as, for the first time it brings together the Navy and the Coast Guard in a joint operation to ensure port security, specifically monitoring military and civilian vessels entering and exiting the lower part of the Chesapeake Bay.

07 Jul 2004

Hampton Roads – Security Zones

The U.S. Coast Guard has established security zones around passenger vessels and vessels carrying Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC) while they are in the navigable waters of the Captain of the Port (COTP) Hampton Roads zone. When within 500 yards of such vessels, other vessels must operate at the minimum speed to navigate safely. Other vessels may not operate within 100 yards of such vessels. The rule comes into effect immediately. 69 Fed. Reg. 40768 (HK Law).

11 Jan 2005

Ship with Intoxicated Master Denied Port Entry

The Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads has denied entry to a foreign freight ship after a Coast Guard boarding team determined the master was intoxicated. A Coast Guard Sea Marshal team boarded the 214-foot General Lee, flagged in Panama, at 6 a.m. today offshore. The vessel was targeted for both security and safety boardings using the Coast Guard’s standard risk assessment procedures. The Sea Marshal team boarded the vessel while a team of safety inspectors waited on a nearby Coast Guard vessel. After the team detected alcohol on the breath of the master they conducted a field sobriety test, which he failed. The master refused to cooperate with a chemical test using a Breathalyzer. Under U.S.

21 Jan 2005

Ship Master Convicted for Operating Under the Influence

The master of a Panama-flagged freighter was convicted Wednesday of operating a commercial vessel while under the influence of alcohol and was fined $3,000 and ordered not to operate a vessel in U.S. waters for one year. Immigration officials are also processing Hungarian Janos Gyori, 52, for deportation. Gyori was arrested Jan. 11 after the Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads denied entry of the 214-foot General Lee. The vessel had been targeted for both security and safety boardings using the Coast Guard's standard risk assessment procedures. The freighter failed to stop 12 miles offshore for a security check, and Gyori did not respond to the Coast Guard over radio. After the team detected alcohol on his breath, they conducted a field sobriety test, which he failed.

11 Feb 2005

USCG, Virgina Police Enter Agreement

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Rear Adm. Sally Brice O’Hara, Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District and the Commonwealth of Virginia Governor Mark Warner will formalize an important maritime security partnership at a signing ceremony to be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Renaissance Hotel. The partnership, known as a Memorandum of Agreement, allows Coast Guard law enforcement crews and Virginia Marine Police officers to better work together to ensure the safety and security of Virginia’s waters and waterfront facilities, including those in the Port of Hampton Roads and the National Capitol Region. “We’re working across traditional agency boundaries to make America stronger in the maritime domain,” said Rear Adm. Brice O’Hara.

01 Aug 2007

Coast Guard Escorts John F. Kennedy into Norfolk

A 25-ft. Defender-class safe boat from Coast Guard Station Little Creek maintains a security zone around the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) as it is towed into the Port of Hampton Roads July 31, 2007. The decommissioned carrier will be moored temporarily at Naval Operating Base Norfolk before being towed to its new permanent home in Philadelphia. A 500-foot security buffer is maintained by Coast Guard vessels around naval vessels as they enter and exit port. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by PA2 John D. Miller)

01 Sep 2006

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

20 Apr 2006

Hampton Roads Coast Guard Change of Command

Captain Patrick B. Trapp will relieve Captain Robert R. O'Brien, Jr. as Commander of Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads on April 21 at Nauticus. The Commander of Sector Hampton Roads is responsible for the Coast Guard's port safety and security, search and rescue, law enforcement, aids to navigation, marine environmental protection, and commercial vessel safety missions. The Commander exercises federal authority granted by law and regulation as Captain of the Port, Officer in Charge Marine Inspection, Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, and Federal On-Scene Coordinator. The area of responsibility for the Sector includes nearly all of Virginia and the Atlantic Coast of Maryland.

27 Mar 2006

USCG and USN Open Harbor Operation Center in Hampton Roads

The Coast Guard the U.S. Navy opened the Hampton Roads Sector Command – Joint Harbor Operations Center (SCC-JHOC) on March 24. The SCC-JHOC combines detection capability and command and control functions of Coast Guard and Navy entities within the Port of Hampton Roads. The mission of the Coast Guard and Navy personnel is to detect, monitor, and track vessel movements, critical port infrastructure, and militarily essential waterways in the port area. The staff will assume tactical control and coordination of responding law enforcement agencies during suspected and actual maritime security threats or incidents. The SCC-JHOC will be used as a model at other sector command centers. Source: HK Law

03 Jan 2006

Bow Mariner Investigation Completed

The investigation of the Feb. 28, 2004 sinking of a chemical tank ship off the coast of Virginia has been completed. A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday January 3, 2006, at 10 a.m. to be held at Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads at 200 Granby Street, in Norfolk. The speaker will be Capt. Robert O' Brien, Captain of the Port of Hampton Roads. He will be accompanied by Jerry Crooks, Chief of Investigations at Sector Hampton Roads. The Bow Mariner, a 570-foot, 40,000-ton tanker exploded with 27 people aboard. It was carrying 3.2 million gallons of industrial-grade ethanol, plus 200,000 gallons of No. 6 fuel oil and 53,000 gallons of diesel oil.

23 May 2006

Carnival, Pilots Disagree on Ships' Volumes

Carnival Corp. filed suit against the Virginia Pilot Association this week, seeking to recoup about $350,000 in what it says are overcharges by the pilots, which steer ships between the Atlantic Ocean and docking points in the port of Hampton Roads, according to a report in The Virginia-Pilot. At issue is how to properly calculate the volumes of the Fun Ships that Carnival has sailed from Hampton Roads several times a year for the past decade. The Pilot Association uses those volumes - based on the ships' length, width and height - to assess the fees it charges for its services. When determining the heights of the cruise ships, the pilots have been measuring from the vessels' bottoms to one of the uppermost decks of the towering ships.

11 Apr 2003

Northland Returns Home from Operation Liberty Shield

The Coast Guard Cutter Northland is scheduled to return to its homeport today at 10 a.m. following a 63-day homeland security patrol for Operation Liberty Shield off the Virginia coast. Northland led a maritime security squadron (MSS) guarding the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. At times, Northland coordinated the patrol efforts of two U.S. Navy Coastal Patrol Boats and many fixed winged and rotary aircraft. Northland coordinated this multi-asset patrol effort to increase maritime domain awareness and monitor shipping traffic for threats to America and the ports and waterways from Hampton Roads, Va., to Baltimore. When the homeland security advisory system was changed to level orange…