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Coast Guard Marine Safety Office News

07 Jun 2019

SAFETY: Distractions Can Sink Careers

Randy O’Neill, Senior Vice President with Lancer Insurance Company

Familiarity can and does breed contempt. You don’t need anything else added to that heavy burden.We live and work in a frenetic environment replete with a wide range of both human and technological distractions. When those two elements came together on the bridge of a towboat traveling downriver to pick up a load of empty barges, the result was career-changing for the vessel’s first mate, who was on the wheel. It was yet another costly reminder of the need for professional mariners…

28 Feb 2019

Lessons Learned: the Bow Mariner Sinking

A crew from the Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater approaches a capsized lifeboat from the Bow Mariner. U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO

The 570-foot Singapore-flagged chemical & oil tanker Bow Mariner sank 15 years ago when the ship caught fire and sustained two explosions, resulting in the deaths of 21 out of 27 crew members, 45-miles off the coast of Virginia, Feb. 28, 2004.The vessel was transporting over three million gallons of ethyl alcohol on a voyage from New York to Texas. It had previously carried methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE, in its other 22 cargo tanks that were discharged in New York.The cause of…

26 Nov 2014

Night Moves on America's Waterways

Overnight operations are certainly not unusual on America’s inland waterways, but that doesn’t make them any less hazardous. Onboard activities that seem so straightforward and customary in the light of day can take on a decidedly different feel after the sun sets and darkness envelopes the river and shrouds its banks. And, while navigational aids on the river and electronic equipment on board clearly assist nighttime vessel movements, many towboat and tug operators will tell you that fatigue, boredom and endless repetition in the sensory-deprived environment of darkness present very formidable challenges to even the most experienced rivermen.

29 Apr 2014

German Company Pays for Not Reporting Hazardos Conditions

A German company has been sentenced to pay a $1 million fine and another $250,000 to support environmental causes after pleading guilty to two felony environmental charges related to a cargo ship that entered the Port of Long Beach last year with an open crack in its hull that may have caused oil to leak into the port. The company – Herm. Dauelsberg GmbH & Co. KG – pleaded guilty yesterday morning and was sentenced immediately by United States District Judge George H. Wu. The…

17 Mar 2014

Marine Casualty Reports – Clarified

Jonathan Waldron

So you think you know when to make a marine casualty report? There has been a lot of confusion over the years as to when to make a marine casualty report with regard to certain incidents. Yet, although the Coast Guard constantly urges industry to make required reports, it has never promulgated national guidance to promote consistency in reporting based on uniform interpretation of the regulatory standards – until now. Specifically, the Coast Guard issued a Notice of Availability and Request for Comments (Notice) on January 14…

10 Apr 2008

Freighter Runs Aground

A 388-ft. Netherlands-flagged freighter ran aground in East Passage off reports said. The Coast Guard received a call that the freighter Alexandergracht was stuck on the side of the passage, near the Melville Marine District, and needed assistance. A 41-ft. boat was dispatched from Coast Guard Station Castle Hill in and was soon joined by the commercial tugboats Rainbow and Reliance as well as marine inspectors from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office in . The vessel was refloated at around the time of the 9 p.m. high tide Sunday and escorted by the tugs to deeper waters in East Passage so that inspectors could check the freighter for damage and leaks. Source:

12 Aug 2003

Coast Guard Investigating Cause of Barge Sinking on Lake Michigan

The Coast Guard is in investigating what may have caused a grain barge to sink approximately four miles off the shores of Waukegan earlier today. A team from U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Chicago will determine if last night’s weather played a factor. The 200 foot barge carrying 64,000 bushels of wheat was being towed in four to six foot seas last night when it began taking on water. At last report, the barge was floating in the water at a 90 degree angle. There were no injuries during the mishap

03 Sep 2003

News: Fraudulent Seamen Charges Brought on 5

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida has stated that five people have been indicted for bringing aliens into the United States by falsely asserting that the aliens were seamen joining ships in U.S. ports. The indicted individuals allegedly prepared false identification documents and made false statements to government officials. If convicted, the defendants face between five and 10 years' imprisonment and fines of $250,000 as to each count. Maria Machado Diaz, Larry Milton, Guillermo Vidaurre, Delber Diaz, and Marvin Joseph, Jr., are being charged with migrant smuggling. They are facing five and 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 as to each count. The agencies have been investigating Diaz and associates since October 2002.

12 Sep 2003

Collapsed Mississippi Gulf Rig Leaves 8 Injured

Parker 14 J that collapsed off the Mississippi-Louisiana coast yesterday. (U.S. Coast Guard photo). The 41 people aboard an offshore drilling rig that collapsed off the Mississippi-Louisiana coast yesterday afternoon have been rescued. Eight people were injured in the accident and were taken by New Orleans-based Coast Guard helicopters to Gulfport Regional Airport for further transfer by awaiting EMS personnel to Gulfport Memorial Hospital. With the extent of the injuries still unknown…

24 Sep 2003

Vessel Sinks at Anacortes Marina, Releases Oil

A fishing vessel at the Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes sank Tuesday morning and released more than 200-gallons of diesel fuel into the water. Divers from Global Diving and Salvage were contracted to clean up the spill. They have removed approximately 300-gallons of diesel fuel from the Miss Maddy’s starboard fuel tank. Approximately 210-gallons of fuel have been recovered from the water. An oil boom has been positioned around the vessel to contain the oil. Approximately 510-gallons of fuel has been removed from the scene. The vessel is stable and continues to discharge oil. The Miss Maddy is a 58-ft. wooden hulled vessel belonging to Harold Joseph of Marysville, Wash.

22 Oct 2003

USCG Hosts Intermodal Container Strike Force

The U.S. Multi-Agency Strike Force Operation (MASFO) for the purpose of inspecting the transportation of intermodal containers to ensure compliance with various federal, state, and local regulations. “The Coast Guard is primarily checking containers for proper blocking and bracing of hazardous materials,” said Coast Guard Ensign Tony Migliorini, Director of Compliance and Security. Local police departments check drivers for proper driving credentials, search for contraband, and inspect trucks for safety regulations. Canines from both the Coast Guard and police departments will be used. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration…

08 Dec 2003

Cargo Ship Loses Containers in Heavy Seas

The container ship Seaboard Voyager lost four of its containers approximately 18 miles north of Puerto de Tanamo, Cuba, Wednesday 2:18 p.m. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Miami received the report from the ship's master at 11:30 a.m. yesterday that Seaboard Voyager encountered rough seas and bad weather off the Cuban coast and four containers became loose. The Coast Guard instructed the master to anchor the ship off the coast of Miami so safety inspectors could make sure the ship was safe to enter the Port of Miami. After an initial safety inspection of the containers onboard, it was decided by inspectors that Seaboard Voyager was safe to enter the port.

09 Feb 2004

Inter-Agency Partners Begin Oil Spill Clean up Efforts

An unidentified source of heavy oil washed up on the shore Tuesday between Shark River Inlet, Monmouth County, and Seaside Heights, Ocean County, prompting the Coast Guard and other federal, state and local officials to begin clean-up efforts. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/Group Philadelphia along with the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team, N.J. Department of Environmental protection, Bradley, Neptune, Asbury Park and Avon Offices of Emergency Response, New Jersey State Police, Tri-State Bird Rescue, and numerous other groups are currently responding to the spill that spans the 12-mile stretch of shoreline. The spill was reported Tuesday afternoon by New Jersey State Police.

20 Feb 2004

Companies Indicted for Ocean Dumping

Shashank Pendse, a citizen of India and Chief Engineer on the ship M/V Spring Drake; MMS Co., Ltd, a Japanese company that manages the ship; and Grus Line Shipping S.A., the Panamanian company that owns the ship; were all indicted on Feb. 6 in on charges that allege they dumped oil at sea, obstructed justice and made false statements. In Aug. 2003, the Spring Drake was docked in Portland to pick up a load of grain when it was inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard. The indictment alleges that the ship dumped oil and oily sludge at sea through a pipe that bypassed the ship's pollution control equipment, the defendants attempted to conceal evidence of the illegal oil discharges, and they made false entries in the ship's Oil Record Book. The release of oil at sea can harm fish and wildlife.

24 Feb 2004

Rescue Over, Salvage to Begin

The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded its search for five crewmen missing since their offshore supply vessel sank near Pilottown, La., Saturday, and is, as of Tuesday, February 24, overseeing recovery and salvage operations to safely remove the vessel from the Southwest Pass. The Coast Guard called off its search and rescue efforts at about 5 p.m. after a final search of the area failed to locate any survivors. Coast Guard assets have been continuously involved in the search since they arrived at the scene of the accident at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, February 21. Also assisting in the search were personnel and resources from Plaquemines Parish, the New Orleans Port Authority, the La. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Navy.

27 Feb 2004

Vessel Backlog Nearly Cleared, Salvage Plan Approved

The backlog of vessels waiting to enter or exit the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River has almost cleared today and the Coast Guard is projecting that it should be completely cleared by mid-day Saturday, weather permitting.Since the Southwest Pass was reopened Wednesday afternoon to one-way vessel traffic, 70 vessels entered and 69 vessels exited the Mississippi River. Today there are 16 awaiting entry and 13 waiting to depart.Bisso Marine, the company contracted to raise and remove the Lee III from the shipping channel…

03 Mar 2004

Side-Scan Sonar Employed to Explore Bow Mariner

The U.S. Coast Guard is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Rude and will use Side Scan Sonar technology to check the condition of the T/V Bow Mariner that exploded and sank Saturday night. The 90-foot Norfolk, Va., based NOAA Ship Rude is equipped with side scan sonar technology and will sweep the area where the T/V Bow Mariner sank to acquire imagery of the condition of the vessel. This is not the first time the Rude has been used for missions like this. Previously, the RUDE assisted with the search and recovery of TWA flight 800 in 1996 and the search and recovery operations of John F. Kennedy Jr’s aircraft and Egypt Air flight 990 off the Massachusetts coast in 1999.

29 Mar 2004

Bow Mariner Salvage Operation Ends

The operation to locate and recover the missing crew from the Bow Mariner and remove fuel oil ended Friday, March 26, with the approval of the Coast Guard. The salvage effort was called off after a comprehensive search using a sophisticated ROV (remotely operated vehicle), an analysis of high-resolution video images and evaluating extensive soundings of the sunken vessel's fuel tanks. "We are saddened because we did not locate any of the 18 missing seamen," said a joint statement by Ceres and Odfjell, respectively the managers and owners of the Bow Mariner. Salvage experts retained by Ceres and Odfjell presented the results of their findings to Coast Guard officers at Norfolk's Marine Safety Office Friday.

29 Mar 2004

Cargo Ship Grounds Off Florida

Coast Guard Marine Safety Office and Group Miami are overseeing response operations to the grounding of the 544-foot cargo ship Eastwind, which was attempting to enter Port Everglades, Fla. early this morning. Titan Maritime, LLC will focus on refloating the M/V EASTWIND at next high tide, at approximately 12:10 am. Commercial salvage engineers are taking precautions, in the event that fuel tanks are threatened aboard the vessel. These will consist of an internal transfer of heavy oil from a lower tank to the upper wing tanks to reduce the risk of a spill. Currently, no signs of pollution or injuries have been reported. The Coast Guard continues to monitor and assist, to protect the marine environment and ensure that operations are conducted safely.

15 Mar 2004

Pump Problem Stops Ship

inoperable emergency fire pump on board.The merchant vessel Suijin, which is homeported in Panama, was boarded at the Blair Terminal in Tacoma by a Port State Control Boarding Team from Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound to conduct a routine examination. fire pump it was discovered that the Suijin’s emergency fire pump was inoperable, which is a Safety of Life at Sea violation. The Suijin was then required to take corrective action prior to departing the Blair Terminal. The Suijin temporarily fixed the pump and was given permission by the Coast Guard to proceed to their next port of call, Port Hueneme, Calif. The vessel must have the pump replaced before leaving Port Hueneme.

15 Mar 2004

Vessel detained in Tacoma

The Coast Guard detained a merchant vessel Wednesday evening for having an inoperable emergency fire pump on board. The merchant vessel Suijin, which is homeported in Panama, was boarded at the Blair Terminal in Tacoma by a Port State Control Boarding Team from Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound to conduct a routine examination. The boarding team began the inspection at 11:00 a.m., while testing the emergency fire pump it was discovered that the Suijin’s emergency fire pump was inoperable, which is a Safety of Life at Sea violation. The Suijin was then required to take corrective action prior to departing the Blair Terminal. The Suijin temporarily fixed the pump and was given permission by the Coast Guard to proceed to their next port of call, Port Hueneme, Calif.

09 Mar 2004

Coast Guard Swears in Members of AMS

On March 8, at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-53) and Rear Admiral Kevin Eldridge, Eleventh Coast Guard District Commander presided over the ceremony recognizing the establishment of the San Diego Area MaritimeSecurity (AMS) Committee. The formal establishment of an AMS Committee is one of the key measures of Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. As we commemorate the first anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security, this event marks a significant milestone in the effort to secure one of the Nation’s most strategic ports. The AMS Committee is composed of 22 members from all levels of government, maritime industry stakeholders, and the private sector. It will be Chaired by Commander Stephen P.

04 Mar 2004

Bow Mariner Update: Oil Recovery Ops Continue

According to the Coast Guard, the Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) oil recovery vessel VIRGINIA RESPONDER began skimming operations, however, recoverable oil is widely dispersed and the amount recovered has been minimal to date. A helicopter has been flying throughout the day to locate patches of oil and direct the skimming vessel. The oil spill recovery vessel has been on-scene since Monday prepared to recover oil. Previous flights of the area located oil that was too spotty, patchy and widely dispersed to efficiently pick-up. On-scene conditions are favorable. During a Tuesday over flight, patches of oil were located in the area where the T/V BOW MARINER sank Saturday night.