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Thorough Search News

01 Jul 2021

Interview: Chris Deegan, President & Chief Executive, Gibbs & Cox

Chris Deegan (Photo: Gibbs & Cox)

In 1985, Chris Deegan was hired out of Penn State as a nuclear submarine cost estimator by the Naval Sea Systems Command and retired nearly 28 years later as the Executive Director of PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, with the last 10 as a member of the Senior Executive Service. He’s been with Gibbs & Cox since 2013, first as the Vice President of Engineering, and as President and Chief Executive since 2016.Please give a “by the numbers” look at Gibbs & Cox today.Since our founding in 1929…

06 Aug 2020

American Commercial Barge Line Names Ellis as CEO

© Ronald / Adobe Stock

U.S. inland barge transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has named Mike Ellis as the company’s new chief executive officer and a member of its board of directors, effective August 17, 2020.Ellis will take the helm following ACBL's recently completed Chapter 11 recapitalization and restructuring, succeeding retiring president and CEO Mark Knoy, who has led the company since 2011.“Following a thorough search, we are delighted to welcome Mike Ellis as ACBL’s new CEO…

09 Apr 2020

First YM Efficiency Containers Retrieved

The first container loaded onto the MV Pride contains furniture products.(Photot: AMSA)

Work is underway to retrieve dozens of containers lost from a containership off the coast of Australia, with the first boxes raised to the surface this week. The first container was recovered from the seafloor on Monday using a hydraulic crane and rigging, remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and a specially manufactured steel basket, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said. Another two boxes were lifted in the days following.The recovered containers are among more than 80 lost from containership YM Efficiency in the Tasman Sea…

07 Mar 2019

Australia Searching for Lost WWII Destroyer

HMAS Vampire (© Commonwealth of Australia 2018)

A joint effort between the Royal Australian Navy and the Sri Lankan Navy will set out to solve one of the remaining maritime mysteries of World War II, after new information has come to light regarding the whereabouts of a sunken warship.Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire sank on April 9, 1942 as the result of an intensive Japanese air attack off the Sri Lankan coast. The destroyer was broken in half by several bombs and went down in less than 10 minutes, killing nine sailors while hundreds more were rescued by the hospital ship Vita and local fishing vessels.

31 Dec 2018

Royal Austalian Navy Seizes Illegal Drug Shipments

Photo: © Commonwealth of Australia

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has seized more than 900 kilos of heroin worth approximately $279 million* during two boarding operations that took place 21–23 Dec 18 as part of Operation MANITOU.Ballarat conducted flag verification checks by boarding vessels of interest, under the direction of the Combined Maritime Forces’ (CMF) Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 in international waters in the Arabian Sea. The fishing vessels, known as dhows, were believed to be engaging in illegal activity.The boarding team discovered and seized illegal narcotics on both dhows.

31 Dec 2017

Australian Navy Seizes Drug Haul in Middle East

The crew of the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Warramunga have spent the Christmas season hard at work, spending nearly three days seizing almost eight tonnes of hashish and 69 kilograms of heroin from drug smugglers while conducting maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea. Warramunga intercepted and boarded three suspect vessels between 27 and 29 December 2017, in an operation planned and coordinated by the Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task Force 150 which is currently commanded by Australia—supported by a combined Australian-Canadian staff. The illegal drug haul is the largest quantity of hashish seized by an Australian ship on Middle East maritime security operations with the overall haul estimated to be valued at around AUD$415 million.

29 Dec 2015

Drugs Seized at Sea: HMAS Melbourne Makes 4th Drug Bust

HMAS Melbourne Narcotics seizure: HMAS Melbourne is conducting Maritime security Operations under the authority of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean during her deployment in the Middle East Region on Operation MANITOU, Australians contribution to the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). (Copyright: Australian Department of Defence; Photographer ABS Bonny Gassner)

HMAS Melbourne personnel have completed a fourth successful drug seizure for Operation MANITOU after seizing 118kg of heroin from a fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean. The ship’s boarding party completed a thorough search of the vessel on December 26 and discovered 118kg of drugs hidden inside which was subsequently transported onboard HMAS Melbourne for further analysis and disposal. Specialized equipment onboard the Australian Guided Missile Frigate identified the drugs as high grade heroin which is valued at approximately $108.8 million based on Australian Crime Commission figures.

16 Jan 2014

NE England Night-time Beach Wader Disappears

MCA Rescue Officer: Image courtesy of MCA

UK's Humber Coastguard has been coordinating a search for a man seen walking in the sea in the dark near to Marsden Grotto, South Shields. A fisherman called 999 and spoke to Humber Coastguard just before 11pm last night, reporting that a man was in the water, but he soon disappeared from view. Maritime and Coastguard Agency informs that the Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team, the two RNLI lifeboats from Tynemouth were sent to the scene, along with the police helicopter and the search and rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer. Despite the extensive search, nothing has yet been found.

09 Jan 2014

Search Called off for Overboard Cruise Crewmember

The Coast Guard suspended the search Wednesday for a 34-year old male Filipino crewmember reported overboard from the cruise ship Grand Princess approximately 1,133 miles northeast of Hilo. Two Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crews from Air Station Barbers Point conducted searches of the area and dropped two Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoys. The SLDMB is used in search and rescue missions and is equipped with a GPS sensor. Upon deployment in the water, it transmits its location periodically to the Coast Guard to assist with developing search areas. As part of the AMVER program, the container ship Horizon Reliance along with the Grand Princess's sister ship Star Princess assisted in search efforts. More than 4,900 square miles were searched.

11 Dec 2013

Ship Stowaways Expensive & Inconvenient Passengers

Rudder recess stoways: Photo courtesy of West of England P&I Club

The issue of stowaways is one which has existed ever since vessels began to trade. In the twelve month period to the end of 2012 the Club handled 51 stowaway cases involving 125 persons. The total incurred value was approximately $1 million and the number of stowaways involved in each incident typically ranged from 1 to 8. However, in one particular case 22 stowaways were found among a cargo of lumber. Although most hid within the deck stow, 2 stowaways concealed themselves inside…

25 Jun 2012

LaHood Taps Helis as USMMA Superintendent

Colonel (ret.) James Helis, Ph.D., the new superintendent for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces New Superintendent for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; Says Helis is “ideal fit” to oversee Academy’s future with military, academic experience. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today named Colonel (ret.) James Helis, Ph.D., as the new superintendent for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Helis, a 30-year Army veteran, will begin work at the Academy next month after spending the past eight years as a department chair at the United States War College. “Colonel Helis is an ideal fit for the Academy,” said U.S.

26 Apr 2012

Coast Guard suspends search for overboard tug master

BOSTON — The Coast Guard has suspended its search pending further developments for a 48-year-old man who was reported to have fallen overboard from a Boston-bound tugboat approximately nine miles south of Newport, R.I., Thursday at 1:36 p.m. Coast Guard crews covered more than 775 square miles searching for the master of the New York-based 91-foot tug Steven-Scott. The crew of the Steven-Scott contacted the Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England Command Center at 2:40 p.m., Wednesday, reporting that the man was last seen at approximately 1:30 p.m. and that he may have gone overboard. “The Coast Guard conducted a thorough search with multiple assets through the night…

16 Sep 2011

Two Killed on Cruise Ship Fire

Two crew members were tragically killed and four members of crew remain in hospital following a fire on board the MS Nordlys shortly before the ship was due to arrive into Ålesund. The fire was detected on Thursday September 15th at 9.17 am as the ship was due to make its scheduled stop at Ålesund. The ship was sailing northbound from Bergen. The cause of the fire at this stage is not known. The ship is now docked in Ålesund and the fire is under control. There were 207 guests on board the MS Nordlys and a crew of 55. All are accounted for but a thorough search of the ship was completed early afternoon. Guests and crew are accommodated and taken care of along with the families of those injured and bereaved.

04 Feb 2011

NATO Warship Frees Crew from Pirates

Photo courtesy NATO

On 29 January, Dutch warship HNLMS De Ruyter, part of NATO's counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield, freed the crew from merchant vessel New York Star after they had barricaded themselves into a “safe room,” (also known as a “citadel”) when their ship came under attack by pirates. As the pirates climbed on board, the master of the New York Star was able to put out a mayday call, which was picked up by an Australian maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), which was on counter-piracy patrol in the area.

07 Oct 2009

EU NAVFOR Boards Suspected Pirate Skiff

On the morning of 3 Oct, whilst conducting a patrol in the Gulf of Aden, EU NAVFOR Belgian warship Louise-Marie intercepted a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting in the Gulf of Aden. The merchant vessel reported a skiff, a small boat regularly used by pirates, approaching to 300 meters. The helicopter of EUNAVFOR Belgian Warship Louise-Marie was immediately launched to investigate and it arrived at the scene, the skiff took off at speed from the merchant vessel. Due to the suspicious behavior of the skiff the EUNAVFOR Belgian warship Louise-Marie was ordered to board the skiff. The skiff, took off at great speed and refused to stop when ordered to do so by Louise-Marie.

20 Aug 2009

NZ Navy ROV IDs Sunken Princess Ashika

On August 18 the Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV) operating from the Royal New Zealand Navy Diving Tender, HMNZS Manawanui, has allowed formal identification to be made of the sunken vessel resting on the seabed as the Princess Ashika. The ROV identified the vessel by allowing the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) Diving and Underwater Search Team to read the ship's name plate. Conditions on the surface are not currently favorable but the Navy team is continuing with its efforts. The water clarity is reported to be very good and this has allowed the team to conduct a thorough search of the sunken vessel. One side of the Princess Ashika is obstructed and the ROV is unable to see into the passenger compartment. The vessel is sitting flat on the seabed and appears to be intact.

23 Jan 2002

IMO Issues Security Measures To Prevent Stowaways

Standards and recommended practices for dealing with stowaways have been adopted as amendments to the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention)Ships are to be thoroughly searched for stowaways on leaving high-risk ports and measures to prevent stowaways secreting themselves on board are to be tightened, following the adoption by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of new international standards and recommended practices to deal with the problem.The new measures, which will be incorporated into the Convention on Facilitation of Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), stipulate that Contracting…

20 Feb 2001

Heroes on the High Seas

On Sunday, December 17, 2000 a raging storm was brewing off the coast of Virginia. Record-breaking waves were measuring anywhere from 30-40 ft. and the wind was gusting at about 70 knots. In the middle of the Atlantic, (220 miles off the coast of Norfolk, Va. to be exact), a 600 ft. (182.8 m), 21,000-ton cruise ship was in trouble, its crewmembers ready to abandon ship into the cold ocean. With only seconds to decide the fate of his vessel, the captain of the Sea Breeze I, placed a mayday call via the vessel's Inmarsat Standard-C distress feature, indicating that the now-defunct Premier Cruise Lines' vessel might sink. By Regina P. The dramatic rescue of SeaBreeze's 34 crewmembers began on that Sunday morning, when Eileen Joyce received an alert at COMSAT Mobile's Southbury, Conn.

15 Jun 2000

A Practical Discussion Regarding Compliance

Maritime businesses are increasingly becoming the subject and target of federal criminal investigations. This is due, in part, to the increased emphasis on the enforcement of the criminal provisions of labor, customs and environmental regulatory provisions. A federal investigation of a business or corporation typically begins with federal agents serving a grand jury subpoena requiring the business to produce corporate records and documents. The subpoena requires that the business undertake a diligent and thorough search for the documents called for by the subpoena. Typically, the subpoena will also require that the business present a…

03 Oct 2002

Stelmar Selects Ernst & Young as Auditor

Stelmar Shipping Ltd. announced that the Company's Audit Committee, in consultation with the Board of Directors, has selected Ernst & Young as its new independent auditor. Stelmar does not expect this change to affect the filing of any of the Company's financial statements. Peter R. Goodfellow, CEO and president commented, "The selection of Ernst & Young follows a thorough search and evaluation process of several independent auditing firms. The audit committee, which consists of three non-executive directors, concluded that Ernst & Young LLP would bring the appropriate combination of skill and attention to the auditing effort. In keeping with best practices in corporate governance, Ernst & Young will only provide auditing related services to Stelmar."