Pilot Miscue Caused Barging Collision on the Mississippi River -NTSB
A towing vessel pilot incorrectly recalling the agreed-upon passing arrangement led to tows colliding last year in the Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.According to the Inland Navigation Rules, when two vessels are meeting or crossing, each vessel shall signal its maneuvering intentions by using the vessel’s whistle or VHF radio. About 20 minutes before the 19-barge Big D tow and 42-barge Carol McManus tow met at the bend near Fort Adams…
US Coast Guard Cutter Maurice Jester Commissioned
The U.S. Coast Guard’s newest cutter, the Coast Guard Cutter Maurice Jester (WPC-1152), was commissioned on Friday at Fort Adams State Park, R.I.Lt. Terry Netusil, assumed command of the cutter during a ceremony presided over by Vice Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander. The Maurice Jester is the third of six Fast Response Cutters that will be homeported in Boston, serving along the 1st Coast Guard District.Built by Bollinger Shipyards, the Sentinel-class fast response cutter (FRC) is designed for multiple missions…
Spaniards Sparkle in Volvo Ocean Race
Spanish boat MAPFRE led the Volvo Ocean Race fleet out of Newport, Rhode Island, and into the most challenging of the remaining three legs through the North Atlantic, reports AFP. Newport was the only North American stopover on this year's race, which ends in June in Goteborg, Sweden. The stopover has been so successful that race officials have changed their normal protocol and offered the Newport organizers an exclusive two-month window to seal a deal on the next race as the only North American stopover. During the 12 day stopover, the race village at Fort Adams State Park saw 125,000 fans come through and participate in the various events taking place. That number is five times the population of Newport and five times the number of visitors that last U.S.
SSV Oliver Hazard Perry Scheduled for Newport Appearance
Fundraiser, dedication ceremony and public visits to highlight ship’s visit over July 4 weekend. It’s not just Rhode Island but the whole of North America that is watching as the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry becomes a reality. The 196-foot, three-masted, square rigged tall ship, currently under construction and designated by the legislature and the Governor of Rhode Island as the state’s official “Sailing Education Vessel,” is well on its way to becoming the largest civilian sail training vessel in North America and the first oceangoing full-rigged ship to be built in the U.S. in over 100 years.
Undersea Warfare Center - Virtual Presence
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport will become the first Department of the Navy command with a virtual world presence when it launches Virtual NUWC on Linden Labs’s 3D online world Second Life at the Undersea Defense Technology (UDT) Pacific Conference in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday, November 5. A virtual research and development facility covering 128 virtual acres representing the NUWC Newport campus dotted with recognizable Newport landmarks, Virtual NUWC is capable of supporting more than 500 avatars at any one time. The campus features replicas of many NUWC laboratories actually located on the NUWC campus, as well as additional facilities, including a visitors’ center, movie theaters, submarine replicas, an electronic library, and underwater exhibits.
Cutter Commissioned in RI
The Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark, an 87-ft. coastal patrol boat, was commissioned by Rear Adm. David Pekoske, Coast Guard First District commander, in a ceremony held at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I., today. Key attendees included U.S. Congressman Jim Langevin, representative for the Second District of Rhode Island, who delivered the keynote address, the Congressman's mother June Barrett Langevin, was the cutter's sponsor, and a representative of Bollinger Shipyard Inc. Lt.j.g. Grant Thomas assumed command of the Tiger Shark. The cutter was named after one of the most feared sharks in the world and gets its name from the dark stripes across its back. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Lisa M. Hennings
Proposal: Safety Zone around LNG Tankers
The state Senate of Massachusetts could soon consider a bill that would effectively ban tanker ships carrying liquefied natural gas from moving along Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River. Lawmakers in the House passed the bill on May 10. If approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Don Carcieri, the legislation could severely hinder the operations of a proposed LNG facility in Fall River, Mass. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved Weaver's Cove Energy's plan to build a $250m LNG terminal at a former Shell Oil site on the banks of the Taunton River. The terminal would be serviced by tankers that move through Narragansett Bay.
House Bill to Block LNG Tankers From R.I. Waters
The House of Representatives on May 10 joined a growing list of official bodies erecting hurdles in front of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Fall River, Mass. The House unanimously approved legislation that would, in effect, block LNG tankers from sailing through Rhode Island waters to get to the terminal. Sponsored by Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr., D-Bristol, the bill would prevent any tanker from coming within 1,000 yards of any residences, piers, docks, wharves or waterfront facilities. A tanker sailing to Fall River would have to pass within 600 yards of Fort Wetherill in Jamestown, 700 yards of Fort Adams, 400 yards of Sandy Point lighthouse on Prudence Island, 700 yards of the Prudence Island ferry dock and 500 yards of Arnold's Point in Portsmouth.
