Virgin Island News

Franklin, La. shipbuilder Gulf Craft LLC in November kicked off construction on new Incat Crowther-designed passenger ferry for the U.S Virgin Islands.The new USCG Subchapter-K approved, 104-foot (32-metre) vessel will service the busy tourist and commuter route between Red Hook on the island of St. Thomas, and Cruz Bay on the island of St. John. Currently, two other Incat Crowther-designed 28-metre vessels service this route.The simple yet stylish new ferry will be designed with…

For maritime security experts, there were many lessons learned after the 2011 Republican National Convention in Tampa. That’s why those experts are meeting now in Cleveland, the site of the 2016 RNC to learn from the professionals who planned and executed the maritime safety and security efforts for the Tampa event. The Republican and Democratic conventions are considered national special security events (NSSE), and for many of these major events that are attended by huge numbers of people are on or near water.

The Coast Guard is conducting a series of formal investigations after Tuesday’s collision involving a Coast Guard cutter and a fishing vessel off the coast of Puerto Rico. Three separate investigations have been initiated and will review different aspects of the collision between the 110-foot Coast Guard cutter Key Largo and a U.S. Virgin Island fishing vessel named Sea Shepherd. The incident happened at 6:38 a.m, just east of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. No one was injured, but the Sea Shepherd sank after the collision. A Marine Casualty Investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is an independent…

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting a series of formal investigations after Tuesday’s collision involving a Coast Guard cutter and a fishing vessel off the coast of Puerto Rico. Three separate investigations have been initiated and will review different aspects of the collision between the 110-foot Coast Guard cutter Key Largo and a U.S. Virgin Island fishing vessel named Sea Shepherd. The incident happened at 6:38 a.m, just east of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. No one was injured, but the Sea Shepherd sank after the collision. A Marine Casualty Investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is an…

U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan and Resident Inspection Office St. Croix crews are assessing the condition of the 221-foot cargo ship MV Commander, after it successfully refloated Saturday afternoon from Round Reef, where it grounded Friday night just outside Christiansted Harbor in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Commander is safely anchored in the vicinity of Protestant Cay in Christiansted. Initial underwater assessments have identified that the Commander’s two rudders are missing. Besides minor scratches there appears to be no major damage to the vessels’ hull.

Coast Guard marine casualty investigators are investigating the cause of the recent grounding of the 'MV Commander' on Round Reef just outside Christiansted Harbor in the US Virgin Islands. Initial underwater assessments have identified that the Commander’s two rudders are missing. Besides minor scratches there appears to be no major damage to the vessels’ hull. No sign of oil pollution leaking from the vessel or in the surrounding area has been identified and the vessel does not present a threat to the environment at this time.

The Maritime Administration (MarAd) has approved the sale and transfer of five vessels under section 9 of the Shipping Act, of 1916, as amended. On December 12 2007, MarAd approved an application filed by Rowan Companies, Inc., of Houston, TX. for the transfer of the mobile offshore drilling unit Hank Boswell (Official No. 1183234), to Marshall Islands registry and flag. On December 27, 2007, MarAd approved an application filed by Mobro Marine, Inc., of Green Cove Springs, FL, for sale of the freight barge MB 5500 Official No. 1080955, and the transfer of said vessel to Construction Norberto Odebrecht, S.A. a Venezuelan corporation, and transfer of said vessel to Venezuelan registry and flag.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has approved four applications under Section 9 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended. Ø U.S. Bank National Association, Owner Trustee, Hartford, CT, has received approval to transfer the 57,075-gross-ton container vessel SEA-LAND INTEGRITY to Marshall Islands registry and flag without change in the ownership of said Vessel. The vessel was built in 1984 in Koje, Korea. Ø Penn Maritime, Inc., Stamford, CT, has received approval to sell the 1,542-gross-ton tank barge CHESAPEAKE to Maingral Investment, S.A., a British Virgin Island corporation, and transfer said Vessel to St. Kitts and Nevis registry and flag. The vessel was built in 1964 in Baltimore, MD.

The Maritime Administration has approved the sale and transfer of a vessel under section 9 of the Shipping Act, of 1916, as amended. MarAd has approved an application to sale Eastern Overseas, Inc., of Davenport, Florida for the sale of the ARGONAUT, Official No. 601377. The freight ship was sold to Maritime Delivery Inc., a British Virgin Island corporation, for scrapping in China.

New aluminum catamaran technology is being introduced into the U.S. Virgin Islands, where they are embracing the catamaran concept. The Virgin Island Department of Planning and Natural Resources/Police has placed in active service its first aluminum catamaran, manufactured using patented-protected technology, by Mission Marine, Ltd., in Sandusky, Ohio. The boat is based at the DPNR/Police facility in St. Thomas. The Mission 338 has the capability for extended offshore patrol and is a multi-agency craft that serves a variety of missions including DPNR, Police/Law Enforcement, Fisheries, SAR, Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement, and Port Security.

The Virgin Island Department of Planning and Natural Resources/Police has placed in active service its first aluminum catamaran, manufactured using patented-protected technology, by Mission Marine, Ltd., in Sandusky, Ohio. The boat is based at the DPNR/Police facility in St. Thomas. The Mission 338 (29’7” x 11’5”) has the capability for extended offshore patrol and is a multi-agency craft that serves a variety of missions including DPNR, Police/Law Enforcement, Fisheries, SAR, Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement, and Port Security. What makes this catamaran unique is its rough water capabilities for use offshore; its wide beam and advanced design affords extra stability and ride.