Guard Sector Delaware Bay News

A fire broke out on board a refrigerated cargo ship at the Port of Wilmington, in Delaware, late Monday evening.The crew aboard the Dole containerized fruit carrier contacted U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay at approximately midnight, reporting that an engine fire erupted shortly after leaving port.The vessel quickly activated its firefighting system, energizing a carbon dioxide system to flood the engine room and rob the fire of oxygen, and safely moored back to the pier.

An ailing tugboat crewmember was medically evacuated approximately 10 miles north of Manasquan Inlet, N.J. on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay Command Center in Philadelphia received an alert that the individual was suffering from abdominal pain while aboard the 33.5-meter tugboat Saint Emilion.A 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet launched to meet the tugboat after the Delaware Bay Command Center consulted with a Coast Guard flight surgeon who recommended medical evacuation for the individual.Once on scene, the MLB boatcrew removed the crewman from the vessel and transferred him to emergency medical services that were waiting on scene at the Station.

The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced the captain off of a cargo ship approximately 25 miles off the coast of Ocean City, Md., Tuesday.Crewmembers aboard the Panamanian flagged cargo ship Balsa 84, which was in route to the Delaware Bay area, contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay's command center at approximately 10:20 a.m. and notified them that the 61-year-old Filipino man was exhibiting symptoms of a possible heart attack and needed medical assistance.Watchstanders launched an aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City to assist.Once on scene…

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led multi-agency examination of shipping containers at the Philadelphia seaport netted a historic load of cocaine, the largest cocaine seizure in the 230-year history of U.S. Customs and CBP, with an estimated weight of over 17.5 tons and a street value of about $1.1 billion.During a midstream joint boarding Sunday night, CBP, HSI, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities detected anomalies while examining seven shipping containers aboard the MSC Gayane…

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued four people from a life raft after a commercial fishing vessel caught fire about 16 miles southeast of Cape May, N.J., Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.Crew members aboard the 75-foot fishing vessel Ocean Pearl activated Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and abandoned ship after an electrical fire ignited on board around 10:30 a.m.Once aboard their life raft, the Ocean Pearl’s crew used a handheld radio to contact watchstanders…

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is monitoring the salvage of a partially-sunken commercial fishing vessel in Manasquan Inlet, N.J.Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center received notification at 2 a.m. Saturday that the 44-foot fishing vessel Miss Kathleen allided with the northern Manasquan Inlet jetty and was taking on water with three people and a dog aboard.The Miss Kathleen’s captain intentionally grounded the vessel on Dog Beach, about 20 yards outside the channel.

The U.S. Coast Guard is known for saving lives at sea, but did you know the service plays a huge role in the economy, too?As a regulatory entity, the Coast Guard conducts marine inspections on vessels entering United States ports to make sure the vessels do not pose a safety, security, or environmental threat to the country. With 90 percent of U.S. imports and exports entering or exiting the country by ship, these inspections ensure there is fuel at the gas station, food in the store and presents at birthday parties.But even before a ship ever gets in the water…

The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies are responding Tuesday to an oil sheen in the Schuylkill River.   The Coast Guard received a report of a sheen on the river between Market Street and South Street in Philadelphia Monday, but crews were not able to locate its origin.   Agencies involved include Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, Philadelphia Fire Department and Philadelphia Police Department.

The Mariners’ Advisory Committee for the Bay and River Delaware, the Pilots Association for the Bay and River Delaware, and the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay applaud the inclusion of a $4.6 million request for aids to navigation, or ATONs, in President Obama’s FY17 U.S. Coast Guard budget justification. "Thanks to efforts last year by Sens. Cory Booker, Robert Casey, Christopher Coons, and Robert Menendez, the president's FY17 budget includes a proposal for an additional $4.6 million for U.S. Coast Guard to improve safety and navigation aids on the Delaware River," said Jonathan Kemmerley, chairman of the Mariners’ Advisory Committee. "I was encouraged to see the president's budget request include $4.6 million to be used for improving navigation on the Delaware River.

The Coast Guard oversaw the refloating of a barge and tugboat Sunday near Absecon Inlet. The 77-foot Miss Katie experienced a loss of power Saturday and ran aground north of the Absecon Inlet, and the 135-foot barge drifted and ran aground on the south side of the north jetty. Personnel from Coast Guard Station Atlantic City arrived on scene Saturday, but due to weather conditions, salvage operations for the tug and barge were suspended. "Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay's Incident Management Division oversaw salvage and pollution prevention operations of the tug and barge today on Brigantine Beach, New Jersey," said Lt. j.g. Terry Plank, the federal on-scene coordinator representative. "Both the tug and barge were successfully removed from the beach and jetty respectively.

The Coast Guard medevaced a fisherman 75 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey, Thursday. The 43-year-old man was fishing with three other people aboard the 80-foot fishing boat Starbrite when he started experiencing difficulty breathing and numbness of his extremities. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia received initial notification Thursday at approximately 8:30 a.m. A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey, arrived on scene at approximately 11 a.m. The helicopter crew hoisted the man and transferred him to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Maryland. A C-130 Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, also responded to the

The Captain of the Port (COTP), Delaware Bay, has set a modified Port Condition WHISKEY due to the anticipated arrival of a severe winter storm that will impact the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware area in the next 72 hours. The COTP has determined the ports of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington and surrounding areas will likely experience high winds, increased seas, and excessive tide variations. Members of the port community should take adequate precautions and review the Severe Weather Contingency Plan. * Vessels must have effective mooring and anchorage arrangements for anticipated storm surge and winds; vessel agents are asked to notify vessel masters of this requirement. * Facilities must minimize debris that could become missile hazards.

The Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay, is notifying mariners that vessel traffic transiting the Delaware River and Schuylkill River, in vicinity of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from September 25, 2015 to September 28, 2015 will likely experience delays. As a preventative measure, we ask maritime stakeholders in the region, ranging from large vessels to uninspected passenger vessels, to provide advanced notification and to engage with our Papal Visit Maritime Operations Center’s (MOC) and the Marine Transportation System Recovery Unit (MTSRU), well in advance of anticipated vessel transits between September 25th and 28th. The MTSRU can be reached at [email protected] or 267-515-7294 FREE.

The Coast Guard is overseeing salvage efforts Tuesday for a motor vessel aground on the Delaware River. The 328-foot Netherlands-flagged motor vessel, Bermuda Islander, lost power and propulsion Monday at approximately 9 p.m. before running aground near Salem, New Jersey. No injuries or pollution have been reported. There were 12 people aboard the ship when it ran aground. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia are maintaining an hourly communications schedule with the Delaware River Pilots regarding the ship’s status. Donjon Marine has been identified as the contracted salvage company. "Our goal is to get the vessel safely back underway while mitigating pollution…

Valerii Georgiev, a Russian citizen and former chief mate of the ocean cargo vessel M/V Murcia Carrier, was sentenced to a term of three months prison for failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), by the Honorable Joseph Rodriguez, the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced today. APPS requires vessels like the M/V Murcia Carrier to maintain a record known as an oil record book in which all transfers and disposals of oil-contaminated waste, including the discharge overboard of such waste, must be fully and accurately recorded.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay is alerting mariners of a safety zone to mitigate the risks associated with the Tall Ships Philadelphia Camden 2015 Parade of Sail. The safety zone is effective 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on June 25, 2015. A safety zone will also be enforced for the Tall Ships Philadelphia Camden 2015 Fireworks, from 8:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on June 27, 2015. The Captain of the Port representative will be on scene during these events and can be contacted on VHF channel 16. Entry into, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the COTP Delaware Bay, or his on-scene representative. Once operations are concluded, an informational broadcast will inform mariners that the safety zone is no longer being enforced.

The Captain of the Port (COTP) Delaware Bay is notifying mariners that Ice Condition II has been modified to expand STEEL HULL RESTRICTIONS in the Delaware River. There have been reports of ice formation that may impact navigation throughout the COTP zone. * Only steel hull vessels may operate in the Delaware River north of the Betsy Ross Bridge, in the Salem River, and within the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) Canal. * Vessels should be able to maneuver unassisted through the ice without needing to stop, back off and ram the ice. * Vessel moorings should be checked frequently to ensure the vessel is adequately moored. * Vessels at anchor should maintain their engines on standby at all times when ice is present.

The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Capstan, Cleat and Chock are working this winter to break ice and maintain navigable waterways from the Delaware River, through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, down to Tangier Island, Virginia. The crew of the Baltimore-based Chock traveled to Tangier Island to break ice and aid residents by delivering groceries and medical supplies. While assisting Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, another crew was needed to take over the Sector Baltimore ice-breaking mission. The crew of the Cleat left Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay to assist Baltimore during the Chocks’ deployment to Tangier Island. “As the Coast Guard, we’re pretty limited in our ice-breaking assets,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer A. J. Pulkkinen, the officer-in-charge of Cleat.

The Captain of the Port (COTP) Delaware Bay is notifying mariners that Upper Delaware River lighted buoy 33 (LLNR 3875) and Upper Delaware River lighted buoy 36 (LLNR 3920) are in the center line of the channel. Buoy 33 is 550 yards north of the charted position and currently located in the center of Edgewater Channel. Buoy 36 is 150 yards north of charted position and currently located in the center of Edgewater Channel. Mariners are advised to exercise caution when transiting the area as these off station buoys could present a threat to navigation. (For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at [email protected]) Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Delaware Bay, Marine Safety Information Bulletin # 12-15 dated 27 February 2015

Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay is investigating a ship aground in the Delaware River near the Burlington Bristol Bridge, which connects Burlington, NJ and Bristol Township, PA.   The Liberian-flagged 600-foot bulk carrier, Agia Irini, was headed southbound when it reportedly lost propulsion and ran aground at approximately 2 p.m.   Philadelphia's ABC affiliate has video of the grounding.   No injuries or pollution were reported following the incident.   The crew of the 65-foot Coast Guard Cutter Cleat responded to the scene to investigate.   The ship was refloated and is en route to safe anchorage for further Coast Guard investigation.

The Coast Guard rescued five people from a boat following an engine fire near the Indian River Inlet Bridge Sunday. A person aboard the 36-foot Sport Fisher, Outcast, used a VHF-FM radio to call watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday. The man reported an engine fire disabled the boat and they were in need of assistance. A 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew from Coast Guard Station Indian River arrived on scene, transferred the five people aboard the MLB and transported the people back to shore with no reported injuries. “The boaters said they were coming up to speed to go fishing and the engine started to make a strange noise,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Bryan Thurman.

The Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay, is setting Hurricane Seasonal Alert. Seasonal Alert is automatically set annually on June 1st and remains in effect through November 30th, unless otherwise dis-established. All vessels, facilities and marinas are asked to take adequate precautions and review the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay Port Hurricane Contingency Plan and their individual Heavy Weather Plans. For a copy of the latest Port Hurricane Contingency Plan, contact Sector Delaware Bay planning at 215-271-4908 or log onto the USCG's Homeport website at: homeport.uscg.mil. Facility managers and ship agents are requested to ensure…

Norbulk Shipping UK Ltd, a company based in Glasgow, U.K., and operator of the reefer cargo ship M/V Murcia Carrier, pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and providing false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) concerning the vessel’s garbage record book. The company was sentenced to pay a criminal penalty of $750,000 and placed on three years of probation by the Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced today. “Our oceans are life giving and life sustaining resources that our country and our world depend upon,” said Assistant Attorney General John C.