Freighter Runs Aground in Elizabeth River
The U.S. Coast Guard said it is investigating a 590-foot, 35,000 dwt freighter that ran aground Wednesday night in the Elizabeth River near Hospital Point in Portsmouth. A pilot aboard the 2013-built Hanze Goteborg, a Netherlands-flagged freighter carrying soy beans, contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads Command Center watchstanders at approximately 10:30 p.m. reporting the ship soft aground with no reported injuries, pollution or damage. Sector watchstanders dispatched a crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat - Medium, who arrived on scene at approximately 11:45 p.m. to assess damage and continue to monitor the situation. Though the waterway was partially obstructed, it remained open to vessel traffic with restrictions.
Navy's Newest Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron Commissioned
A commissioning ceremony was held May 20 for Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron (NCWRON) 4 at Hospital Point Park at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va. The pennant of commissioning was broken by the squadron’s first commanding officer, Cmdr. NCWRON 4 is the seventh NCWRON, the first active-duty unit on the east coast, and is comprised of a Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit, Inshore Boat Units (IBU) 41, 42, 43 and staff. “The overall mission of our combined units and staff is to conduct port security, coastal surveillance and interception as necessary, as well as protect any maritime asset and infrastructure that we may be tasked,” said Campbell. Campbell continued by saying he was proud of his squadron and that he has a motivated crew.
