Incident Command News

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. based maritime and industrial mechanical service repair specialist Advanced Mechanical Enterprises (AME) announced it has appointed Paul Savage as its new Operations Manager.With over 30 years of leadership and project management experience, Savage joins the AME management team from Veolia North America, where he served as Vice President, managing complex industrial and government contracts. At Veolia, Savage was at the helm of commercial, state, and federal contracts…

The most important of all international maritime safety conventions is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The first version was adopted at a conference in London in 1914. The catalyst for this conference was the sinking of the Titanic on her first voyage in April 1912, which cost the lives of more than 1,500 passengers. This was the beginning of the journey that put in place a regulatory framework to protect those who work and travel by sea.Whilst the sinking of the Titanic was not fire-related…

Sea Change - America’s first hydrogen powered ferrySWITCH Maritime’s new 70-foot passenger ferry Sea Change is navigating uncharted waters as the United States’ first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry.The pioneering aluminum newbuild, constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), has been completed and was launched this summer, though permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels is still being worked out with the U.S. Coast Guard.“Legislation and laws for passenger safety did not exist yet for this type of vessel.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) signed an updated memorandum of Uunderstanding (MOU) to institutionalize best practices developed during recent joint investigations including El Faro, Stretch Duck 7, Golden Ray and Conception.The NTSB and the Coast Guard entered into this MOU to facilitate timely cooperation between the agencies as they carry out their respective statutory missions. The MOU is intended to assist in determining which agency will lead certain major marine casualties and accidents involving public and non-public vessels.

Salvage crews have once again paused operations to remove the Golden Ray wreck outside Georgia's Port of Brunswick, this time for "routine maintenance" on the equipment being used to cut and separate sections of the hulking overturned car carrier. Considered one of the most complex wreck removals in U.S. history, the project has been plagued by a number of setbacks since salvage operations commenced in 2019. Teams have already encountered delays relating to difficult environmental conditions…

California-based boatbuilder Moose Boats has delivered a new fireboat to the Rochester, N.Y. Fire Department. The M2-38, dubbed Marine 1, is the first Moose in the Great Lakes. With a roof monitor, a cockpit monitor, a 5” large diameter hose Storz discharge, and the ability to pump over 1,500 gallons per minute, this boat will offer greatly increased capabilities to the city and its surrounding communities, the builder said.Rochester Fire Department's new boat has an extended walk-around cabin configured with three shock-mitigating crew seats…

Brian Bailey, Director of Safety and Environmental Stewardship for the American Waterways Operators (AWO), was recently named a 2020 Rising Star of Safety by the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit public service organization promoting health and safety in the U.S. Marine News spoke with Bailey about workboat safety and the AWO’s mission to protect industry workers, assets and the environment.Please tell us a bit about yourself and your role at AWO.I’ve been with The American Waterways Operators as its Director of Safety & Environmental Stewardship since 2016…

Good maritime training provides much more than the certifications, licenses and documentation needed to qualify for the job. It goes beyond preparing crews to carry out onboard functions safely and efficiently day in and day out. Well-trained mariners have the skills and knowledge to handle almost anything thrown their way – even when confronting the unexpected. But what happens when the unexpected is a pandemic?COVID-19’s effects on industries across the world have been widespread and diverse, forcing businesses to adjust to an entirely new set of global circumstances.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA, often called the Clean Water Act), as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), provides:If a discharge, or a substantial threat of a discharge, of oil or a hazardous substance from a vessel, offshore facility, or onshore facility is of such a size or character as to be a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States (including but not limited to fish, shellfish, wildlife, other natural resources…

In today’s environment, the overarching challenge for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry is to continue transporting the vital commodities that help keep our nation’s economy moving during a highly uncertain time, while taking all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of our workforce as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve – in other words, to ensure business continuity, while recognizing we are not, nor can we be, going about business as usual.

The combination of the coronavirus pandemic and oil price freefall have affected most maritime markets, including inland waterway shipping. Looking at U.S. river transport in particular, the impacts of these two black swan events vary greatly depending on the type of cargo being carried.David Grzebinski, CEO of the America’s largest tank barge operator, Kirby Corp., said in a March conference call that petrochemical customers have driven the market higher as plants and refineries look to shore up their supply chains amid current market upheavals…

Moose Boats, a boat designer and manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, was awarded a contract from the City of Rochester, New York Fire Department for the construction of the first M2-38 Fire Rescue Catamaran to be delivered to the Great Lakes. Twin Cummins 425hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc transmissions and Hamilton water-jets will power the M2-38 aluminum catamaran. Rochester Fire's new Moose Boat will be equipped with a fire pump system flowing over 1,500…

U.S. salvage industry update: Coast Guard recognition and continuous improvement for the domestic salvage industry and its working professionals.Professional salvors are called in when the ship’s crew is overwhelmed – the last resort to protect lives, minimize environmental impacts and save the ship and cargo. These salvage masters, divers, firefighters, naval architects, heavy lift operators and other salvage team members regularly go into harm’s way and consistently perform incredible feats. They commit their lives and livelihoods to this work.

San Francisco Bay Area boat designer and builder Moose Boats said it has been awarded a contract from The City of Memphis Fire and Police Departments for the construction of a M2-38 Fire Rescue and Patrol Catamaran.Twin Cummins engines at 425hp each with Hamilton water jets will power the boat, which is being built to respond to incidents on the Mississippi River and in The Port of Memphis, Tenn. Memphis Fire and Police’s new boat will be equipped with a single Hale fire pump flowing close to 2,000 gallons per minute of water through Task Force Tips fire monitors and valves.The M2 will be equipped with a host of Simrad electronics including multifunction navigation screen…

California based boat builder Moose Boats said it was awarded a contract from North Beach Volunteer Fire Department in Chesapeake Beach, Md., for the construction of a M1-46 Fire Rescue Catamaran. North Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Calvert County, Md. jointly funded the purchase of the new Moose Boat which will respond to incidents on the majority of the western shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Twin Cummins QSC8.3 600hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc 5075SC transmissions and Hamilton HJ322 water-jets will power the M1-46 aluminum catamaran. North Beach VFD’s new M1 Moose Boat will be equipped with a Hale fire pump flowing 2,500 gallons per minute of fire suppression water, Task Force Tips fire monitors and valves and firefighting foam storage.

Just two weeks after accepting the U.S. Coast Guard’s congratulations on a military career spanning almost three decades, Rob Nakama drove from Washington D.C. to Seattle to join Foss Maritime as the company’s Manager of Contingency Planning and Emergency Response. “I’ve been in the military for the majority of my life; the transition has been surreal,” he said. Nakama was born in Hawaii, growing up on the island of Maui as the son of a taro farmer who worked for the Aloha Poi Factory.

Responders are continuing the search for five missing Army aviators from a downed Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter approximately two miles west of Ka'ena Point, Oahu, Wednesday. En route is Coast Guard Cutter Walnut (WLB 205) and crew, a 225-foot buoy tender homeported in Honolulu. None of the aviators have been located yet. Debris has been spotted and recovered near Ka'ena Point by responders. A joint forward incident command post has been established at Hale'iwa Boat Harbor to coordinate search and rescue efforts. Debris from the crash should be considered hazardous material and should only be recovered by recovery teams with the proper training and personal protective equipment. The debris poses potential risk and could cause serious bodily harm due to sharp edges.

Delgado’s Simulator Suite is comprised of three interactive Full Mission Bridge simulators. Simulators are used for Wheelhouse Proficiency Management classes to provide scenarios on navigating waterways on different types of vessels. Simulators can be programmed to run three vessels at the same time, so that students in all three wheel houses can communicate and interact with each other. Both conventional and Z-Drive controls can be used in the training. In the past 12 months…

On the 6th of August 2016, the official opening ceremony for The Centre for Integrated Management and Monitoring of the Coastal Zone was inaugurated by Mr. Boyko Borisov, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria. At the opening ceremony were present the Rector of the Academy, Commodore Prof. DSc Boyan Mednikarov and Deputy Chief of Educational and Scientific Activities, Captain Prof. Dr Kalin Kalinov. Among the official guests were parliament members from the Bulgarian government, representatives of other Bulgarian authorities, members of the military, ambassadors and representatives of the maritime industry. Following the delivery of a NAUTIS Class A Full Mission Bridge Simulator and a RescueSim Incident Command Simulator in 2014…

Todd Schauer is Director of Operations at Resolve Marine Group, as well as President of the American Salvage Association. After graduating from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a degree in Naval Architecture in 1991, he followed that up with graduate degrees in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. And, while his considerable U.S. Coast Guard experience includes shipboard engineering, marine safety, advanced engineering and emergency response, he is best known for his longtime role in the commercial salvage business.

Canada based naval architect and marine engineering firm Robert Allan Ltd. is a leading designer of high-performance response vessels of many types and in particular, large fireboats for major ports worldwide. In addition to the vessels’ outwardly obvious role of fighting fires, these vessels also serve as incident command centers or as primary response vessels for any local emergency actions requiring water-based control. Robert Allan Ltd. was awarded a contract in the summer of 2011 to prepare plans and specifications for a pair of fireboats for the Port of Long Beach, Calif.

At nearly 663,000 square miles, Alaska is the biggest state in the United States and over twice the size of Texas. The state’s size and the remoteness of its northern communities make emergency response challenging. In response to growing economic and tourism interests in the Arctic, Coast Guard District 17, Alaska Command and the State of Alaska and other state and federal partners will conduct a mass rescue exercise called Operation Arctic Chinook in Tin City and Kotzebue August 23-24.

In a brand new 19,000 square foot Maritime and Industrial Training Center in New Orleans, the Delgado Fire and Industrial School offers training via a combination of Transas and XVR simulation technology. Delgado is the first training center in the world to deploy XVR Incident Command simulation solutions in conjunction with its suite of Transas full mission, part task and classroom marine simulators. The center will be attended by 10,000 students each year. This is the first…