Coast Guard Responds To Barge Fire
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of a fire that occurred during the transfer of fuel on board a barge at the Citgo Bulk Storage and Distribution Facility in . A 49-year-old man from , was on board the 592-ft. barge SMT Two, operated by the Jacksonville-based company Intrepid Ship Management Inc., and was monitoring the transfer of gasoline when a fire started in a machinery space below him. The man was able to evacuate the space but suffered burns on his hands and face. He was transferred to by emergency medical service personnel. His condition is unknown. Another crewmember was able to close the space and put out the fire with installed fire-extinguishing equipment. The SMT Two arrived from , and is carrying 75,000 barrels of jet fuel and 15,000 barrels of gasoline.
All "Eyes" On The Engines
According to a leading classification society, the "torque limiting device" requirement for a single diesel engine installation can be waived when a coupling monitoring device is installed. The U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) employs Vulkan Monitoring Devices on Ready Reserve Force ships to enable a crew to recognize changes in a ship's propulsion system that are not identified by standard alarm systems. The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) was established in 1976 and provides prompt sealift support for rapid deployment of U.S. military Forces for peacekeeping or humanitarian missions. Early in the Bosnian conflict, the U.S. was called upon to supply sealift capability to move NATO vehicles, ammunition and support equipment to Croatia.
