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Oregon Coast News

19 Mar 2024

Bollinger Delivers Fast Response Cutter David Duren

(Photo: Bollinger Shipyards)

Bollinger Shipyards recently delivered the USCGC David Duren to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 182nd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 56th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.“We’re incredibly proud to deliver the USCGC David Duren, the first of three Fast Response Cutters to be homeported in Astoria, Oregon,” said Bollinger President & CEO Ben Bordelon. “We’re confident that pound for pound…

11 Oct 2023

Birdon Delivers 12th USCG Motor Lifeboat

(Photo: Birdon)

On September 22, Birdon completed work on the 12th Motor Lifeboat (MLB) and delivered it to the U.S. Coast Guard. This is the third and final boat to be delivered to Station Umpqua River, located along the Central Oregon Coast.“We’re proud to play a role in equipping the U.S. Coast Guard with state-of-the-art equipment it needs to perform lifesaving rescue missions,” said Patrick Kinser, West Coast MLB Program Manager.The 12th vessel was refurbished in Birdon’s Bellingham, Wash.

22 Jul 2023

Birdon Delivers Ninth and Tenth 47′ MLBs to the US Coast Guard

(Photo: Birdon)

Last month, Birdon delivered the ninth and tenth boats for its 47’ Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Since the contract award in 2019, Birdon has established full-rate production facilities on both the East and West coasts to facilitate the delivery process. Birdon said it remains on schedule to complete work for up to 117 47’ MLBs by 2029.On June 9, Birdon delivered the ninth boat for the Coast Guard’s 47’ MLB SLEP. The vessel was completed in Birdon’s Bellingham, Wash.

21 Oct 2022

MBARI to Transfer Research Vessel to Florida Institute of Oceanography

MBARI’s Western Flyer will take on a new life as a sailing classroom for the Florida Institute of Oceanography. (Photo: MBARI)

MBARI revealed plans to grant its 25-year-old research vessel Western Flyer to the University of South Florida where the vessel will begin a new life as a sailing classroom for the university's Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO).“We’re thrilled the Western Flyer will be sailing on to an exciting new chapter at the Florida Institute of Oceanography,” said MBARI President and CEO Chris Scholin. “The ocean plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth. With the Western Flyer…

19 Jul 2022

Bulker Crewman Medevaced off Oregon

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Facility Newport, Oregon, rescues a man from a vessel approximately 57 miles offshore Newport after he suffered a medical emergency July 18, 2022. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

An ailing crewmember was airlifted from a Panama-flagged bulk carrier of the U.S. West Coast.The U.S. Coast Guard said it received a report Saturday evening of a 29-year-old male who had suffered from a stroke and related medical complications aboard the vessel Malto Hope approximately 1,000 miles west of the Oregon coast.Watchstanders at the 13th Coast Guard District Command Center recommended the ship transit closer to shore to be within range for a medical evacuation from a Coast Guard helicopter.Once the vessel was within response range…

16 May 2022

Rogue River Dredging Set to Start in June

Aerial photo of the Port of Gold Beach, Ore. entrance, Jun. 24, 2020. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels, including jet boats, fishing guides and sport fishermen. (Photo: USACE)

Dredging of the Rogue River at Gold Beach, Ore. is scheduled to begin in June, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.In March, Army officials announced the Corps had awarded a $5.3 million contract to Tacoma, Wash.-based American Construction for the dredging operations. Corps staff anticipates dredging will run from June 1 through October 31, depending on weather.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains navigation channels along the Oregon coast and dredging is an important component of keeping the Rogue River Harbor open for recreational vessels…

24 Jan 2022

USACE Disaster Relief Includes $32.7 Million to Repair Coos Bay’s North Jetty

(Photo: Port of Coos Bay)

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay received notification from House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) included $32.7 million in their FY2022 disaster relief supplemental appropriations workplan to support repairs to the North Jetty. The Jetty has been losing approximately 20 feet per year, which has resulted in its receding a total of 900 feet since its original construction design.

11 Nov 2020

Autonomous Offshore Power Trials Get Underway off Hawaii

Image Courtesy Columbia Power Technologies

With the advent of autonomy on and under the water, part of the value proposition is the ability to stay at sea, on station, to exponentially increase efficiencies. Have the ability to repower at sea is central to this effort, as an increasing number of companies work to solve the inherent technical and logistic problems.Columbia Power Technologies (C-Power) is commencing a six-month sea trial to test and validate its SeaRAY autonomous offshore power system (AOPS), in partnership with a pair of powerhouses: the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. NavyInitially conceived during a U.S.

27 Jun 2019

Military Veteran Finds Calling in Maritime Program

Jennifer Allen. Photo: Clatsop Community College

Jennifer Allen is a U.S. military veteran who lives with PTSD. She is also a recent MERTS graduate pursuing a career in the maritime industry.MERTS (Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station) is a small campus situated just east of Astoria on the banks of the Columbia River. It is part of Clatsop Community College and houses a variety of programs including a robust maritime curriculum offering U.S. Coast Guard certifications and associate degrees.“Before coming to MERTS I was going through a rough patch,” Jennifer said.

05 Feb 2019

CG Seizes $83 million Worth of Cocaine

Courtesy Photo
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area

Oregon Coast Guard cutter returns home following counter-drug patrol, $83 million worth of cocaine seizedThe crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert returned home following a 60-day counter-drug patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, seizing more than $83 million worth of cocaine during the deployment.The crew interdicted two suspected drug smuggling vessels, yielding more than 5,700 pounds of seized cocaine while patrolling international waters in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South.

02 Oct 2018

Consolidated Ship Repair Hires Sappington

Brent Sappington (Photo: Consolidated Ship Repair)

Consolidated Ship Repair has hired marine industry veteran Brent Sappington as Marine Manager.In his new role, Sappington will oversee the execution of a diverse range of projects from ship repair and fabrication, to decommissioning and systems integration testing, to subsea and offshore construction at one of the largest waterfront shipyards in Texas.Sappington’s experience in the industry began at a young age, working on a boat off the Oregon coast with his fisherman father.

29 Jan 2015

NOAA Satellites Help Rescue 240 People Last Year

Image: NOAA

Last year, 240 people were saved from potentially life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters with help from NOAA’s fleet of weather satellites. In addition to their role in weather forecasting, NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites can detect distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers. Information captured from these satellites, including location, are then relayed to first responders on the ground who assist with search and rescue efforts.

28 May 2014

BOEM to Review Wind Energy Demonstration Project Offshore Oregon

As part of the Obama Administration's Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, develop domestic clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced today that it is seeking public comment as it prepares an Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze potential impacts of a proposed wind energy demonstration project offshore the coast of Oregon. Principle Power, Inc. (Principle Power) has requested a wind energy commercial lease from BOEM. The company proposes to design, develop and demonstrate a grid-connected, 30-megawatt (MW) offshore wind pilot demonstration project on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Coos Bay, Oregon.

22 Aug 2013

Oregon Senator to Introduce 'Marine Debris Emergency Act'

Photo courtesy of NOAA

At the recent Oregon Coast Economic Summit, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced plans to introduce the “Marine Debris Emergency Act,” a bill to help communities affected by marine debris emergencies. The bill would expedite the current grant award process made through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris program and give preference in these grants to communities facing severe debris events. “With debris from Japan’s tsunami washing up on Oregon beaches regularly, it’s clear we need an urgent response to extraordinary events like these,” Merkley said.

05 Aug 2013

OWET Conference Program Announced

Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) has announced the program for the eighth annual Ocean Renewable Energy Conference presented by the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC). “Community and Industry: Collaboration, Innovation and Opportunity” is the theme of the event that takes place September 25-26, 2013 at the Liberty Theater in Astoria, Oregon. Over the past two years, Oregon has been engaged in a one-of-a-kind effort to plan for the development of ocean wave energy in our territorial seas. OWET has been proud to represent the wave energy industry and ensure that the territorial sea plan provides a flexible and reasonable plan for accommodating ocean energy.

15 Feb 2013

Ocean Observing Conference to be Held in Newport, OR

Photo: YBOOI

The Newport Ocean Observing Conference, sponsored by the Yaquina Bay Ocean Observing Initiative, will be held April 30 and May 1 in Newport, Oregon, a growing center of marine research on the U.S. West Coast, with approximately $1 billion in marine research infrastructure investments in recent years. The conference will inform businesses and other potential partners about the burgeoning economic opportunities in the Newport region. The agenda will include presentations on the current state of major marine research projects on the Oregon coast…

14 Feb 2013

Oregon Offers Wave Energy Development Opportunites

Ocean Sentinel wave energy testing system off Newport: Photo courtesy of NOAA/Pat Kight, Ore. Sea Grant

State of Oregon has amended its Territorial Sea Plan to allow for siting of marine renewable energy development projects in state waters. The amendment identifies four "Renewable Energy Suitability Study Areas" along the Oregon coast where initial development of wave energy will be encouraged and pose the least conflict with existing ocean uses and natural resources. The four areas are located off the coasts of Lakeside, Reedsport, Nestucca, and Camp Rilea, and total about 22 square miles or two percent of Oregon’s territorial sea.

05 Sep 2012

Wave Energy Converter Installed Off US Coast

Wave Energy Converter: Photo credit NWEI

Northwest Energy Innovations deploys first wave energy converter at National Marine Renewable Energy Center, off Oregon coast. After a multi-day installation operation, Northwest Energy Innovations (NWEI), a Portland-based company, has successfully installed a wave energy device off the coast of Newport, Oregon. The device, known as Wave Energy Technology-New Zealand (WET-NZ), is now deployed at the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center’s (NNMREC) open ocean test facility.

27 Feb 2012

Car Carrier M/V Morning Spruce Adrift off Columbia River Entrance

M/V Morning Spruce: Credit USCG

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard is coordinating actions to protect the Oregon Coast from any threat posed by the 648-foot, Singapore-flagged car-carrier Morning Spruce that lost all power and was adrift in 12-foot seas, for approximately 4 ½ hours, southwest of the Columbia River entrance Sunday. At approximately 3:30 p.m., Sunday, the Morning Spruce’s engineer was able to restore the ship’s power. The Coast Guard has directed the Morning Spruce to remain offshore until repairs to the ship have been verified.

13 Sep 2011

OceanPower Technologies and Lockheed Martin Collaborating on Powerbuoy

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce it will collaborate with Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) in connection with OPT’s proposed commercial-scale wave power generation project at Reedsport, Oregon. Lockheed Martin will provide design, manufacturing, system integration and supply chain management expertise to enhance OPT’s PowerBuoy® technology. This builds on previous work conducted by Lockheed Martin and OPT. This collaboration follows a $2.4 million contract awarded by the US Department of Energy (DoE) to OPT as part of US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu’s initiatives announced in September 2010 to promote the development of renewable marine energy.

04 Feb 2011

This Day in U.S. Coast Guard History – February 4

1859- U.S. signs "Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation" with Paraguay at Asuncion after the revenue cutter Harriet Lane, as part of a US Navy expedition, forced the opening of the Paraguay and Parana Rivers. 1863-  Commissioned officers of the Revenue Cutter Service were to be appointed by the President by and with advice and consent of the Senate. This act contained the first statutory use of term "Revenue Cutter Service."  Previous laws referred only to "revenue cutters". 1982- Attorney General William Smith declared at a press conference that Operation Tiburon was "the most successful international marijuana interdiction effort to date."  The operation began in November, 1980, and accounted for the seizure of 95 vessels.

24 Aug 2010

Coast Guard Creates Sector Columbia River

The Coast Guard created Sector Columbia River when Sector Portland, Ore. combined with Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., during a ceremony in Astoria, August 23. The formation of Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets. "The merger of these two major Coast Guard commands is designed to help improve and streamline our operational command and control organization for our many missions allowing for better service to our customers throughout the entire Columbia River region and along the Oregon coast…

09 Jun 2010

Proposed Wave Energy Park on Oregon Coast

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) received an application for construction of a wave energy park in the North Pacific Ocean approximately 2.5 miles off the coast near Reedsport, Oregon. Comments on the application should be submitted within 90 days. 75 Fed. Reg. 32451 (June 8, 2010). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)