US Sentences Greek Shippers for Obstruction, Pollution
Two Greek shipping companies were sentenced to pay corporate penalties totaling $2.7 million after being convicted for obstructing justice, violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), tampering with witnesses and conspiracy. Each company was ordered to pay part of its penalty to Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary in recognition of the threat posed by illegal discharges of oily waste to the marine environment. The case stems from an inspection of the M/V Ocean Hope, a large cargo ship, conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard at the Port of Wilmington, N.C. in July 2015. During that inspection, senior engineers for the companies tried to hide that the vessel had been dumping oily wastes into the ocean for months.
This Day In Naval History: May 3
1777 - During the American Revolution, the Continental lugger Surprise, led by Capt. Gustavus conyngham, captures the British mail packet Prince of Orange and the brig Joseph in the North Sea. 1898 - During the Spanish-American War, U.S. Marines from cruisers Baltimore and Raleigh (C 8), raise US flag over Cavite, Philippines. 1942 - USS Spearfish (SS 190) evacuates naval and military officers, including nurses, from Corregidor before surrendering island to Japan. 1944 - USS Flasher (SS 249) sinks the Japanese freighter…
Cape Fear Federal Pilots Launch New Boat
Cape Fear federal pilot launches its first pilot boat and welcomes its latest customer, US Shipping Corp. After years of using a hired launch vessel for boarding ATB's, tugs and ships at the entrance to the Cape Fear River, the Cape Fear Federal Pilots recently launched its first pilot vessel. River pilot Tony McNeill, who operates the pilotage service for the Port of Wilmington NC for U.S. The boat is Boston Whaler Challenger that Tony has had for a couple of years but has waited for the appropriate time to put it to work. Pilot McNeill informs that In addition to the new boat, U.S.
MSST to be Commissioned in Hampton Roads
The Coast Guard’s newest weapon against terrorism will be commissioned in a formal ceremony 9:30 a.m. Friday at Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Va. Representative Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) will be the guest speaker for the commissioning ceremony. Atlantic Area Commander Vice Adm. James Hull will be the presiding official. Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) 91102, the second of six Coast Guard anti-terrorism/force protection teams to be established as a direct result of the Sept. 11 attacks, will be commissioned after completing an intensive four-week initial training course at Camp Lejeune, N.C., which culminated in a 36-hour exercise in the port of Wilmington, N.C., last month.
Port of Wilmington, N.C. Handles Record Volume of Breakbulk Cargo
For the first time ever, the Port of Wilmington, NC handled over one million tons of breakbulk cargo in one year for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002. "Breakbulk cargo" is classified as any commodity that is shipped in units other than maritime containers or in free flowing "bulk" form. Cargoes contributing to the record-breaking volume of 1,001,728 tons were export woodpulp and import lumber. Woodpulp, which is exported worldwide from Wilmington for the manufacture of higher grades of paper, exceeded last year's volume by 11%. Lumber, imported from northern Europe and Scandinavia for the home improvement and construction industry, increased tonnage by 77% over last year.
Port Safety Pays … and its Costs
Is it a "user fee" or is it a tax? Senator Hollings (D-SC) has formally proposed to the Conference Committee that a Port Security Infrastructure Improvement Program be included in the Port and Maritime Security legislation that is currently under consideration. This is a 'fleshed-out' and somewhat amended version of his earlier barebones proposal. The Program, if adopted, would impose a fee on shippers of cargoes into or out of the United States in various amounts depending upon what was being shipped. The monies collected would go into a Port Security Trust Fund to pay for various port security expenditures. Similar fees would be imposed on cargoes entering the United States through Canada and Mexico.
USCG Provides New Layer of Port Protection
Maritime Safety and Security Team Houston-Galveston (MSST 91104), the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest weapon against terrorism, was commissioned in a formal ceremony Tuesday at 2 p.m., at the Galveston Cruise Ship Terminal in Galveston, Texas. Vice Adm. James Hull, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, will be the presiding official and guest speaker for the ceremony. MSSTs are domestic mobile units that possess specialized training and capabilities to perform a broad spectrum of port safety and security operations. They will deploy in response to: terrorist threats or incidents; in support of national special events such as the Olympics, or storm recovery operations; protect military load-outs; enforce security zones during transit of high interest vessels, cruise ships and some U.S.
Coast Guard MSST Deploy to Memphis
Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) 91104, one of the Coast Guard’s units that specialize in waterborne security, deployed today to Memphis, Tenn. MSST 91104, from Houston-Galveston, is in the Memphis area to train local Coast Guard men and women, active and reserve, in law enforcement and security measures as well as conduct safety and security patrols of ports and waterways. Boaters and mariners can expect to see more Coast Guard boats on the water and should be prepared to show picture identification and may be questioned about their activity. Boaters should listen to their marine radios for up-to-date security or safety zone information.
