Monmouth News

The unified command consisting of the Coast Guard, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York City Office of Emergency Management, and Monmouth County Department of Health, received oil sample lab results from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Laboratory Friday, linking together oil spill cleanup efforts in both New York and New Jersey.Vane Brothers Company, as represented by Gallagher Marine Systems, has been identified as the responsible party.

NY Waterway announced plans to repower four more of its older ferries, transitioning from traditionally diesel driven units to hybrid technology before eventually operating on pure electric.The private company, which runs ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley, was awarded $7.298 million in grant funding for the project through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant program with the support of NJ TRANSIT.Each ferry upgrade consists of removing all main engines and generators…

There is a new buzzword in the ocean science/sensing community. The word is eDNA, an abbreviation for environmental DNA. This refers to DNA that can be extracted from environmental samples without first isolating any target organisms. In the maritime community such samples are taken from water. All living organisms leave traces of DNA in their environments which is an indicator of their presence over time. This DNA is released into the environment through the biological process of living animals or by the decomposition of dead organisms.

Recently I was attending the United Nations Science Technology and Innovation conference (STI Forum). While I attended to present on Wave Energy Conversion, the main subject at the conference was STEM education and STEM gender inequality. Almost every country in the world reports a lack of available STEM educated workers, and also reports that they have had problems engaging the non-male population in STEM professions.The discussions were extremely far and wide ranging, but when all was said and done…

British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Norfolk, Va. a bit later than planned on Monday after evading Hurricane Florence, which devastated large areas of the U.S. East Coast.The Royal Navy said HMS Queen Elizabeth skirted south of the hurricane, but sailed close enough for the effects of a four meter swell, five meter wave height and winds gusting 40 knots to be felt throughout the carrier, as the 65,000-metric-ton ship rolled around the Atlantic.The 'WESTLANT 18' Task Group…

In a four-month span, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces has proven itself a formidable force against narcotics trafficking, with 10 drug seizures totaling over 3,300 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, cannabis resin and hashish since March. It started with the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta (FFH 151) on March 2, when the crew seized 800 kilograms of hashish, a drug made from cannabis. Eleven days later on March 13, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) seized 270 kilograms of heroin and then again on March 17, when the crew seized 500 kilograms of hashish. All seizures were from small stateless dhows in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

U.S., U.K. and France began Exercise Alligator Dagger 17, April 5. The two-week multilateral amphibious exercise is taking place in international waters off the coast of Djibouti and in the vicinity of Djibouti and Arta Beach, April 5 - April 20. Exercise Alligator Dagger 17, led by U.S. Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (51/5), is a multilateral amphibious exercise with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) as part of the sustainment training for ARG/MEUs in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. The Alligator Dagger Exercise iterations familiarize ARG/MEUs with the CENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR) and sharpen tactical proficiency.

Rolls-Royce has won a contract to supply power and propulsion to New York’s newest and largest high-speed luxury ferry. The catamaran, operated by New Jersey based Seastreak, will carry up to 600 passengers between Monmouth County, N.J. and Wall Street in less than 40 minutes at a top speed of 35 knots. Power comes from four high-speed MTU diesel engines type 12V 4000 M64 from Rolls-Royce. The engines will be EPA Tier III compliant and offer the lowest emissions on the market. The four engines will drive four Rolls-Royce Kamewa 63S4 waterjets, providing both reliability and redundancy.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation has awarded a $7.6 million contract to dredge the Shark River in Monmouth County after the effects of Superstorm Sandy created a greater need to complete the long-delayed project. Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co. of Chester, Pa. will remove approximately 102,000 cubic yards of sediment comprised of sand and silt to "restore the state channels to allow safe passage for recreational and commercial traffic," according to a state release. Crews will hydraulically dredge the sentiment and pump it through a secure welded pipeline to dewatering locations -- a portion of the Belmar Marina parking lot in Belmar and Seaview Island in Neptune and then truck it to the Monmouth County Reclamation Center for "beneficial use," the release says.

The US Coast Guard and the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) have temporarily suspended their review of the proposed Port Ambrose deep-water LNG import terminal. Liberty Natural Gas’s application to build the Port Ambrose deep-water port to receive LNG in the New York/New Jersey harbour has been delayed by the MARAD after it received more than 100,000 public comments about the project’s final environmental impact study. “The purpose of the suspension is to allow the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration time to assess public comments and get them into the final Environmental Impact Study,” said Curtis Borland, legal counsel for the U.S.C.G.

Troy Container Line Ltd., one of the largest American-owned NVOCCs, announced the expansion of its LCL Export Department with the hiring of Teresa Becker, Miguel Odria and Brian O’Malley in the company’s Red Bank, N.J. headquarters. Becker, Odria and O’Malley’s roles will focus on three key aspects of the business: documentation, customer relations and operations to meet the heightened demand of the company’s continually expanding exports division. “Our strength is in our team's shared dedication to our customers.

The Coast Guard says it has conducted an emergency medical evacuation of an ill cruise ship passenger, 15 miles southeast of Sandy Hook, N.J. Coast Guard Sector New York command center personnel received a report from the cruise ship Celebrity Summit that a passenger had a medical emergency and was in need of immediate medical attention. After conferring with the Coast Guard duty flight surgeon, it was deemed that the best course of action would be to conduct the medevac via a Coast Guard small boat. Accordingly a rescue boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook arrived on scene with the cruise ship (which was transiting the Ambrose shipping channel).

As a part of President Obama's continuing commitment to help coastal communities recover from Hurricane Sandy and promote resilient coastal systems, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the State of New Jersey signed a two-year cooperative agreement totaling $400,000 to identify sand resources for coastal resilience and restoration planning. The agreement will help BOEM and New Jersey conduct research that will help coastal communities recover from Hurricane Sandy, restore habitat, increase our knowledge of sand resources offshore, and contribute to long-term coastal resilience planning efforts. Under this agreement…

Troy Container Line Ltd., one of the largest American-owned NVOCCs, today announced the promotion of Leeanne O’Reilly to Export Supervisor at Troy Container Line. Based in the company’s Red Bank, N.J. office, O’Reilly will oversee the unification of the FCL and LCL Export departments. In this position, she will work closely with the sales team to ensure the superior customer service the company is known for, as the Troy export department continues to evolve to meet the needs of clients worldwide.

New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie, State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, Monmouth County Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone, NY Waterway President & Founder Arthur E. Imperatore and Yank Marine President & Founder John C. Yank Jr. of Tuckahoe today announced an $11 million contract to build two state-of-the-art ferries, the first NY Waterway ferries built in the Garden State since the Weehawken-based ferry service started service December 3, 1986. The new catamaran ferries, financed by NY Waterway…

Delaware River Port Community schedule a one-day donation drive. Organizers from private and public sector port businesses and agencies throughout the tri-state region have scheduled a one-day donation drive for Saturday, November 17, 2012, from 8:00am – 5:00pm, to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. There are drop-off locations at Philadelphia's Wholesale Produce Market, Gloucester's Marine Terminal, and Wilmington's Chase Center on the Riverfront. The efforts will support several New Jersey charitable and relief organizations, such as the Salvation Army, and the United Way of Monmouth County. “We in the Delaware River Valley were extremely lucky that Sandy caused little to no damage in our area,” said Kurt Ferry, of Greenwich Terminals.

Troy Container Line Ltd, announced May 14, 2012 the appointment of three key personnel to management positions. Svetlana Azimova has been named Assistant Vice President of Troy Container Line’s Freight Cashier Department; Jonathan Lasker has been appointed Assistant Vice President of the company’s Import Department; and Michael C. Troy II is now the Global Account Manager of Troy Container Line’s Sales Department. Svetlana Azimova has been an integral part of the Troy Container Line team for the past seven years.

Troy Container Line Ltd., one of the largest American-owned NVOCCs, today announced the appointment of Daniel A. Vorsky as account executive. Based in the company’s Red Bank, NJ office, Vorsky will use his experience in logistics and supply-chain management to foster the expansion of Troy in new markets while maintaining the company’s strong tradition of quality service. In his new position, Vorsky will execute strategic sales plans and oversee day-to-day account transactions at Troy. His work with the sales department aims to foster continued growth and ensure customer satisfaction.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the Department of the Interior will host 12 public workshops this month to discuss the newly-issued regulatory program for renewable energy development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. “The offshore renewable energy framework we have created for the Outer Continental Shelf will create new opportunities for clean power off our coasts, while providing certainty to industry and investors," said Secretary Salazar. The Final Framework for Renewable Energy Development on the OCS was published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2009. The new program establishes a process for granting leases…

The Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) Foundation awarded three education scholarships to outstanding students pursuing careers in the marine industry. The MTA/NJ Foundation was established to help promote boating safety and education and to raise funds for a new Education Scholarship to encourage education in the marine trades field. This is the fourth year that the Association has been able to award scholarships to deserving students. A $3,000 MTA/NJ scholarship was awarded to Dylan Giombetti. Giombetti is graduating from Lacey Township High School in Lanoka Harbor and plans to pursue a degree in Business Management and follow the footsteps of his family and join their marina business, Silver Cloud Harbor Marina in Forked River.

An unidentified source of heavy oil washed up on the shore Tuesday between Shark River Inlet, Monmouth County, and Seaside Heights, Ocean County, prompting the Coast Guard and other federal, state and local officials to begin clean-up efforts. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/Group Philadelphia along with the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team, N.J. Department of Environmental protection, Bradley, Neptune, Asbury Park and Avon Offices of Emergency Response, New Jersey State Police, Tri-State Bird Rescue, and numerous other groups are currently responding to the spill that spans the 12-mile stretch of shoreline. The spill was reported Tuesday afternoon by New Jersey State Police.

Local and state dignitaries will converge on the Monmouth County waterfront to take part in the official unveiling and christening of the M/V SeaStreak New Jersey. and East 34th St. in Manhattan. The christening ceremony will be held on Monday, December 10, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. at the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina, Pier 6 in Atlantic Highlands. Honoring an ancient tradition and officially naming the vessel will be its Godmother, Miss New Jersey Julie Barber. Among those participating in the ceremony will be a representative of the Coast Guard Reverend Peter Larom of the Seaman's Church in Manhattan. Highlands and South Amboy have also been invited to participate in the festivities.

Local and state dignitaries convened on the Monmouth County waterfront to take part in the christening of the Gladding-Hearn built M/V Seastreak New Jersey, a 141-ft. (42.9-m), 400 passenger high speed catamaran which will provide daily commuter service from Atlantic Highlands, and Highlands, N.J., to Pier 11 (Wall Street) and East 34th Street in Manhattan. According to Geoffrey Ede of SeaStreak America, Inc., Seastreak New Jersey and its sister ship Seastreak New York are the fastest diesel powered ferries in the New York Harbor today with service speeds of approximately 45 mph. Our outstanding commuter service into New York will…