Greg Case News

A 180-foot barge ran aground on Anna Maria Island after breaking free from a tug boat early Tuesday morning. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector St. Petersburg received notification at 2 a.m., Tuesday, that the operator of tug Abe H was having difficulty steering due to weather and was unable to control the two barges he was pushing approximately one mile west off of Longboat Key. Watchstanders launched Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Station Cortez to assist.

The U.S. The conference focuses on the importance of the Marine Transportation System (MTS) and how the MTS structure can assist policy- and decision-makers operate efficiently, effectively, and consistently throughout the nation. Key topics will include: Harbor Safety Committee contributions to the Marine Transportation System, strategies for coordination and stakeholder participation at the port level, MTS outreach, port security, and the latest tools and technology available to the ports. The conference will be held at the Argent Hotel in San Francisco, on March 19-20, 2001. An evening reception will be held on March 18. For more information, contact LCDR Greg Case, 202-267-0386 or Karen Bradley, 703-394-4125.