Kevin Cook News

Energy.It seems that energy touches every aspect of our lives from heating our homes to ensuring that fresh produce is available at grocery stores. It powers our cars and allows industry to move products around the world. The connection between energy and risk to the maritime environment has been a growing area of discussion, research and analysis. The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, within its Joint Doctrine Publication (JDOP 0-10) 5th edition UK Maritime Power, captured this issue superbly: “Fossil fuels and minerals are an important resource in the maritime environment. New deposits of oil and gas, as well as mineral wealth, are discovered under the seabed each year, and improvements in technology will facilitate future exploitation.

The world's second largest ship registry said it is looking to advance its position as the largest registry of gas carriers and expand its footprint in the transportation and processing of liquefied gases with the formation of a dedicated gas experts team.The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry said its new Worldwide Gas Team is comprised of experts in the design, technical management, inspection and commercial operation of gas carriers. The group is able to provide guidance from inspection and registration to technical issues and regulatory challenges…

At its Annual General Meeting in New Orleans last week, members of WISTA USA (Women’s International Shipping &Trading Association) were urged to support investment in infrastructure projects in order to maintain and grow the transportation of waterborne commerce in the United States. From U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-La.) to Spencer Murphy of Canal Barge Company, Rick Calhoun of Cargill, Gary LaGrange of the Port of New Orleans, Joel Dupre of Southern Recycling and Colonel Richard Hansen of the U.S.

Today, representatives of BSEE’s Gulf of Mexico Region hosted U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officials in this year’s first quarterly meeting at the Gulf Region Office in New Orleans. Gulf of Mexico Region Director Lars Herbst and 8th District USCG Admiral Kevin Cook met with staff from both agencies to coordinate and discuss operational issues in the Gulf of Mexico. The quarterly meetings were implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding between BSEE and USCG effective November 27…

Acting Maritime Administrator, Paul “Chip” Jaenichen will open the “Winds of Change in Shipping” conference being hosted by NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) in Houston along with the WGMA (West Gulf Maritime Association) on February 19, 2014. The next day, February 20th, NAMEPA is partnering with NOIA (National Ocean Industries Association) to present the “Winds of Change in Offshore Oil and Gas”. Adding even more luster to this period is the inaugural Lloyd’s List North American Awards Dinner on February 19th, where winners of 17 categories will be presented.

A new commander of Coast Guard units in the Houston-Galveston area & Captain of the Port in those areas has relieved his predecessor during a change-of-command ceremony in Clear Lake. Capt. Brian Penoyer relieved Capt. James Whitehead, who is retiring from the Coast Guard after 26 years of service. As the commanding officer of Sector Houston-Galveston, Penoyer will oversee multi-mission operations from maritime homeland security to maritime environmental response. Prior to assuming command of Sector Houston-Galveston, Penoyer was a U.S.

Horizon Lines' vessels receive 2011 Jones F. Horizon Lines, Inc., one of the nation's leading domestic ocean shipping companies, has received recognition from the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) for its safety record, as well as for the rescue earlier this year of three stranded sailors by the Horizon Reliance. CSA presented six Horizon Lines vessels and their crews with the 2011 Jones F. Devlin Award for safety at its 2012 Annual Safety Awards luncheon last month. Together…

To complement its existing safety inspection regime for foreign-flagged vessels operating in U.S. waters, the U.S. Coast Guard Friday announced an additional layer of risk-based safety oversight for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) as part of an ongoing review of marine safety policies following the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and subsequent oil spill. Currently, U.S.- and foreign-flagged MODUs operating in U.S. waters undergo annual examinations to verify compliance with domestic laws, regulations and international conventions – ensuring that a vessel’s major systems are in compliance and that crew training and performance, such as lifesaving and firefighting drills, meet all applicable standards.

The U.S. Coast Guard, in light of civil unrest in Libya, issued a Port Security Advisory for Libya March 11, suggesting security measures for ships to take when calling upon Libyan ports. Civil unrest in Libya has prompted U.S. government concerns regarding whether port facility requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code are still being executed and maintained. The U.S. Directly report the actions taken to the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port prior to arrival at a U.S. port. "The current security situation in Libya's ports is unknown at this time,” said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Kevin Cook, director of Prevention Policy. Implementing the above recommended security measures will generally expedite vessel entry into the U.

The International Superyacht Society (ISS) received the following communication from CDR David G. McClellan, Chief, Prevention Operations Department, USCG Sector Miami. He has that this message be distributed to all mariners. This is critical information for persons either planning or knowing parties planning to sail in the area that transverses the seas off the Coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea South to the Mozambique Channel and East to the coast of India. Per CDR McClellan, Internet release is authorized. 1. ON 18 FEB 11, A U.S. REGISTERED SAILING VESSEL WITH 4 US CITIZENS ON BOARD WAS HIJACKED BY SOMALI PIRATES IN THE ARABIAN SEA, 282NM SE OF SUR, OMAN. DURING NEGOTIATIONS FOR RELEASE OF THE VESSEL, THE 4 US CITIZENS ONBOARD WERE KILLED.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining steps the agencies will take to better coordinate efforts to prevent illegal discharges of pollutants from more than 61,000 commercial ships based in the U.S. and more than 8,000 foreign ships operating in U.S. waters. Today’s MOU creates a framework for improving EPA and USCG cooperation on data tracking, training, monitoring, verifying compliance, and industry outreach.