Sector Field News

The U.S. Coast Guard held a commissioning ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller, the service's 38th Sentinel-class fast response cutter, at Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, Wednesday.Rear Adm. John Nadeau, Eighth Coast Guard District commander, presided over the commissioning ceremony, along with Lt. Michael Salerno, Coast Guard Cutter Harold Miller’s commanding officer.Like her sister ships USCGC Harold Miller (WPC-1138) was built by Bollinger Shipyards, in Lockport, La.

The U.S. Coast Guard held a commissioning ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Edgar Culbertson, the service's 37th fast response cutter, at Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, Friday.The new 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) was built by Bollinger Shipyards and delivered in February.Built to replace the service's 110-foot patrol boats, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat.

The US Coast Guard and local authorities on Wednesday continue to search for two fishermen missing after a fatal vessel collision in Galveston, Texas.The Coast Guard said four fisherman were forced into the water on Tuesday afternoon when their 81-foot vessel Pappy's Pride capsized following a collision with the 600-foot chemical tanker Bow Fortune near the Galveston jetties.One crew member has been rescued, one is deceased and two are missing.One of the individuals from the capsized…

Not all towing vessel companies are choosing Third Party Organizations (TPOs) for their Subchapter M compliance option. One size does not fit all.Under Subchapter M, towing vessel companies may opt to use TPOs to conduct their audits and surveys instead of inspections by the Coast Guard. While many companies are going the TPO route, many are opting for traditional Coast Guard inspections.As a retired Coast Guard marine inspector, I have always advocated the Coast Guard option to our clients.

The 20-year-old U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Elm is scheduled to make its way to the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore this month for a planned major dry dock overhaul. The cutter’s departure from Atlantic Beach, N.C. will mark its last from its current homeport. After the overhaul work is completed, the Elm will report to a new homeport in Astoria, Oregon. Coast Guard Cutter Maple, which is presently undergoing a midlife overhaul of its own, will replace the Elm in Atlantic Beach this April.

Search and rescue professionals and media are invited to the 2015 Search and Rescue Workgroup hosted by Coast Guard Sector Field Office Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday. WHEN: Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; search and rescue training is scheduled to commence at 12:45 p.m. RSVP: Media interested in attending must contact the Public Affairs Detachment by Tuesday, April 7, no later than 12 p.m. Public Affairs Detachment Houston is available at (281)-464-4810 or (832)-293-1293 or PublicAffairsHouston@uscg.mil. The 2nd annual SAR Workgroup is geared toward search and rescue agency coordination and partnership, with emphasis on SAR policy, capabilities and response.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCH) and a Good Samaritan merchant vessel rescued three boaters Tuesday approximately 35 miles south of Fort Macon, N.C., the Coast Guard reported. At noon USCG Sector North Carolina command center watchstanders received a mayday call on VHF-FM channel 16 from the operator of the sailboat Reel Safe, reporting they were taking on water. Sector watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and diverted a crew aboard a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter who were conducting training in the area to assist. The captain of the 485-foot cargo ship Islandia received the UMIB and diverted the ship to assist. The Islandia arrived on scene at approximately 1 p.m. and rescued the three boaters who had abandoned their vessel.

Coast Guard Sector Field Office Grand Haven, Mich., responded to a bridge allision on the St. Joseph River, which occurred shortly before 8 a.m. Dec. 30. The ship Manistee, a U.S. flagged freighter 620 ft in length, allided with the CSX Swing Bridge. The Coast Guard immediately contacted the owners of the bridge, who found evidence of damage to the bridge's fendering system. Structural engineers have determined that the bridge can safely carry rail traffic. The ship, which was empty, has sustained only minor damage and is not taking on water. No pollution or injuries were reported. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The Coast Guard is conducting interviews of the witnesses and the vessel's crew, and has begun the required drug and alcohol testing.