Cutter Cypress News

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the Port of Savannah has been reopened Thursday to two-way traffic during daylight hours as response crews continue to identify, remove, replace or repair the surrounding navigational infrastructure. “Our Coast Guard crews have been working diligently to restore operations in the Port of Savannah, and it was because of their dedication that we were able to open the port to two-way traffic,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Amy Beach, Marine Safety Unit Savannah commander.

The Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today that its 21st Annual Tribute to the United States Coast Guard Eighth District will take place on Friday, March 14, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Admiral Robert J. Papp, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard and his wife, Linda Papp, will speak at the event. The Coast Guard Foundation’s New Orleans awards dinner is a celebration of the men and women serving in the U.S. Coast Guard's 8th District, which includes the Gulf Coast and the inland waterways of the country. This year, the Foundation will pay special tribute to seven Coast Guard spouses and the roles they play in keeping their Coast Guard families and communities strong…

Latest news is that the flow of natural gas under pressure has stopped and BSEE informs that work continues to secure the well, and all options are being considered for the most efficient and safe path forward. The gas flow was feeding the rig fire, which has decreased to a small flame. The rig and natural gas well are located 55 miles offshore Louisiana in a water depth of 154 feet. Owners of the rig, Walter, have submitted to BSEE an application for a permit to drill a relief well, which includes proposals for the cement and casing programs.

BSEE, Coast Guard Continue Response Coordination for Loss of Well Control Event and Rig Fire. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Coast Guard are continuing to oversee Walter Oil & Gas Corporation’s response efforts to secure the natural gas well and extinguish the subsequent fire that started after the operator’s loss of well control Tuesday. Both BSEE and Coast Guard conducted multiple overflights today to supplement responsible party flights to maintain aerial surveillance of the scene. The natural gas well continues to fuel the fire on the rig. The derrick and drill floor structure has collapsed over the rig, and a very light sheen that dissipates quickly has been observed in the ocean.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted multiple overflights today to supplement responsible party flights to maintain aerial surveillance of the scene. The natural gas well continues to fuel the fire on the rig. The derrick and drill floor structure has collapsed over the rig, and a very light sheen that dissipates quickly has been observed in the ocean. A water curtain is being applied by a fire-fighting vessel to the rig, not to extinguish the fire, but to provide heat protection to the rig.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Coast Guard are continuing to oversee Walter Oil & Gas Corporation’s response efforts to secure the natural gas well and extinguish the subsequent fire that started after the operator’s loss of well control yesterday morning. Both BSEE and Coast Guard conducted overflights this morning to assess the situation. Coast Guard confirmed that the fire began at 10:45 p.m. CDT July 23. There is no observed sheen on the water surface. As the rig fire continues, the beams supporting the derrick and rig floor have folded and have collapsed over the rig structure. Two firefighting vessels were in the area and re-located to a safe distance from the fire.

"Consistent with all the work undertaken in recent weeks to assess Louisiana's barrier island proposal and gather input from local officials, environmental experts, and top scientists and engineers, I have directed BP to pay for five additional barrier island projects in addition to the one I approved last week as part of our continuing commitment to do everything possible to protect our vital coastal communities from BP's leaking oil,” said National Incident Commander Admiral Allen. “Based on a thorough expert analysis, we believe that these six total projects, which will be constructed expeditiously in the areas most at risk for long-term impact by oil, will effectively stem potential damage to these fragile shorelines.

The Coast Guard Cutter Cypress is scheduled to return to Coast Guard Base Mobile, Ala., Thursday at about 1 p.m. The crew of Cypress deployed to Haiti Feb. 26 in support of Operation Able Sentry, the U.S. government's response to increased migration from Haiti, following Haiti's domestic unrest. While deployed, the crew took part in a variety of missions, including: alien migrant interdiction; law enforcement; aids to navigation; assisting the Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91104, based out of Galveston, Texas; as well as assisting the U.S. Marines and the Haitian coast guard.

OfficerCoast Guard Cutter Cypress is scheduled to host a change-of-command ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday at Coast Guard Base Mobile. Lt. Cmdr. Samuel R. Jordan will relieve Cmdr. Samuel "Duke" Walker, who took command of the Cypress in June 2002. Jordan reports to Cypress after serving at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C., in the Resource Directorate, as the cost management section chief. His most recent shipboard assignment was as the executive officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Buttonwood stationed in San Francisco.Walker will depart Cypress for Bahrain where he will serve as maritime interception operations coordinator for U.S. forces in the Middle East. The presiding official for the ceremony is the Eighth Coast Guard District Commander, Rear Adm. Robert F. Duncan.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Cypress (WLB 210) returned to their homeport in Mobile, Ala., Monday, returning from a seven-day trip to southern Florida. The crew of the Cypress departed Mobile on the Oct. 25 en route to Key West, Fla., to conduct Hurricane Wilma recovery operations. Cypress’ crew delivered supplies to Sector Key West and serviced thirteen buoys in the Key West Main Channel. After completing her mission in the immediate Key West area, the crew of the Cypress steamed approximately 60 miles west to the Dry Tortugas. There, they conducted a complete survey of all 52 navigational aids in the area and serviced five of them. The Cypress is a 225-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Mobile, and services navigational aids from Apalachicola, Fla. to the U.S.

The Manitowoc Company, Inc. announced the launch of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cypress, the tenth ship in a series of 14 seagoing buoy tenders being built at Manitowoc's Marinette Marine subsidiary. The 225-foot Juniper-class vessel is part of a series of contracts, which were awarded to Marinette in 1993 and 1998. The launch ceremony featured Deputy Secretary of Transportation Michael P. Jackson as the keynote speaker, with Caron Jackson, the Deputy Secretary's wife and sponsor of the ship, who performed the traditional christening ceremony. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cypress will homeport in Mobile, Alabama, under the command of LCDR Samuel "Duke" Walker. It will have a complement of six officers and 34 enlisted personnel.