Greene News

The volunteer fire department in Greene, Maine recently took delivery of a 16-foot RIBCRAFT 4.8 rescue boat. This specialized RIB expands the department’s response capabilities while providing a safe platform for rescue missions. Funded by a grant through Firehouse Subs, RIBCRAFT worked with the department to build a boat that met all of their operational requirements.Located on several rivers and lakes in Androscoggin County, the department receives many distress calls from recreational boaters.

The storied South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) complex in Brooklyn, N.Y. will be transformed into a major regional hub for offshore wind under a new agreement signed Thursday.Energy companies Equinor and bp said they reached a deal with terminal operator Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SSBMT) and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to transform the terminal into an offshore wind port for staging and assembling offshore wind technology components for the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects and for the growing U.S.

More than 44 pounds of cocaine was seized from a Marshall Islands-flagged bull carrier anchored in the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Md., on Wednesday.The drugs were discovered during an early morning examination by officers and agents from the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Coast Guard, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police aboard the 958-foot Samjohn Solidarity. The 20 bricks of cocaine found concealed inside the vessel’s anchor locker has a street value of more than $1 million.No arrests were made…

Samson, a worldwide leader in performance cordage, announces the appointment of Christian Rheault as CEO, effective July 1, 2019.Rheault comes to Samson with a strong combination of multinational experience. Most recently he was CEO of Greene, Tweed, a US-based global supplier of custom sealing engineered solutions for aerospace, oilfield, semiconductor, petrochemical, and power. Prior to that, he was CEO of C&D Technologies, a company that manufactures systems for energy storage in standby backup power systems.

According to the findings of a new report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on behalf of Transportation Institute (TI), the domestic maritime industry in Washington ranks sixth among all American states for jobs and labor income relating to the Jones Act.The industry employs more than 22,500 individuals, produces $6.12 billion for the local economy, and generates more than $1.5 billion in worker income.Regionally, the same study shows that the domestic maritime industry employs over 37,590 individuals, supports $2.5 billion in worker income, and produces nearly $10 billion for the Pacific Northwest regional economy.Washington Senator Maria Cantwell joined business and government leaders from around the region at the Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast…

Captain Jeff Dixon has assumed the role of President of TOTE Services following the retirement of Rear Admiral Phil Greene Jr.Dixon joined TOTE Services in May 2017 and has served as the Vice President of Marine Operations – Government and Commercial since starting with the company.Prior to his time with TOTE Services, Dixon was a captain in the United States Coast Guard and spent 27-years on active duty. Most recently he served in command of Sector Jacksonville where he exercised Captain of the Port authority including the three strategic ports of St Mary’s/Fernandina…

Rear Admiral (USN-Ret.) Phil Greene Jr. has announced his retirement from TOTE Services effective January 4, 2019. Culminating a maritime career spanning more than 40 years between his navy, government and private sector careers, Greene has served as President of TOTE Services since 2013.Under Greene’s leadership, TOTE Services expanded its portfolio of government and commercial vessels currently being managed by the company, which now includes 28 vessels. Jeff Dixon will succeed Greene as President of TOTE Services.

Today TOTE announced leadership changes within its TOTE Maritime division. Michael Noone, currently President of TOTE Maritime Alaska will transition and become President at TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico. Grace Greene, currently Vice President and General Manager at TOTE Maritime Alaska has been promoted to President and will take over for Noone.These transitions are the first changes within the TOTE organization following the announcement that Tim Nolan will take over as President…

The Lockheed Martin (LMT)-led industry team officially laid the keel for the U.S. Navy's 21st Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, in a ceremony held at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisc. Ship sponsor Jodi Greene authenticated the keel by welding her initials onto a steel plate that will be placed in the hull of the ship. "It is a tremendous honor to serve as the sponsor of the future USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul," Greene said. "I look forward to supporting the ship and its crew throughout the building process and the life of the ship. The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date.

What does the future hold for Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval station? Building on the accomplishments of the last 100 years, leading experts will consider the possibilities and navigate toward a secure and sustainable future at the upcoming symposium, Naval Station Norfolk: Charting Our Next 100 Years, Friday October 20th at the Main, hotel and conference center. The Future Fleet Design session will be conducted by VADM Richard P. Breckenridge from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.. The session will discuss the USFF Fleet Design Plan that will drive the implementation of Fleet Design by 2023. The presentation on Fleet Design will define how the fleet…

Recent reporting by the ABC that “Navy's largest ships unable to join Cyclone Debbie emergency response amid engine troubles” is misleading, said TW Barrett, AO, CSC, Vice Admiral, RAN, Chief of Navy. To assert, as the ABC did in its reporting that issues with HMA Ships Canberra and Adelaide has impacted on Defence providing support to anticipated disaster relief support in North Queensland is wrong. Under the Australian Defence Force's regular planning cycle, HMAS Choules assumed duties as the on line (ready) ship to support any Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) requirements in mid-March. HMAS Choules is currently sailing for Brisbane to forward deploy and embark emergency stores to support the recovery efforts in the North Queensland region should it be required.

Emergency personnel continue their response to the tug boat Samson Mariner which ran aground and spilled fuel while towing a barge in the vicinity of Rosa Reef in north Tongass Narrows, Alaska, Wednesday evening. Approximately 1,100 gallons of diesel spilled from the tug prior to being patched by Alaska Commercial Divers Wednesday night. The Samson Mariner has been refloated and is anchored in Ward Cove alongside the barge it was towing. A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew conducted an overflight with Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Ketchikan personnel aboard to determine the extent of any possible sheen or environmental impacts. A sheen has been reported in the area and SEAPRO has been tasked with fuel containment and recovery using boom and absorbent pads.

Research vessel Falkor leaves Darwin today to explore the poorly understood air-sea interactions across the Indian and Pacific Ocean. This research is very important in understanding the ocean’s role in global climate change. The exchange of energy and matter between the atmosphere and the ocean are particularly onerous requirements, and have largely been neglected in climate research. Chief Scientist Dr. Oliver Wurl, from the University of Oldenburg and his international team of scientists from Germany, the United States, and United Kingdom plan to gain new insight during this 31-day expedition. The team of sea surface experts and marine geochemists on the expedition will use newly developed technologies to closely examine the ocean’s role in exchange processes.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point graduated 229 new Merchant Marine and Military Officers as part of its Class of 2016 commencement ceremony today. The keynote speaker, Gen. Darren W. McDew, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), gave the commencement address before a crowd of more than 2,200, including graduates, family members and representatives from the federal government, U.S. military and maritime industry. “Your craft now is leadership,” said McDew. This year’s graduates represent 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the three foreign countries: Republic Korea, Republic of Panama and Malaysia. Superintendent, Rear Adm. James A.

The captain of the doomed El Faro warned that the "clock was ticking" as his cargo ship took on water in an Atlantic hurricane that would eventually sink the vessel, a U.S. Coast Guard panel heard on Saturday. Captain Michael Davidson pleaded for help as his ship, operated by Tote Services, sailed into the path of Hurricane Joaquin near the Bahamas, according to a recording of his final calls played at the hearing. He told an on-shore call center of a "maritime emergency," saying water breached the hull, entering three holds. Soon afterwards, contact with the ship was broken, and Davidson and 32 others were lost at sea. The sinking ranks as the worst disaster involving a U.S.-flagged cargo ship in more than three decades.

The widow of one of the 33 crew members killed when the El Faro sank in a hurricane last fall called on Friday for stricter oversight of decisions by shipping companies and their captains to sail in adverse weather. Rochelle Hamm's husband, 49-year-old Frank Hamm of Baltimore, died on Oct. 1 when the El Faro went down off the Bahamas in the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than three decades. The U.S. Coast Guard began hearings this week to investigate the sinking.

The U.S. Coast Guard received approval for removal and destruction of tugboat Challenger under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWCPA). An incident command will be established and operations will begin Monday, February 1, to manage the removal of the tugboat that sank in Juneau’s Gastineau Channel September 12, 2015. The operation could take weeks to complete. “Our highest priorities are safety to the environment and safety of operations and responders,” said Capt. Shannan D. Greene, federal on-scene coordinator for the tug Challenger response and the commander of Coast Guard Sector Juneau. The Coast Guard hired divers in September…

Deep seas may complicate efforts to find the sunken U.S. cargo ship lost off the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin, a federal safety investigator said, as a search and rescue mission for 32 missing crew stretched into a sixth day. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board team arrived on Tuesday in Jacksonville, Florida, the port the El Faro departed from last week en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship disappeared in what maritime experts have called the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than 30 years.

Federal safety investigators traveled to Florida on Tuesday to investigate the U.S. container ship lost at sea after being hit by powerful Hurricane Joaquin, leaving one person confirmed dead and 32 others missing. The team from the National Transportation Safety Board left Washington for Jacksonville, Florida, where the El Faro had departed from last week en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, before disappearing in what maritime experts called the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a U.S.-flagged vessel in more than 30 years.

Search and rescue teams resumed scouring the seas on Monday for the missing cargo ship El Faro and it mostly American crew, after it was caught in the eye of Hurricane Joaquin four days ago, the U.S. Coast Guard said. More than 70,000 square nautical miles have been searched so far, the Coast Guard said. On Sunday, aircrews found a debris field in the vicinity of the ship's last known position, including styrofoam, wood, cargo and other items. There was no confirmation that the debris belonged to the El Faro…

Shipping company TOTE and shipbuilder NASSCO on Saturday launched Perla del Caribe, the second of two Marlin Class ships – the first containerships in the world to be powered by natural gas. The christening and launch ceremony took place at General Dynamics NASSCO’s shipyard in San Diego. The 764-foot-long Perla del Caribe and sister ship, christened Isla Bella, are Jones Act vessels built for the Puerto Rican trade for TOTE Shipholdings and will be operated by TOTE subsidiary Sea Star Line out of Jacksonville, Fla.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) was recently declared winner of two fiscal year 2014 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Environmental Awards, one for Environmental Restoration-Installation and one for Cultural Resources Management-Small Installation. The SECNAV Environmental Awards recognize Navy and Marine Corps individuals, teams, ships, and installations for exceptional environmental stewardship. The award submittals in each of the categories are judged on five key criteria: program management, orientation to mission, stakeholder interaction, transferability, and technical merit. "The environmental restoration program has been ongoing for a number of years now, starting with our initial assessment in 1983 to identify potential cleanup sites," said Cmdr.

TOTE Services has promoted Michael J. (Mick) Kondracki to director of labor relations and risk management effective March 16, 2015, as announced by the company’s president, Phil Greene, Jr.   In his new role, Kondracki will oversee risk management, human resources and promote the continued business relations with the Seafarers International Union (SIU) and the American Maritime Officers (AMO).   Kondracki joins the TOTE Services executive team with more than 26 years in the maritime industry in numerous executive roles.    He earned a BS in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, an MBA from the University of New Orleans, a Masters Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University and a Diploma from the U.S. Naval War College, Staff & Command.