Harbormaster News

Port Everglades has promoted Christopher "Chris" Marchant to the role of Chief Harbormaster, guiding maritime services for Broward County's multi-faceted 2,190-acre seaport.Marchant has served as Assistant Harbormaster for Port Everglades since August 2021 and as Duty Harbormaster from May 2010. He was also a linehandler with Port Everglades for four years."Chris is a prime example of how we recognize talent from within the organization, which preserves valuable institutional knowledge and helps us deliver high quality services to our customers in the cruise…

California shipbuilder Moose Boats said it has delivered a new patrol boat to the Santa Cruz Port District in Santa Cruz, Calif.Santa Cruz Port District is responsible for patrolling, maintaining, and managing the facilities for the Santa Cruz Harbor including law enforcement, search and rescue, maintenance and dredging. As the lifecycle of their previous vessel approached, the District was able to secure funding for a new Moose Boat.On January 24, representatives from the District collected their new boat from Moose Boats in Vallejo, Calif.

The Port of Waterford Company on the south coast of Ireland has taken delivery of a new pilot boat received by the crew at the Dunmore East pontoon.The new vessel built by Safehaven Marine is a 15-meter interceptor which has been christened Port Láirge, a name of well known maritime heritage in Waterford. The previous namesake was a much-loved steam-powered dredger that served on the Suir for over 70 years until the 1980s.Port of Waterford currently operates two pilot boats, one based in Dunmore East at the primary boarding position and one in Passage East.

The Town of Hempstead Harbormaster on Long Island recently took delivery of the first Stormer Marine workboat built under a license agreement by SAFE Boats International. The 6.8-meter Porter 68S, delivered in late January, was recently put into service in the waters around the Town of Hempstead.Through this Jones Act-compliant licensing agreement between U.S.-based SAFE Boats International and the Netherlands-based Stormer Marine, SAFE Boats can now offer the full line of Stormer workboats to U.S.

Broward County’s Port Everglades has appointed Ricardo D. Charlton, BSME, FSO, as its new Director of Operations.Port Everglades is a self-supporting enterprise fund of Broward County, Fla., generating more than $170 million in revenues in fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018 – September 1, 2019) and is ranked among the nation’s leading container ports and a world leader in the cruise industry.As Director of Operations, Charlton will oversee a workforce of 95 encompassing the Division’s Harbormaster Office…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark reports it has seen increased business from law enforcement agencies, with 20 new law enforcement customers recently added and more than 35 welded aluminum law enforcement vessels either recently delivered or currently in production.Among its new builds, Metal Shark is producing five custom 23-foot Relentless center console patrol boats for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, while continuing to deliver 26-foot and 28-foot Relentless center console…

Located on the eastern side of Martha’s Vineyard, the Edgartown Harbormaster provides search and rescue operations, routine patrols, and mooring management duties to the town. This RIB, designed for year round all weather operations, expands the Harbormasters capabilities while providing a safe and reliable vessel for their officers. Featuring a two person console enclosure, the 7.8 provides excellent open deck space for patients or equipment, easy access for officer boardings, unobstructed views, and most importantly a comfortable platform for long hours on the water. Powered by a 250HP Yamaha, the RIB will reach speeds in excess of 50mph while still providing unparalleled safety and unsurpassed performance.

A powerful virtual-reality ship simulation system, operated by the Port of Milford Haven is running courses to train tug boat operators from across Britain. The Navigation Suite, based at Milford Waterfront, creates highly realistic computer-generated versions of any port in the world, giving trainees the opportunity to take the controls of any vessel, including tugboats, to practice scenarios. Tug skippers from Williams Marine Services and Teignmouth Harbor Commission spent two days undertaking theory based safety training and working on simulated ‘as real’ scenarios within the port.

Port Canaveral's Cruise Team is gaining a new dimension with the appointment of Dave German as Director, Cruise Business Development, effective Friday, November 10, 2017. German previously served as Port Canaveral's Senior Harbormaster. In his new role, he will be responsible for building the Port's alliances with cruise lines for both home ported and port-of-call vessels. Dave German holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marine transportation and logistics from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and earned an MBA in finance from Ohio University.

A new 38-foot multi-mission patrol boat for Montauk, N.Y. will be officially dedicated during a “splash down” ceremony on July 26. Delivered by aluminum boat builder Silver Ships, Inc., the vessel is a multi-agency, multi-mission vessel designed for emergency response and patrol within the Montauk Harbor. The vessel was garnered through the collaborative efforts of the Montauk Fire Department, the East Hampton Town Police Department, East Hampton Town Marine Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The first container ship belonging to Iran's IRISL docked at Antwerp after departure Homburg. According to MANA, a cargo ship belonging to Iran's IRISL docked at Antwerp as her second port, becoming the first Iranian ship to reach Europe after a hiatus of over six years. The first container ship from IRISL’s fleet after six years arrived to the port of Antwerp, Belgium as 2nd European port on her own path to Europe. The MV.Azargoon one of container ship owned by IRISL fleet in late March with the loading and unloading of goods at the port of Hamburg, had left this port and arrived and berthed in port of Antwerp, Belgium. IRISL container ship fleet by implementing JCPA and after six years of sanctions…

The U.S. Coast Guard informs it has established a safety zone for the entrance of the Santa Cruz small craft harbor effective Friday, March 18, until Sunday, May 1, or upon the completion of emergency dredging as announced via broadcast notice to mariners. The zone includes the navigable waters as defined by the area contained with two borders: a northern border defined by the line created by extending the Santa Cruz Harbor boat launch ramp to the harbor’s western shore and a…

The Coast Guard is urging mariners to use extreme caution while transiting the Merrimack River entrance due to significant shifting and shoaling between the #2 red and #3 green buoys. Several recent accidents and near misses on the narrow, heavily congested portion of the Merrimack River have created a major safety concern. To help ensure the public has a safe and pleasurable boating experience, the Coast Guard, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Newburyport Harbormaster, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary will be conducting safety patrols on the Merrimack River bar, focusing on the river mouth. "Our first priority is the safety of the boating public," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Mark Dilenge, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

A UK-based manufacturer has come up with a new solution for safely testing marine bollards and is now planning to take the innovation global. Working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), Tyne and Wear Marine (TWM) has spent the last year developing the ‘Bollard Load Test’ (BLT), which uses a powerful hydraulic ram and specialist torque rope to recreate more than 100 tons of ‘pull.’ This breakthrough replaces the traditional method of a tug pulling against the bollard, a method that has previously caused damage to vessels and can be dangerous to the people involved in the test.

Coast Guard pollution responders, and the Fairhaven Harbormaster responded to a report of a large oil sheen in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Friday morning. At 2:00 p.m. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England was notified by a local, experienced mariner of a possible pollution sheen in Buzzard's Bay. Response crews with a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod, a 29-foot response boat from Station Woods Hole, and a 45-foot response boat medium from Station Menemsha responded along with Coast Guard personnel from Marine Safety Detachment New Bedford and the Fairhaven Harbormaster. After Coast Guard assets arrived on-scene, they did not find any pollution; rather they discovered a large area of jellyfish.

A fisherman was rescued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) after his 40-foot fishing vessel became caught in the surf on the Chatham Bar in Chatham, Massachusetts, Wednesday. USCG Watchstanders at Sector Southeast New England received a notification from a good Samaritan informing that the fishing vessel Never Enough was stuck in waves and needed assistance. Coast Guard Station Chatham rescue crews arrived on seen with two 42-foot fast response boats to assist. The Chatham Harbor Master also responded.

Coast Guard law enforcement crews issued a boating under the influence citation to the operator of a vessel late Sunday night in Massachusetts Bay. Watchstanders at Station Point Allerton received notification of a 12-foot Boston Whaler that was adrift and disabled off of Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts. A crew from Station Point Allerton and the Hull Harbormaster launched to assess the situation. Once on scene the Station's Crew noticed that the operator appeared to be intoxicated. Station Point Allerton took the vessel in side tow and brought it to Hull, Massachusetts where local police were waiting. A field sobriety test was given to the operator which determined that he was intoxicated. The Boarding Officer issued a civil citation to the operator for Boating Under the Influence.

The Coast Guard rescued a man in a life raft after his sailboat sank approximately seven miles south of Diamond Head, Tuesday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center overheard a brief mayday call over VHF channel 16 at 7:43 p.m., with no additional information. Sector Honolulu received a call from a woman at 9:05 p.m., stating her friend had gone out sailing Tuesday evening in his 41-foot sailing vessel, Esperanza, and had not returned. Sector Honolulu diverted a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew at 9:16 p.m., from Coast Guard Station Honolulu to begin a search. At 9:44 p.m., the RB-M crew noticed a blinking…

A Coast Guard Station Chatham rescue crew saved a kayaker Friday in Chatham Harbor, Massachusetts, after his kayak overturned. Station Chatham was notified at about 6:45 p.m., from a nearby witness that two kayakers were in distress in Chatham Harbor. A Station Chatham 42-foot near shore lifeboat crew immediately diverted to the area and was on scene within 15 minutes. There, the crew found one kayaker in the water and discovered the other had made it safely back to shore. They pulled the man and his kayak aboard, evaluated him for injuries, and transferred him to the Chatham harbormaster, who took him to shore. No medical attention was required.

Maritime security and law enforcement experts are gathering in Boston this week to better understand maritime domain awareness and the challenges of port, waterway and coastal security, environmental protection, safety and law enforcement. One big lesson learned is that everything is just a little more challenging on the water. A number of law enforcement agencies from the New England area are attending and participating that have specific duties and functions associated with the maritime environment…

Many government agencies and public safety dive teams are adding underwater search equipment to help make their operations easier, safer, and faster. Maricopa Sheriffs Department in Arizona, Downe Township Fire Rescue in New Jersey, the Fairhaven Massachusetts Harbor Master and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are a few of the diverse group of agencies using metal detectors, video cameras and sonars in their underwater search operations. Deputy Jeff Hanson, leader of the Maricopa County Sheriffs Department dive team…

City of Valdez and U.S. Coast Guard personnel responded to a report of a vessel fire at the Crowley fuel dock within the Valdez Small Boat Harbor. At approximately 11:30 a.m. Monday morning, the 28-foot recreational vessel Falcon, with two adults and three children onboard, caught fire at the Crowley fuel dock in the Valdez Small Boat Harbor. All five persons aboard were transferred to shore and Crowley dock employees quickly secured fuel to the pier’s pumps. The Valdez Fire Department, Valdez Harbormaster’s Office, and Coast Guard immediately responded to the scene and found the Falcon engulfed in flames and a small fire on the Crowley fuel dock.

GeoVS was awarded a contract to supply and install its system in Poole Harbor, Dorset. The system brings a step change in monitoring and managing ship movements in ports and restricted waterways. Dr. Rafal Goralski, Technical Director of GeoVS, a University of Glamorgan spin off company, explained the system is particularly appropriate for Poole Harbor, a growing port with a narrow entrance and restricted channel leading to its cargo quays. Existing vessel tracking systems largely rely on radar signals and present only a two dimensional picture of vessels on an electronic chart…