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Marine Response Alliance News

14 Aug 2017

Crowley’s Busch Joins Sea Machines’ Board

Todd Busch (Photo: Sea Machines)

Todd Busch, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, Technical Services, at Crowley Maritime, has joined Sea Machines Robotics’ board of directors. The Boston-based Sea Machines is building autonomous control technology for commercial vessels. Busch, who joined Crowley in 1987 as an ordinary seaman, is currently responsible for naval architecture and marine engineering, government services, ship management, marine salvage and wreck removal, new-vessel construction and the chartering and operations of Crowley’s offshore tug and barge fleet.

27 May 2014

Lindsay Malen to Speak at Posidonia 2014

Lindsay Malen, Director of Business Development at TITAN Salvage and the Marine Response Alliance (MRA)

Lindsay Malen, Director of Business Development, Marine Response Alliance/TITAN Salvage, will speak on the topic “Salvors:  Partners in OPA90 Compliance & More” at the North American Marine Environment Protection Association’s (NAMEPA’s)  “Compliance, Cost and Competency in America” seminar being held at the 2014 Posidonia conference in Athens, Greece on Thursday, June 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “Compliance, Cost and Competency in America” will examine the environmental challenges facing today’s shipping industry. Highlights include: regulatory challenges in the U.S.

09 Jan 2014

MRA Launches Marine Salvage Fire-Fighting Data App

Image courtesy of MRA

Marine Response Alliance (MRA), an association of the top U.S. emergency responders providing OPA 90 Salvage Marine Firefighting (SMFF), says it has launched an exclusive mobile app, providing ship owners/operators, qualified individuals (QIs) and the U.S. Coast Guard with immediate access to the MRA’s resources for Salvage Marine Fire Fighting as per OPA 90 compliance as well as the ability to report incidents through TITAN Salvage (MRA partner) around the world. The OPA 90 SMFF app allows users to report an incident…

08 Jan 2014

Non-tank Vessel Response Rules – Their Impact Examined

Long awaited, much hyped, the new rules require compliance in January. Will industry and more importantly, the response community, be ready? In September, the U.S. Coast Guard published the long awaited Non-tank Vessel Response Plan (NTVRP) and Other Response Plan regulations. The U.S. Coast Guard cites “Improved preparedness and reaction to an incident, including a worst case discharge, and improved effectiveness of shore-side and onboard response activities” as the primary benefits of the new rule. For all affected vessels, a mandatory compliance date of January 30, 2014 looms large the porthole. The regulations impact self-propelled non-tank vessels of 400 gross tons or greater that operate in navigable waters of the United States and carry any kind of oil as fuel for main propulsion.

03 Jan 2014

New Mobile App from Marine Response Alliance

Photo: MRA

Marine Response Alliance (MRA), an association of the top U.S. emergency responders providing OPA 90 Salvage Marine Firefighting (SMFF), has launched an exclusive mobile app, providing ship owners/operators, qualified individuals (QIs) and the U.S. Coast Guard with immediate access to the MRA's resources for Salvage Marine Fire Fighting as per OPA 90 compliance as well as the ability to report incidents through TITAN Salvage (MRA partner) around the world. The OPA 90 SMFF app allows users to report an incident…

02 Jan 2014

Mahmood to Manage Marine Response Alliance

Samina Mahmood (Photo: Crowley)

Samina Mahmood, former commercial manager for TITAN Salvage, has been appointed manager for Marine Response Alliance, an association of U.S. emergency responders providing OPA 90 Salvage Marine Firefighting (SMFF). MRA, founded in 1994, combines experts in all facets of emergency response with salvage, firefighting and lightering equipment in all Captain of the Port Zones. Alliance members include TITAN, Crowley, Marine Pollution Control and McAllister Towing & Transportation.

31 Dec 2013

Marine Response Alliance Relocates to Houston

Marine Response Alliance (MRA), an association of U.S. emergency responders providing OPA 90 Salvage Marine Firefighting (SMFF), has relocated from Pompano, Fla., to Houston to be situated with international salvage partner TITAN Salvage. Conveniently located near George Bush International airport, the new office boasts a 102,500 square-foot maintenance and warehousing facility with 4.61 acres of outside storage. Built to suit, the facility includes a state-of-the-art Emergency Response Center manned 24/7, the only one of its kind in the United States.

22 Nov 2013

TITAN Salvage Receives DLA 'Hurricane Sandy Award'

DLA Flag award: Photo credit TITAN

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) recently presented Crowley Maritime subsidiary Houston-based TITAN Salvage with its Hurricane Sandy Award for exhibiting “unprecedented support” immediately following the storm that devastated much of the Northeastern coast in late October 2012. The award was presented during the Business Alliance Awards ceremony in Fort Belvoir, VA. During the ceremony, Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek, director, DLA, presented TITAN’s Samina Mahmood, U.S. commercial manager…

10 Sep 2013

Industry, Government Collaborate on Long Island Sound Casualty Simulation

On September 17, McAllister Towing and Reinauer Transportation will be partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and Sector New York in a major simulated marine accident and pollution incident on the waters of Long Island Sound. Responders will be faced with a simulated grounding and subsequent oil spill impacting the waters and shoreline of Connecticut and New York. The exercise is part of the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP), a voluntary program bringing together industry and government to meet the exercise and preparedness requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, legislation enacted following the Exxon Valdez.

26 Aug 2013

Titan Salvage to Sponsor National Salvage Conference

Titan Salvage and OPA 90 partner, Marine Response Alliance will team up as sponsors of the National Maritime Salvage Conference, “Weathering the Storm”, hosted jointly by the American Salvage Association (AMA) and Marine Log magazine from September 9 through 12, 2013 in Arlington V.A. The American Salvage Association was created to provide professional salvors with an identity while also assisting with the professionalization of the United States marine salvage and firefighting response capability. The mission of the ASA is to be a unifying association of the commercial marine salvage industry and serve as the definitive spokesman for this industry in Washington, D.C. and around the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Titan Salvage is a subsiidiary of Crowley Maritime Corp.

23 Aug 2013

Date for Diary: MRA-Hosted Seminar 'Navigating in US Waters'

The Marine Response Alliance (MRA) will host an OPA 90 regulatory Seminar entitled, “Navigating US Waters”, on September 4th in Hamburg, Germany at Le Meridien hotel. The afternoon seminar will bring speakers from different sects of the industry and around the world together providing their different perspectives on handling salvage incidents in the U.S. H.-C. The industry will have the chance to discuss compliance regarding OPA 90 regulatory changes as well as abiding to current regulations in place. The seminar will start promptly at 1:30pm and will conclude at 5:30pm allowing for networking opportunities, cocktails, and hor d’ouvres until 7:30pm.

05 Feb 2013

Crowley & Titan Salvage Complete 'Sandy' Relief Projects

S.S. Wright Award: Photo credit Crowley

Crowley Maritime Corp. & subsidiary TITAN Salvage look back on their comprehensive work in response to Hurricane 'Sandy'. The storm devastated the U.S. Northeastern coast in late October 2012, and the companies were fully involved in support of relief organizations working in the areas hardest hit by 'Sandy'. The combined response efforts provided by Crowley and TITAN were extensive. Shortly after the storm, the S.S. Wright, a Crowley-managed, Maritime Administration (MARAD) Ready Reserve Force ship…

01 Nov 2012

Crowley’s First Ocean Class Tugboat Performs Inaugural Job in Cuba

The first of four Crowley Maritime Corporation ocean class tugboats, Ocean Wave, completed its inaugural project earlier this month by removing a grounded containership from the northern coast of Cuba. The job is additionally significant because it utilized many of Crowley’s unique capabilities, equipment and established relationships with Cuban entities and government to complete the job quickly despite many challenges. The project’s success hinged on a coordinated and timely response from Antilliana De Salvemento, the Cuban salvage company which subcontracted Titan Salvage, Crowley’s Pompano, Fla.-based emergency response, marine salvage and wreck removal company, and Houston-based T&T Marine Salvage, to assist with the removal of the stricken containership.

17 Aug 2012

INSIGHTS: from Crowley's Todd Busch

Todd Busch: SVP and General Manager, Technical Services at Crowley Maritime Corporation. Todd Busch joined Crowley as an ordinary seaman in 1986, earning his masters’ license working aboard company tugboats before coming ashore in 1994 as a tug dispatcher. Since then, he has held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility within the firm. Today, the 24-year Crowley veteran is a member of the company’s senior leadership team, reporting directly to Crowley CEO Tom Crowley. Based at Crowley’s headquarters in Jacksonville, FL, he is responsible for several of the company’s business enterprises including the project management organization PMOrg (known as Crowley solutions), as well as subsidiaries Titan Salvage, Jensen Maritime Consultants, and Intrepid Ship Management.

30 May 2012

A Regulatory Seascape

Raina Clark

Regulation shapes the workboat industry perhaps more than any other single factor. This regulatory seascape includes a myriad of onerous and ever-changing rules. A ‘SITREP’ on those choppy waters is therefore in order. Last December, the Coast Guard closed the public comment period following its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) requiring nearly all towing vessels to obtain Certificates of Inspection under Subchapter M of CFR 46. The Coast Guard’s Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise (NCE) estimates that there are 5,800 U.S.

02 Feb 2012

Doyle Named VP Development at USMRC

The United States Maritime Resource Center (USMRC) and the Maritime Simulation Institute said that Margaret Kaigh Doyle has been appointed Vice President – Development, effective January 30, 2012. Doyle has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry and the majority of her career has focused on representing the interests of various sectors in the industry including ship owners and operators, government agencies and salvage and firefighting organizations. Prior to joining USMRC…

31 Aug 2010

McAllister Joins Marine Response Alliance

L-R, Art Mead of Crowley. John Ara of  Crowley, Eric McAllister of McAllister, Margaret Kaigh Doyle of MRA, Brian McAllister of  McAllister, David Usher of MPC, Dan Schwall of Titan, Buckley McAllister of McAllister, and Scott Powell of MHR. (Photo courtesy MRA)

The directors of Marine Response Alliance LLC (MRA or Alliance) announced that McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., Inc. (McAllister) has joined the MRA as a full and equal member. McAllister is now united with the other MRA member companies—Crowley Marine Services, Inc. (Crowley), Marine Pollution Control Corporation (MPC), Titan Maritime LLC (Titan) and Marine Hazard Response (MHR)  (a joint venture of Wild Well Control, Inc. and Williams Fire and Hazard Control, Inc.) to provide OPA-90 Salvage and Marine Firefighting services to the maritime community.

22 Mar 2010

MRA Salvage & Firefighting Contract Approval

Marine Response Alliance, LLC (MRA) has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard of its Salvage and Marine Firefighting Contract and Funding Agreement. The Coast Guard’s all-inclusive acceptance of the contract means that MRA has the ability fully contract with plan holders needing salvage and marine firefighting services required under the OPA-90 sanctioned Salvage and Marine Firefighting Final Rule, which takes effect on February 22, 2011. MRA is a U.S. based emergency response partnership comprised of Crowley Marine Services, Marine Pollution Control, TITAN Salvage, and Marine Hazard Response (a joint venture of Wild Well Control and Williams Fire & Hazard Control).

29 Sep 2009

Busch Elected President of Int’l Salvage Union

Photo courtesy Crowley Maritime Corporation

Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that Todd Busch, the company's senior vice president and general manager of technical services, which includes Crowley subsidiary Titan Salvage, has been elected president of the International Salvage Union (ISU). Busch was elected during the ISU's 55th general meeting in Boston this week. He succeeds Arnold Witte, who will continue to be a member of the ISU's executive committee. Busch joined Crowley in 1987 as an ordinary seaman and since that time served aboard company tugs as a chief mate.

15 May 2009

Doyle Appointed to Marine Response Alliance

The Marine Response Alliance (MRA) is pleased to announce Ms. Margaret Kaigh Doyle has been appointed General Manager of the Alliance effective May 18, 2009. Doyle has over 20 years of experience in the maritime industry and the majority of her career has focused on representing the interests of various sectors in the industry including ship owners and operators, government agencies as well as salvage and firefighting organizations. Prior to joining the MRA she worked as a senior tanker analyst at Marsoft, a Boston-based maritime consulting company.

02 Mar 2009

TITAN Completes Work on Grounded Tanker

During the early morning hours of February 21, 2009, TITAN Salvage was notified by the Marine Response Alliance (MRA) of the grounding of the Yasa Golden Dardanelles, a tanker, off the coast of Galveston, Tex. The tanker was fully laden with approximately 620,000 barrels of fuel oil onboard. TITAN responded by mobilizing a response team consisting of TITAN Salvage Master,  Guy Wood, an assistant salvage master and a naval architect, who all arrived on site later the same day.

15 Dec 2008

Titan - Schwall VP, Reed General Manager

Titan Salvage, Crowley Maritime Corporation's salvage and wreck removal company, announced that Dan Schwall has been promoted to vice president and Phil Reed has been promoted to general manager, salvage and engineering. Both promotions become effective January 1, 2009 and both Schwall and Reed will be domiciled at the Pompano Beach, Fla. headquarters. Schwall will report directly to Todd Busch, senior vice president and general manager of Crowley's technical services group. In…

03 Dec 2008

Crowley Organizational Changes

Steve Collar

Crowley announced changes in leadership and company organization involving its logistics, technical services and marine salvage business lines. Rinus Schepen, Crowley's senior vice president and general manager of logistics, has announced his retirement effective in June 2009. Schepen, a 20-year Crowley veteran, has been a significant contributor to the company's success and will continue to work for Crowley on special assignments in retirement. Collar will become senior vice president and general manager for the group effective Jan. 1, 2009.

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