Public Affairs Office News

“Not only does the top of the river move, but the bottom of the river also moves.” - James Bodron, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Regional Business Director.Dredging was the Herculean act that allowed much of the U.S. economy to keep chugging along as usual, at least for Midwest and Central states, as drought conditions threatened to shut down river traffic on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, during fall and winter 2022 and early 2023.The full scope of these U.S.

The Coast Guard is reminding the public that unlicensed vessel charters are both illegal and unsafe to consumers.Hiring an unlicensed charter is dangerous because the charter may not have the proper emergency safety gear, navigation and communication gear, and may not have undergone the proper license exams and inspections which are put in place to ensure passenger and crew safety.Legal passenger vessel operations fall into one of these three categories:Uninspected Passenger Vessel…

Portland, Oregon-based Vanport Marine, Inc. has been awarded the contract to perform the Dockside Repair of the USCGC Bluebell. The scope of the contract includes upgrades to the Allied buoy and cargo crane, deck preservation, repairs to the weather tight doors, renewal of the sewage shore tie valve, and repair of the remote fuel cutoff valve and deck box. The work will be completed at the vessel’s home pier at 676 N. Basin Ave, Portland, OR. The performance period will begin on June 12, 2018 and end July 18, 2018. The cutter Bluebell is an inland buoy tender built by the Birchfield Boiler Co. in Tacoma, Wash., and was commissioned April 4, 1945.

The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Bouchard Transportation representatives continue to respond Sunday to an oil discharge from a barge that caught fire and was extinguished on Friday three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas. Response efforts continue to minimize impact to the environment and the maritime community, which has enabled the Coast Guard to reopen the impacted ship channels. Discharge from the barge cargo tanks appears to have stopped following the removal of 2,500 barrels of oil-water mix from the barge through lightering operations. Lightering is currently suspended due to weather, but will resume with improvement in sea conditions. Containment boom remains in place around the vessel, though sheening from the barge and containment boom is present.

Three Chinese naval vessels have arrived at a US Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville,  in the US state of Florida, reports Xinhua. The "goodwill" visit will help build trust and increase understanding, according to the Mayport Public Affairs Office. Their friendly visit is part of a world tour showcasing the advances in China's maritime capabilities. It comes at a time of tensions between the two countries over the South China Sea, but it is aimed at uniting rather than dividing. The trip itinerary includes visiting each other's ships, attending cultural events around the area and participating in Mayport's fall sports week. The Jinan missile destroyer…

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port continues to closely monitor the movement of Hurricane Ignacio and based on the storms current trajectory to the northwest it does not appear that the closure of commercial ports in the Hawaiian Islands will be necessary. As a precaution, the COTP has moved the ports of Hilo and Kawaihae on the Big Island and the ports of Kaunakakai and Kahului in Maui County to Condition X-Ray (III): The READINESS condition in which winds above 34 knots (39 mph) are expected within 48 hours. The Port Conditions of Kalaeloa and Honolulu on Oahu are Whiskey (IV): The ALERT condition in which winds above 34 knots (39 mph) are expected within 72 hours. There is no upgraded Port Condition set for Kauai at this time.

Two Japanese warships arrived in the Philippines on Saturday to take part in the first naval drill between the two countries in the disputed South China Sea. The May 12 maritime safety exercise in the South China Sea near a disputed shoal claimed by China, which will practice the code for unplanned encounters at sea, known as CUES, is part of an agreement signed by Japan and the Philippines in January aimed at tightening security cooperation. State-run Philippines News Agency reported the Philippine Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force will hold exercises off the waters of Subic Bay, Zambales and Corregidor Island on May 12. It quoted Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr.

The fishing vessel Pacifica moored safely in Honolulu Harbor Monday after taking on water approximately 144 miles north northeast of Oahu. The cause of the flooding was determined to be insufficient shaft packing in the stern tube, which allowed water to enter the vessel. The Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported here, escorted the vessel back to the Port of Honolulu. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center received a distress call from the commercial fishing vessel Pacifica at 8:58 a.m., Sunday. The crew reported the vessel was taking on water at ten gallons per minute and was continuing to make way toward Oahu at 7 miles per hour. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew launched from Air Station Barbers Point at 9:29 a.m.

The Coast Guard is assisting the crew of a sinking fishing boat 144 miles north northeast of Oahu, Sunday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center received a distress call from the commercial fishing vessel Pacifica at 8:58 a.m., Sunday. The crew reported the vessel was taking on water at ten gallons per minute and was continuing to make way toward Oahu at 7 miles per hour. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew launched from Air Station Barbers Point at 9:29 a.m. The Hercules crew arrived on scene at 10:05 a.m. and dropped dewatering equipment to the fishing vessel. The Hercules will remain on scene until the Coast Guard Cutter Kittiwake arrives to provide additional assistance. The 87-foot patrol boat departed its homeport of Honolulu at 10:30 a.m.

The public is advised to use extreme caution and prepare for the onset of heavy weather expected to generate extreme sea conditions, storm surge and high surf throughout the Main Hawaiian Islands prior to the arrival of Troppical Storm Ana. Mariners should secure their boats and boating equipment. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to protected marinas where they will be less likely to break free of their moorings or to be otherwise damaged. It may be advisable for smaller boats to be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding and is protected. Regardless of location, all loose items aboard vessels should be secured or removed. Visitors to Hawaii should heed all warnings from lifeguards and public health and safety officials.

The Coast Guard 9th District, partner agencies, and Enbridge Energy Limited Partnership will conduct a full-scale oil spill response exercise in Indian River, Michigan, Wednesday. More than 200 participants from the Coast Guard; Enbridge; the Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet County Office of Emergency Management; Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; and the Environmental Protection Agency, will participate in the exercise, which simulates a breach in Enbridge’s Line 5 and a worst-case discharge of light crude oil.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert has left the People's Republic of China (PRC) after a successful four-day counterpart visit with military leaders, fleet units and leaders of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) says the Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs Office. Adm. Wu Shengli, commander in chief of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), hosted Greenert's visit, which marked the fourth major interaction between Greenert and Wu in the past year and is a clear indication of each country's desire to grow their existing relationship. Ensuring the full understanding and implementation of the Code for Unplanned…

With more than 10,000 humpback whales migrating to the Hawaiian Islands this year, crews from the Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the State of Hawaii's Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, from the Department of Land and Natural Resources are partnering together to protect humpback whales. Humpback whale season is generally from November to May with the peak season occurring during the months of January and March. According to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, whales come to the Hawaiian Islands to mate, calve, and nurse their young. They return to Alaska in the summer months because Hawaii's waters are relatively nutrient-free and too warm to support enough of the humpback's food to sustain them year-round.

In anticipation of the coming ice season and to ensure the safety of vessels transiting the Great Lakes Basin, earlier this week the Coast Guard 9th District began its annual retrieval of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System seasonal aids to navigation, the largest domestic ATON recovery operation in the U.S. Operation Fall Retrieve, which affects lighted and unlighted buoys and beacons, commenced Tuesday with a goal of retrieving 1,278 navigational aids. The operation is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 28.

Lake Michigan-Huron sets all-time record for lowest monthly water level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District through its Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office reports a preliminary new record low water level for Lake Michigan-Huron for the second month in a row. The new record low of 175.57 meters or 576.02 feet is not only the lowest January monthly average water level ever recorded, but also the lowest monthly average ever recorded for any month over the official period of record for Great Lakes water levels, which extends back to 1918. The Corps issues water level forecasts for the Great Lakes in coordination with Environment Canada…

Phoenix Express 2008 (PE 08) wrapped up the inport portion of the exercise on April 13 and began the underway portion of the two-week exercise on April 14 with 12 ships getting underway from Naval Support Activity, , . Two ships from the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group (NAS ESG), the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) and the amphibious transport dock USS Nashville (LPD 13); along with the frigate USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) and the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) are representing the .

On Friday, August 17, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard graduated its first Cooperative Apprenticeship Program (CAP) class since 1993, when the program was halted by the threat of base closure and subsequent reductions in work force. The nine graduates began as a class of 12 in 1997 and have all accepted permanent, journeyman-level positions on the yard. Two years ago, each student received an associate's degree from a participating technical college. "A real bright spot in this program is the growth that we've seen in the past few years," said Captain Vernon "Tom" Williams, USN, the Shipyard's commander. "It has increased in size from 12 in the first class, to 49 in 1998, 95 in 1999, 75 in 2000, and 68 in 2001.

Dr. Vernon Simmons, former Senior Scientist, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) and Dr. Yuan-Ning Liu, Chief Research Scientist, NSWCCD, received the annual Dr. Arthur E. Bission Prize for Naval Technology Achievement for leading-edge scientific research in structural acoustics. Dr. Simmons was unable to attend the August 23rd ceremony at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which marked the second year in a row NSWCCD researchers have won the award. Last year the project singled out for accolades was the advanced enclosed composite mast. Their accomplishments resulted in a greater understanding of the interactions of acoustics and structures for submarines, leading to major advances in stealth and sonar performance.

Pictured is the LCS concept from Austal. For anyone attending both the Surface Navy Association's 16th Annual National Symposium and the National Defense Industrial Association's "Navy-Industry International Dialogue-Littoral Combat Ship" (both on Jan. 14), the message came through loud and clear that the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in on its way and will be ready to take its place in America's Fleet of tomorrow. No fewer than a dozen senior Naval officers, program managers and…

A group of 12 reserve Sailors became plank owners on Aug. 25 for initiating the Surge Main concept at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), where they performed a number of deckplate repair functions - seamlessly and professionally - during their annual active duty training. “We were able to hit the ground running by drawing on lessons learned from related programs at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (and Intermediate Maintenance Facility), and at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard(and Intermediate Maintenance Facility),” said Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Estrada, NNSY's Surge Main Program Manager. “Surge Main provides a part-time, fully qualified maintenance workforce that can be assigned whenever and wherever the Navy needs to support Fleet Readiness and the Fleet Response Plan,” Estrada explained.

Personnel from the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa’s (CJTF-HOA) Mobile Training Team (MTT) conducted Preventive Maintenance Systems (PMS) training March 28 with the Djiboutian Navy. The classroom instruction gives Djiboutian Sailors the opportunity to learn high-quality engineering practices for their vessels. The training consisted of setting up and adhering to maintenance schedules. “Introducing them to the Preventive Maintenance System we use on our ships will help them better do their jobs, increase the life expectancy of their equipment and encourage them to be proactive vice reactive when it comes to doing required maintenance,” said Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class (SC) William Hawkins III. By engaging the Djiboutian Navy in such a way, the U.S.

Sailors man the rails on the flight deck aboard nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 and Destroyer Squadron Group (DESRON) 23 are deploying to support operations in U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. U.S. More than 6,000 Sailors and Marines attached to the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deployed from their homeport of San Diego on April 2. The Nimitz CSG will join the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) CSG and relieve the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) CSG, currently operating in the Persian Gulf. Nimitz’s arrival will continue the current two-carrier presence in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, demonstrating the U.S.

Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) transit alongside Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Gulf of Oman. All three ships are part of three different strike groups that are on scheduled deployments in support of maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul J. From U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Groups and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Expeditionary Strike Group entered the Persian Gulf May 23. While operating in the Persian Gulf…