NATO RV Alliance is not just quiet, it’s ice-capable
An interview with Ian Sage, director for marine operations, NATO Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation, La Spezia, Italy.NATO’s 3,100-ton, 305-foot research vessel NRV Alliance has been a leading platform for underwater acoustics research to the benefit of NATO navies. The ship operated with a civilian crew under the German flag for many years for the NATO SACLANT Center, later renamed the NATO Undersea Research Center, and now known as the NATO Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation. Now Alliance flies a new flag, and has a broader mission.
Massachusetts Legislature Considers Bill to Regulate Tank Barges
Massachusetts House Bill 59 (HB 59) was reported out of the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture and referred to the Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee. HB 59 is similar to bills introduced, but never enacted, in the 1997 and 1998 state legislative sessions. The bill requires all tank barges transporting bulk petroleum products be equipped with an operable anchor system and be manned, unless the state Department of Environmental Protection determines alternative technical or operational measures provide an equivalent degree of protection. If the bill is released by the Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee, it can go to the floor for a third reading or for a vote. A third reading will enable individuals opposed to the bill to provide testimony to the committee.
