06 Aug

Pilot takes quick action to avert disaster in Mississippi collision

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News
Quick thinking by a Mississippi River pilot prevented a potentially catastrophic collision when a containership lost its steering and struck a bulk carrier that was about to dock, the Coast Guard said.The 773-foot Heidelberg Express experienced cascading generator failures and lost power to its electrical systems before the Oct. 22 incident on the river near Pointe a la Hache, La.…
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06 Aug

VT Halter to build SWATH survey ship for NOAA

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
VT Halter Marine has signed a contract to build a $15 million small water plane area twin hull (SWATH) vessel for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.Halter, based in Pascagoula, Miss., also designed the $15 million vessel under an earlier contract.The coastal mapping vessel (CMV) will be used to map the seafloor in coastal areas for the nation's nautical charts."It…
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06 Aug

Loose electrical connection results in collision

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News
A bulk carrier traveling down the Mississippi River lost steering control and struck an anchored ship because of an electronics problem that caused its engine to slow, Coast Guard investigators have concluded. On Oct. 16, Zagora, a 712-foot Greek-flagged bulk carrier, veered out of the main channel near Kenner, La., and struck the empty bulk carrier Torm Anholt — scraping,…
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06 Aug

Sharp roll by new cruise ship injures over 200 passengers

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News
Federal officials are investigating Princess Cruises' conclusion that "human error" caused its newest cruise ship to list as much as 38° to starboard, injuring more than 200 passengers.The incident on the Crown Princess happened on the afternoon of July 18, 11 miles off the coast of Port Canaveral, Fla., the National Transportation Safety Board said.The 952-foot cruise ship had just…
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06 Aug

New tug simulator makes debut at West Coast training facility

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training, Tugboats & Towing
By Gregory M. Walsh  Pacific Maritime Institute in Seattle has developed a training program incorporating what it said is the only full-scale marine simulation program in the United States developed exclusively for tugboat operators. PMI's marine simulation theater, designed as an actual tugboat wheelhouse, includes full controls for tractor-style tugs and conventional tugs, simulation programs involving typical tugboat scenarios and…
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