28 Feb

Crew of cruise ship that hit reef faulted for failing to update charts

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News
The December 1998 grounding of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Monarch of the Seas on a coral reef off St. Maarten was the result of a series of operational errors on the part of the bridge team, a joint investigation between U.S. and Norwegian authorities recently determined. Most significantly, the investigation determined that the grounding was a direct result of…
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28 Feb

Maritime Book Review: Under Pressure

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Under Pressure: The Final Voyage of Submarine S-Five By A.J. Hill The Free Press, 2002 239 pages Under Pressure is a true story of men against the sea, painstakingly researched by first-time author A.J. Hill, a scientist and former Navy man. Submarine S-Five's final voyage was also her maiden voyage, when, on the first day of September in 1920, a…
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28 Feb

Canadian hovercraft stand ready to go places other vessels cannot

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Hovercraft can go over water, mud flats and even flat land at relatively high speed. The Canadian Coast Guard believes those qualities make them ideal for many search-and-rescue operations. Capt. Allan Taylor with Siyãy, one of two Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft stationed near Vancouver International Airport. In the event of a plane crash, the hovercraft would be able to operate…
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28 Feb

Matson to proceed with acquisition of containerships

Professional Mariner StaffUncategorized
Matson Navigation Co. has reached union agreements that will allow it to proceed with the purchase of two containerships under construction at Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard. "As a result of the cooperative efforts of these maritime unions, Matson will be able to operate the new ships under a cost model that justifies the significant financial investment," Matson said. The labor agreements…
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