Great Lakes bulker suffers second fire in less than a year

Great Lakes bulker suffers second fire in less than a year

(ASHTABULA, Ohio) — A fire broke out Friday aboard the 81-year-old bulk carrier Cuyahoga, one of the oldest cargo vessels transiting the Great Lakes, while the ship was docked along Lake Erie. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that the captain and crew of the vessel were not injured. According to the Coast Guard, the 664-foot Cuyahoga was undergoing maintenance in…
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Coast Guard buoy tender spills fuel off California coast

Coast Guard buoy tender spills fuel off California coast

(ALAMEDA, Calif.) — The Coast Guard cutter Alder, a 225-foot buoy tender home-ported in San Francisco, accidentally discharged approximately 500 gallons of diesel fuel 30 miles offshore of Fort Bragg on Friday morning. Alder was en route to Humboldt Bay when the incident occurred. Members of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Incident Management Division notified interagency stakeholders and are investigating…
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Tug’s speed, hydrodynamic forces led to Texas collision

Tug’s speed, hydrodynamic forces led to Texas collision

(WASHINGTON) — A tugboat maneuvering near a transiting tanker in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel was drawn in toward the tanker, leading to a collision, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. The tugboat Mark E. Kuebler and the tanker Nisalah collided in the channel near Ingleside, Texas, on Jan. 22, 2023. The tugboat’s hull was breached by the…
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Cargo ship departs Alaska after lithium-ion battery fire

Cargo ship departs Alaska after lithium-ion battery fire

(JUNEAU, Alaska) — The cargo ship Genius Star XI departed Dutch Harbor, Alaska, on Sunday en route its intended destination in San Diego, Calif. The vessel’s voyage was delayed for about eight weeks after it experienced a fire in its cargo holds, which included large industrial lithium-ion battery units. The unified command managing the incident has stood down and all…
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Coast Guard, Navy partner on boxship medevac off Saipan

Coast Guard, Navy partner on boxship medevac off Saipan

(SANTA RITA, Guam) — In a display of exceptional interagency cooperation, a commercial mariner in urgent need of medical care was safely evacuated to Guam on Friday thanks to the swift actions of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (HSC-25). "This successful medical evacuation underscores the strong partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard,…
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NTSB: Tow pilot forgot passing arrangement before collision

NTSB: Tow pilot forgot passing arrangement before collision

(WASHINGTON) — A towing vessel pilot incorrectly recalling the agreed-upon passing arrangement led to tows colliding last year on the Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. According to the Inland Navigation Rules, when two vessels are meeting or crossing, each vessel shall signal its maneuvering intentions by using the vessel’s whistle or VHF radio. About 20…
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More witness testimony scheduled on Port Newark ship fire

More witness testimony scheduled on Port Newark ship fire

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have scheduled follow-up witness testimony on Wednesday and Friday in support of the ongoing investigation into the fire that occurred on July 5, 2023 aboard the Italian-flagged cargo vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio while docked at the Port Newark, N.J. The videos of testimony are scheduled to be…
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Passenger ferry grounds near entrance to Maui harbor

Passenger ferry grounds near entrance to Maui harbor

(HONOLULU) — The U.S. Coast Guard continues to respond to a passenger ferry that ran aground near Maalaea Harbor, Maui, on Monday. At 5:05 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watch standers received notification from the small passenger vessel Expeditions Five, a 55-foot ferry with three crewmembers on board, that they had run aground near the entrance to the harbor. Watch…
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Gale-force winds, high waves led to tilting of elevated liftboat

Gale-force winds, high waves led to tilting of elevated liftboat

(WASHINGTON) — Gale-force winds and high waves from a storm led to the listing (tilting) of an elevated liftboat in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. Damage to the vessel and cargo was estimated at $6.9 million. On Nov. 20, 2022, the liftboat L/B Robert was reported to be listing (tilting) alongside a stationary…
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