Maritime News - Professional Mariner

28 Mar

Coast Guard investigating fire on Boston Harbor tour boat

Maritime Newscasualties, U.S. Coast Guard

(BOSTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard convened a formal marine casualty investigation Monday into the fire that occurred aboard the small passenger vessel Spirit of Boston. Rear Adm. John Mauger, Coast Guard First District commander, authorized the investigation pursuant to the authority contained in Title 46, United States Code, Section 6301 and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Cmdr. Mason Wilcox has been…

27 Mar

SAFE Boats unveils autonomous survey monohull

Maritime Newsoffshore wind, shipbuilding

(BREMERTON, Wash.) — SAFE Boats International has announced the introduction of Merlin, an autonomous hydrographic survey vessel. This innovative, 75-foot semi-displacement monohull design was developed in collaboration with Mythos AI, Echo81, and World Marine Design. SAFE Boats International has exclusive rights to build the design at its Tacoma, Wash., large-craft production facility. Merlin will be a Jones Act-compliant all-aluminum hull…

24 Mar

Bay Area storms hinder navigation, leave vessels adrift

Maritime Newssafety, U.S. Coast Guard

(ALAMEDA, Calif.) – The U.S. Coast Guard responded to multiple maritime-related incidents this week after storms crossed the San Francisco Bay Area and left vessels, docks and barges adrift, causing navigational safety issues. All potential navigational hazards were mitigated through federal, state, local and commercial partnerships. Three 60-foot deck barges went adrift, causing an allision with the Third Street Bridge…

21 Mar

Biden budget includes Great Lakes navigation priorities

Maritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Ports, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — On Thursday, the White House released an outline of its fiscal year 2024 budget proposal. The budget includes the following amounts proposed for key programs of importance to Great Lakes ports. The list includes several surprises as noted below by the American Great Lakes Ports Association (AGLPA): Great Lakes icebreaker The White House has proposed $55 million in…

21 Mar

Matson to convert third containership to run on LNG

Maritime NewsClimate change, LNG, propulsion, shipping

(HONOLULU) — Matson Navigation Co. has confirmed that it will convert the main engine aboard its containership Kaimana Hila from a MAN B&W S90ME-C10.5 unit to a dual-fuel ME-GI unit capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG). In doing so, Matson is exercising an option contained in a contract it signed with MAN Energy Solutions in June 2022 to…

17 Mar

Safety alert: Overpressurizing inflatable boats

Maritime Newssafety, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — This U.S. Coast Guard safety alert addresses the importance of proper maintenance and adherence to manufacturer’s recommendations for filling/inflating buoyancy chambers on some models of inflatable boats. During a recent investigation of an incident that occurred involving foreign cruise vessel operations in the Antarctic, a U.S. passenger was severely injured due to a Zodiac Milpro model FC 580/MK5…

16 Mar

MarAd updates security warning for Mideast waters

Maritime NewsSecurity, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — On March 3, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) issued a revised advisory (2023-003) to U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea and western Indian Ocean. The advisory warns that regional conflict, heightened military activity and increased political tensions continue to pose…

16 Mar

Polar Star handles heavy ice, completes Antarctic mission

Maritime NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew departed the Antarctic region March 2 after 67 days below the Antarctic Circle in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023. Polar Star and crew broke a 17-mile channel through fast ice and conducted over 1,600 hours of icebreaking operations to create a navigable route for cargo vessels…

15 Mar

Ports group dispels security threat from Chinese cranes

Maritime NewsPorts, Security

(WASHINGTON) — The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has existed for 111 years to share collective knowledge and best practices on port security and safety. American public port authorities band together when it comes to security, safety, serving the public, serving the military, and serving the national interest. Last week, AAPA clarified the record on recent reports that cranes…

15 Mar

Metal Shark delivers newbuild to Fire Island Ferries

Maritime Newsferries, shipbuilding

(SEATTLE and BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala.) – Metal Shark has delivered Fire Island Maid to Fire Island Ferries of Bay Shore, N.Y. The newbuild, designed by Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) of Seattle, was constructed at Metal Shark's facility in Bayou La Batre, Ala. The 70-by-23-foot multipurpose vehicle ferry features a steel hull and aluminum superstructure and is equipped with…