20 May

Cummings: U.S. military should do more to prevent pirate attacks

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
The following is a statement by U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md.:   SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD & MARITIME TRANSPORTATION “Piracy Against U.S.-Flagged Vessels: Lessons Learned†May 19, 2009 – 10:00 a.m. Room 2167, Rayburn House Office Building Opening Statement of Chairman Elijah E. Cummings On February 4, 2009, I convened this Subcommittee to examine international piracy on the high…
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19 May

ABS Introduces Guide on the Use of Higher-Strength Thick Steel Plates

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
May 18, 2009 For more information, contact: Jennifer Bewley, ABS External Affairs 1 281 877 5851 or [email protected] (Houston, TX--) ABS has issued a new guide intended to provide supplementary requirements for the application of higher-strength, thick steel plates, greater than 51 mm, within the structure of large container carriers. The requirements in the Guide for Application of Higher-Strength Hull Structural…
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18 May

Seafarer chaplaincy programs confront piracy problem

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(NEW YORK) -- Mariner chaplaincy programs say the recent piracy crisis off Somalia highlights the need to support the world's seafarers, the magazine Christian Century reported. New York-based Seamen's Church Institute says it doesn't support the idea of arming commercial crews. A larger problem is the continued shortage of qualified seafarers in the industry.   Click here to view the magazine's…
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18 May

Feds surprised by high number of ship ‘magic pipe’ cases (VIDEO)

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
(NEWARK, N.J.) -- Federal prosecutors who have stepped up their enforcement of ship oil-pollution laws are surprised at the high number of cases they have found, the Star-Ledger newspaper of Newark reported. Illegal dumping through a "magic pipe" can save a ship operator thousands of dollars. An estimated 88 million gallons of shipborne waste are dumped into the oceans annually.…
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15 May

Hawaii Superferry ceases operations, its future remains uncertain

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
Alakai departing from Kahului on Maui for Honolulu. The fast catamaran took its last run on March 28, less than a year after the Hawaiian inter-island service began. Alan Haig-Brown Hawaii Superferry, a popular but troubled inter-island car ferry service, abruptly ceased operation after a court struck down a law that had enabled the vessel to operate without the customary…
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15 May

Plimsolls go to lifesaving program, Long Beach pilot, maker of lifeboat hook

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News
The editors of Professional Mariner have presented Plimsoll Awards for 2009 to a U.S. Coast Guard mutual rescue program, a Long Beach pilot who pioneered modern escort tug operations and the developer of a lifeboat hook designed to prevent accidents. The awards were presented on March 24 at the Connecticut Maritime Association's (CMA) Shipping 2009 conference in Stamford, Conn. The…
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