Publication > Professional Mariner – Page 134

26 Mar

Novec, FM-200 gain acceptance as ‘green’ firefighting alternatives

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner

In the move away from Halon as an onboard fire suppressant, Novec 1230 and FM-200 have emerged as the “green” products of choice. Non-conductive, non-corrosive, fast-acting and residue-free, they don’t harm the ozone layer and don’t pose the threat to mariners that carbon dioxide systems do. Novec, manufactured by 3M, and FM-200, made by DuPont, are both “clean agents” designed…

26 Mar

Deepwater Horizon blast spikes demand for fire monitors on OSVs

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner

For Glynn Grantham, the proof that the Deepwater Horizon disaster has generated attention on improving fire safety offshore can be seen in the numbers. “I’ve been doing this for 35 years, and we’ve typically had about 12 projects a year,” said Grantham, owner of In-Mar Systems of Gonzales, La., a distributor and installer of fire monitor systems for the maritime…

26 Mar

Iridium to launch $3B next-generation satellite network

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner, Tugboats & Towing

Iridium Communications is preparing to launch a new satellite network starting in 2015 that promises clearer voice calls and faster downloads on vessels. The company, which is known for its OpenPort maritime broadband systems, expects to begin launching the Iridium NEXT satellites starting in 2015. The $3 billion system upgrade should be fully operational about two years later. Brian Pemberton,…

25 Mar

U.S., Canada need to be proactive in tracking tsunami debris

Professional Mariner StaffA Mariner's Notebook, Publication > Professional Mariner

On March 11, 2011, a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people and generating a deadly 20-foot tsunami wave that hit the Tohoku region fiercely. The earthquake and tsunami damaged over 300 ports, and destroyed around 25,000 fishing vessels. As the tsunami receded back into the Pacific Ocean, it washed an estimated 5 million tons of debris…

27 Feb

Report calls for more capable winches on Prince William Sound escort tugs

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner, Tugboats & Towing

The winches used by tugs escorting oil tankers in Prince William Sound, Alaska, are not state of the art and should be replaced, according to a study written by the naval architect Robert Allan. Allan recommended installing new constant-tension winches to replace the current escort winches on all five tugs used in escort operations. The new winches would have the…

27 Feb

Rain lifts Mississippi water levels and hopes of averting a shutdown

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner

After the near shutdown of the Mississippi River in December 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is predicting that the river will stay open through the middle of February. “We received a good amount of rain on the upper Mississippi around Jan. 12 and water levels are up three to five feet between St. Louis and Cairo, the…

27 Feb

California passes law designed to counter San Francisco bar pilot fatigue, impairment

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner

A new California law mandates stricter safety regulations for pilots in San Francisco Bay, but the pilots say many of the changes were already in the works. In September 2012, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the measure sponsored by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA). Among the provisions of the new law is a requirement that the California Board…

27 Feb

NOAA moves its officer candidate training to Coast Guard Academy

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & Training, Maritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner

Officers aboard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) vessels are somewhat of a hybrid. They are likely to be experts in fields like engineering, oceanography and fisheries science, but they also have to be able ship handlers and officers. Consequently they must pass a rigorous training program before being assigned to any one of the 19 ships operated by NOAA.…

27 Feb

By keeping N.Y. real-estate wolves at bay, ‘Tugboat Alley’ stays a working waterfront

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner

In recent times, the pressure to acquire industrial waterfront property and to develop it into an urban environment has been unrelenting. But, so far, “Tugboat Alley” on New York City’s Staten Island has survived. And things look brighter for the island’s north shore industrial waterfront lining Kill Van Kull and Arthur Kill, two channels that separate New York from New…

27 Feb

Sause Bros. stays fit through close attention to the shape its vessels are in

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner

There are different models of fleet building among tug companies. They vary according to the firm’s principal areas of operation, but they will vary within categories as well. Sause Bros. Inc., based in Coos Bay, Ore., with boats stationed in Hawaii, Los Angeles and Portland, continues to build a fleet based on the consideration of a wide range of performance…