23 Apr

Florida cruise vessel, 2 responding boats run aground on foggy night

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner
A pirate-themed excursion cruise ship ran aground in heavy fog near Clearwater, Fla., and two good Samaritan vessels that responded to help offload passengers also became stuck, the U.S. Coast Guard said. There were 120 passengers and crew aboard the 70-foot Pirate's Ransom when it ran aground outside a channel in the Intracoastal Waterway at about 1830 on New Year's…
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23 Apr

Costa Concordia aftermath: When is it OK to challenge a captain's decision?

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner, Tugboats & Towing
The Costa Concordia accident raises the difficult question of how officers on the bridge should respond to a captain who gives dangerous orders that violate basic safety standards. Costa Concordia's officers, including Capt. Francesco Schettino, are under investigation for safety violations. The case sheds light on teamwork and chain-of-command issues among bridge crews. (Associated Press/Alessandro La Rocca/La Presse photo) As…
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29 Mar

Barge maker fined for closed-space blast that killed worker, seriously injured another

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner
A Tennessee dredge barge manufacturer has paid a $32,620 fine after an enclosed-space explosion killed one worker and seriously injured another. The accident at Dredge & Marine Co. in Nashville, Tenn., happened when paint fumes caught on fire while a crew was applying coatings to the interior of a vessel, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said. "One…
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29 Mar

BC Ferries says electronics glitch likely caused hard landing at dock

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner
A British Columbia ferry terminal was knocked out of service for months after a BC Ferries boat slammed into the berth, injuring three people. Coastal Inspiration experienced a hard landing at the Duke Point ferry terminal on Vancouver Island on Dec. 20, 2011. The 520-foot ferry was approaching the dock at 1452 when it failed to completely slow down to…
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29 Mar

Knockdown of Nova Scotian sailing vessel triggers call for mandatory stability training

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner
The capsizing of a Nova Scotia-based sail training vessel off Brazil two years ago was due to a failure of the watchkeeper's understanding of the risk of a knockdown, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada said. Concordia's life rafts come alongside one of the ships. (Photo courtesy Mitsui OSK Lines) All 64 occupants of Concordia were rescued after the…
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29 Mar

U.S. laker fleet experiences second fatal conveyor accident in a year

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner
A crewman on a laker was killed when a conveyor belt started up while he was repairing a hydraulic leak, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to warn the industry that better safety practices are necessary. The accident happened Nov. 12, 2011, aboard St. Marys Challenger, the oldest vessel in the U.S. and Canadian laker fleets, while the 551-foot self-unloading cement…
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29 Mar

Following spate of casualties, Coast Guard deplores ship's 'unacceptable' condition

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Maritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner
A dry-bulk carrier's visit to Washington to load grain turned into a six-week ordeal that included two propulsion losses, detainment, an injured crewman and the loss of three anchors. The Panamax bulk ship Edfu's crew struggled to overcome the multiple casualties and delays, including the engine repairs and rebuilding of its inadequate firefighting system. The Egyptian-flagged Edfu is moored at…
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29 Mar

Weekend warriors and fog keep Block Island ferry crews on their toes

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner
The Interstate Navigation Co. ferry was halfway between Block Island and the Rhode Island coast when a Boston Whaler whizzed past for the first time. The high-speed ferry Athena maneuvers in Old Harbor on Block Island. (Casey Conley photo) A few minutes later, it was back again. The same 18-foot vessel that moments before had overtaken the 208-foot car ferry…
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28 Mar

Following sinkings, industry urged to address dangers of liquefaction

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Maritime News, Publication > Professional Mariner
When the 31,247-gross-ton bulk carrier Vinalines Queen sank on Christmas Day of 2011 in winds over 35 knots, 22 members of its crew died. Incredibly, Dau Ngoc Hung, of Vietnam, survived. He said the ship went down immediately. The vessel, owned by the Republic of Vietnam, was carrying 54,000 tons of nickel ore from Indonesia's Morowali Port to Ningde Port…
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