Publication > Professional Mariner – Page 2

26 Aug

Bulkers hit nearly head-on in Welland Canal accident that goes viral

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner

Two bulk carriers preparing to meet in Ontario’s Welland Canal collided nearly head-on after one ship crossed into the other’s path. The upbound bulker Alanis and downbound bulker Florence Spirit collided July 11 at 1555 at canal mile 15 near Port Robinson. Videos of the slow-speed collision shared widely through social media appear to show Florence Spirit veering across the…

26 Aug

Apprentice steersman being trained when tow hit moored barges

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner

A towboat pushing six barges down the Lower Mississippi River struck moored barges at a shipyard near Sunshine, La., causing 11 empty shipyard barges to break free. An apprentice steersman had turned over the helm just before impact. The incident happened at about 1020 on March 7, 2019, at mile 208.5 as the towboat Leviticus prepared to meet an upbound…

26 Aug

Ship’s turn off dock, not upriver first, cited in Louisiana bridge strike

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner

Dank Silver loaded clean product at a refinery near Donaldsonville, La., and prepared to sail down the Lower Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. Getting there meant coming off the dock and spinning 180 degrees in the swollen, fast-moving current. A pilot from the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA) was aboard to guide the 600-foot tanker…

26 Aug

Barge loses 21 containers during transit to Hilo; 12 not recovered

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty News, Publication > Professional Mariner

Twenty-one shipping containers fell overboard from a cargo barge en route to Hilo, Hawaii, and 12 sank and were not recovered. Crew aboard the 3,900-hp tugboat Hoku Loa noticed toppled boxes and missing cargo from the 340-foot barge Ho’omaka Hou when the vessels reached Hilo early on June 22. “There were 49 containers that were affected by the incident. Not…

26 Aug

Cordage innovations continue to stretch capability, durability

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner, Tugboats & Towing

Cordage, mainly towing and mooring lines, is being required to do more in a new maritime age as cargo vessels get larger and tugboats get more powerful. In response, manufacturers have continued to innovate. Global shipping giants Wilhelmsen and Maersk, for example, are adopting a technology called the Snap Back Arrestor (SBA) for mooring lines. Developed by Norway-based Timm Ropes,…

26 Aug

Chafe guards: Protecting the investment

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner

Marine environments are notoriously rough on cordage. That reality has led to the development of a number of specialized products and materials designed to protect cordage against abrasion and other hazards. Chuck Gilchrest, marketing and business development manager in the U.S. for Nova Scotia-based Novabraid, said notable innovations in that regard have come from companies such as Chafe-Pro, which his…

26 Aug

Why do containership stacks collapse, and who is liable when they do?

Professional Mariner StaffPublication > Professional Mariner

The collapse of on-deck container stacks represents a grave threat to crew, ship safety and the environment. The shipping community and its insurers have suffered substantial financial losses during recent years as the number of collapse cases resulting in the loss of containers at sea has increased both in terms of frequency and severity. Causes of collapse Understanding causation is…

26 Aug

Sharpen your listening skills to avoid conflict and danger at sea

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

I had joined the 890-foot crude oil tanker at Swan Island, Ore., the week before, and since coming aboard had been busy as the ship neared the end of its scheduled yard period. It had been a very long day, with lots of going in and out of cargo tanks, and I was on deck heading back to the house…

26 Aug

Schottel wins repeat order to supply pump jets for Mystic Cruises

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry News, Publication > Professional Mariner

(SPAY, Germany) — German propulsion manufacturer Schottel has won a contract to supply state-of-the-art pump jets for five additional expedition cruise ships (with option to include a sixth) for Portuguese-based company Mystic Cruises. Two pump jets will be installed aboard each of the 126-meter-long and 19-meter-wide luxury ships, under construction or on order at West Sea Viana Shipyard in Portugal. …

25 Aug

Coast Guard Foundation to honor Coast Guard members with virtual events

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry News, Publication > Professional Mariner

(STONINGTON, Conn.) — The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to strengthening the Coast Guard community and service by supporting members and families, announced today the 16th Annual Tribute to the United States Coast Guard from our Nation’s Capital will be held in a virtual format October 29, 2020, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. The 5th Annual…