Trial by ice: Harsh first winter for new tug

Trial by ice: Harsh first winter for new tug

In its first winter in service, Thomas X. Grasso, a new tugboat built for New York Power Authority (NYPA), proved itself to be the right boat for breaking ice. December 2025 was colder than normal in the Capital District of New York, the metropolitan area surrounding Albany, but the first six weeks of 2026 saw a deep freeze, with more…
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Fatigue, autopilot scrutinized in $15.8M bridge strike

Fatigue, autopilot scrutinized in $15.8M bridge strike

A s the nearly 290-by-55-foot Mackenzie Rose tow approached the Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Bridge on a calm summer day in 2024, the tow began to swing to port at a turn rate of 12° per minute. The mate — who investigators would go on to determine was likely experiencing cumulative fatigue from an extended hitch — was…
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Cellphone use cited in collision of towboat with bulk carrier on Lower Mississippi

Cellphone use cited in collision of towboat with bulk carrier on Lower Mississippi

The bane of distraction-prone automobile drivers for decades now, and no shortage of mariners over that time, claimed another apparent victim in late 2024 as a captain’s cellphone call coincided damningly with his Mississippi River towboat’s last seaworthy moments. At 84 feet in length, the steel-hulled Patrick J Studdert was no match for the 738-foot-long bulk carrier Clara B when…
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Quick response limits damage from crane-cab fire

Quick response limits damage from crane-cab fire

On Dec. 1, 2024, the pipe-laying ship Deep Energy was at berth undergoing extended maintenance when the fire alarm panel on the bridge sounded, indicating that a smoke detector within the knuckle boom crane cabin had activated. A crewmember confirmed the presence of smoke and flames inside the cabin. As the master sounded the general alarm and mustered fire teams,…
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SAFETY ALERT: Importance of adequate navigation bridge visibility and visual lookouts

SAFETY ALERT: Importance of adequate navigation bridge visibility and visual lookouts

Maintaining a proper lookout is among the most fundamental responsibilities of a mariner, but according to the U.S. Coast Guard, several recent collisions and near-misses have been linked to a surprisingly basic problem: operators could not adequately see from the navigation bridge. In a May Safety Alert, the Coast Guard warned that cargo loading arrangements that obstruct visibility from the…
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The Jones Act under pressure — cases for and against

The Jones Act under pressure — cases for and against

For the past two months, a law that has been a cornerstone of U.S. maritime policy for more than a century has been essentially set aside. Since March 18, the Trump administration has granted Jones Act waivers allowing foreign-flagged ships to move cargo between U.S. ports, a step intended to ease fuel shortages and supply-chain disruptions stemming from the conflict…
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Ask Nate

Ask Nate

Q: I keep hearing the NMC is emailing medical certificates now instead of mailing them. Is that true? What do I actually need to do?  Bart P., Master of Towing Vessels Great question, Bart, and the timing could not be better because this recently went live in April. Yes, the National Maritime Center is now delivering medical certificates electronically by…
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A step we need to take

A step we need to take

Wouldn’t it be great if there were an international maritime law that mandated every company had to provide their crews with adequate clean food and water, decent accommodations, 30 days of paid vacation a year and sick/injury pay? The good news is that there is such a law: the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC). It took five years of negotiations, but…
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