casualties – Professional Mariner

13 May

U.S. indicts Dali operators for fatal Baltimore bridge strike

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, NTSB, shipping, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges against two companies and an employee connected with the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, World News Group reported. Dali, a 984-foot containership, crashed into the bridge in the early morning of March 26, 2024. The collapse killed six construction workers on the bridge and resulted in at least $5…

18 Nov

NTSB: Single loose wire led to Dali blackout, bridge strike

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, NTSB

(WASHINGTON) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday that a single loose wire on the 984-foot containership Dali caused an electrical blackout that led to the vessel veering and contacting the nearby Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md. The span then collapsed, killing six highway workers. At Tuesday’s public meeting at NTSB headquarters, investigators said the loose…

01 Sep

CS Anthem replaces damaged tanker in security program

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, shipping

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — Crowley Stena Marine Solutions, the joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk, has received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) to operate the CS Anthem tanker under the Tanker Security Program. CS Anthem, a U.S.-flagged, 49,990-metric-ton medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter through the joint venture. The vessel joins Crowley-managed…

05 Aug

Titan report calls for stronger oversight of submersibles

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) released its report of investigation (ROI) Tuesday on the loss of the Titan submersible, which imploded during a June 2023 dive to the Titanic, killing five people. The more than 300-page ROI outlines key findings and contributing factors in the casualty and includes 17 safety recommendations aimed at strengthening…

04 Aug

Eric Stolzenberg named director of NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newscasualties, NTSB

(WASHINGTON) — Longtime mariner and investigator Eric Stolzenberg has been named director of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Office of Marine Safety. The office investigates major marine accidents within the United States and its territories, as well as accidents involving U.S.-flagged vessels worldwide. Stolzenberg began his career at the NTSB in 2008 as an engineering investigator. He served as…

01 Jul

Red Sea rerouting leads to spike in container losses

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released its annual Containers Lost at Sea report, showing that 576 containers were lost at sea in 2024. While this represents an increase from the record-low 221 containers lost in 2023, it remains well below the 10-year average of 1,274 containers lost annually, underscoring continued industry progress on safety and prevention. Container…

11 Jun

Tug arrives as burning car carrier drifts off Alaska

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, U.S. Coast Guard

(JUNEAU, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its response to a fire on the cargo vessel Morning Midas, which was adrift approximately 220 miles south of Adak, Alaska, on Monday. The Coast Guard received the initial report of the fire Tuesday, June 3, at approximately 3:15 p.m. and has been working closely with Zodiac Maritime, the vessel's manager,…

05 Jun

Crew rescued as vehicle carrier burns off Alaska

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, shipping, U.S. Coast Guard

UPDATE: (KODIAK, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its response to a vessel fire approximately 340 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, on Friday. A Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules air crew from Air Station Kodiak conducted an overflight of the cargo ship Morning Midas on Wednesday and observed the vessel was still on fire. Currently, there are no…

04 Jun

Safety alert: NRTL-approved fire detection systems

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, Safety alert, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — Under Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 142.330 in Subchapter M, inspected towing vessels have the option of having a Coast Guard type-approved fire detection system, or they can choose a fire detection system listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL), provided the installation is certified to meet the requirements of 46 CFR§ 142.330(a)(1) through…

03 Jun

DNV: Aging fleet drives surge in casualty incidents

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, safety, shipping

(HOVIK, Norway) — According to DNV’s latest report, "Maritime Safety Trends 2014-2024 – Preparing for Future Risks," the number of maritime safety incidents increased by 42 percent between 2018 and 2024, while during the same period the global fleet grew by just 10 percent. Driven mainly by an aging fleet and machine damage/failure, the findings highlight the risks connected with…