Licensing and training – Professional Mariner

20 Jul

Ex-captain pleads guilty to drugging, raping USMMA cadet

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training

(BROOKLYN, N.Y.) — On Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn, John Merrone pleaded guilty to all five counts of an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact relating to the rape of a 21-year-old United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) student cadet (Jane Doe) working on a vessel under the command of the defendant.…

20 Jul

Training ship Lone Star State christened in Philadelphia

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, shipbuilding

(PHILADELPHIA) — It has been said that the longest journey begins with a single step. For Texas A&M University Maritime Academy, the journey to have a large training ship to call their own has lasted longer than some of the cadets currently enrolled at the academy have been alive. “We have dreamed of this day for 21 years, ever since…

20 Jul

Long Island ferry operator promotes four senior managers

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsferries, Licensing and training, U.S. Coast Guard

(PORT JEFFERSON, N.Y.) — Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company President Brian Buckley McAllister recently announced senior management promotions at the ferry. Founded in 1883, the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company continues to build on its long history of service by advancing experienced maritime leadership for the future. The company transports approximately half a million cars between Connecticut and…

27 May

MarAd honors Crowley tanker crew for allision response

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, MarAd, safety, shipping

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — Crowley mariners who served aboard the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate were honored with the U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MarAd) Gallant Ship Award during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Maritime Day observance in Washington, D.C. The award, one of the maritime industry’s highest distinctions, recognizes the 23-member crew’s extraordinary professionalism, courage and commitment to safety. The award recognizes…

18 May

IMO sharpens focus on gender equality in maritime industry

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIMO, Licensing and training

(LONDON) — This year’s International Day for Women in Maritime (May 18) focuses on embedding gender equality at every level of the maritime industry, both on shore and at sea. Under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence,” the day highlights actions to translate international ambitions and commitments into tangible actions that will make a…

07 May

Safety alert: Importance of bridge visibility, trained lookouts

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, Navigation, Safety alert, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — Major contributing factors to several recent collisions and near-collisions included cargo-loading conditions that negatively impacted the operator’s visibility from the navigation bridge. Failing to address obstructions to visibility from the navigation bridge, by either moving cargo or posting trained lookouts, has repeatedly resulted in catastrophic outcomes including loss of life and property damage. Vessel operators, owners, and crews…

04 May

NMC resuming normal operations; processing delays likely

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, NMC, U.S. Coast Guard

(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — Funding for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard has been restored, and the National Maritime Center (NMC) and Regional Examination Centers (RECs) are resuming normal operations in a phased approach to prioritize the most critical functions and address the backlog of applications and examinations resulting from the lapse in appropriations. Application procedures and processing…

16 Apr

ABS examines human readiness as maritime technology advances

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, technology

(HOUSTON) — “Emerging maritime technologies require qualification processes that extend beyond technical maturity; human readiness levels (HRLs) provide a structured approach that supports safer operations while reducing unnecessary cost and rework.” That is an excerpt from the latest industry-leading research from ABS, "Beyond Technology Readiness: Applying Human Readiness Levels in Maritime Systems," which examines existing gaps in maritime human‑system integration…

10 Apr

Corroded cooling pipe cited for flooding aboard Oliver Hazard Perry

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsLicensing and training, NTSB, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — About 2200 on May 10, 2025, the sailing school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry started taking on water while moored at Fort Adams State Park dock in Newport, R.I. About 0730 the following morning, a crewmember was awoken by an alarm and discovered the flooding. An estimated 21,000 gallons of seawater entered the engine room and the forward auxiliary…

01 Apr

Florida tug captain charged in collision that killed three children

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsLicensing and training, Tugboats and towing

(MIAMI) — A tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter after operating a barge with obstructed visibility and without a proper lookout, resulting in a fatal collision in Biscayne Bay that killed three children. “Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones for the Southern…