U.S. Coast Guard – Professional Mariner

23 Apr

Internal corrosion of hoisting wire led reel to fall to OSV’s deck

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, Offshore services, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — On April 3, 2025, about 2145 local time, the offshore construction vessel Island Venture’s crane was being used to lift a wire reel from the back deck of the offshore supply vessel C Enforcer in Bayou Lafourche, Port Fourchon, La. The crane’s hoisting wire parted, causing the reel to drop onto C Enforcer’s main deck. There were no…

22 Apr

Mariana search update: Body recovered, five crew still missing

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsSearch and rescue, U.S. Coast Guard

(HONOLULU) — The U.S. Coast Guard and partners continued to search Thursday for missing crewmembers of the cargo vessel Mariana, which capsized last week in the Pacific Ocean north of Saipan. Coast Guard air crews and the crew of fast response cutter USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) searched east of the Northern Mariana Islands. A Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V jet crew was slated to conduct additional searches Thursday afternoon.…

21 Apr

NMC update: Civilian staff return to work, RECs still closed

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & TrainingNMC, U.S. Coast Guard

(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Coast Guard remain without an appropriation providing full fiscal year 2026 funding, National Maritime Center (NMC) civilian staff have returned to work under alternative funding arrangements. As this funding stream is not a full appropriation and the duration of funding is uncertain, NMC staff have resumed normal…

21 Apr

‘Warm embrace’: Polar Star back home after Antarctic mission

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIcebreakers, U.S. Coast Guard

(SEATTLE) — The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) returned home to Seattle on April 13 following a 146-day Antarctic deployment in support of Operation Deep Freeze (ODF) 2026. Polar Star departed Seattle on Nov. 20, traveling more than 20,000 nautical miles through ocean and ice to complete ODF 2026. ODF is the federal logistical…

20 Apr

Six missing after U.S.-flagged vessel capsizes near Saipan

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsSearch and rescue, U.S. Coast Guard

(HONOLULU) — The U.S. Coast Guard and partners continued to search Sunday for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana. At about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules airplane crew sighted debris, including a partially submerged, partially inflated life raft, approximately 95 nautical miles northeast of the overturned vessel. At the time of…

16 Apr

First Arctic security cutters to be home-ported in Alaska

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIcebreakers, Security, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday that the first two Arctic security cutters (ASCs) will be home-ported in Alaska. Anticipating delivery of the first new cutters by the end of 2028, the Coast Guard has begun planning to ensure necessary infrastructure and support are in place to receive two icebreakers. “Home-porting these two Arctic security cutters in Alaska…

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…

08 Apr

NMC issues guidance on delivery, use of e-medical certificates

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & TrainingNMC, U.S. Coast Guard

(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — The National Maritime Center (NMC) has released the following guidance on delivery, e-signing and troubleshooting common issues with e-medical certificates: What’s new • New medical certificates that do not include a medical waiver will now be delivered electronically via email. • Certificates are issued as standard 8.5-by-11-inch (letter size) PDF documents. • Certificates must be signed to…

03 Apr

Computer-based SASH training course now available

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & TrainingSASH, U.S. Coast Guard

(NEW ORLEANS) — The Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP) has released its maritime sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) prevention and response e-learning program, a comprehensive, SCORM-compliant training course developed to support the U.S. maritime industry’s commitment to a safe, respectful, and accountable workplace culture. Developed under a cooperative agreement with the Maritime Administration (MarAd), this interactive training fulfills the…

26 Mar

Ships entangled after collision on Mississippi River near New Orleans

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsSalvage, U.S. Coast Guard

(NEW ORLEANS) — The U.S. Coast Guard is responding after two vessels, the freighter Pac Dubhe and bulk carrier African Buzzard, collided and subsequently grounded near mile marker 124.5 on the Mississippi River on Monday. African Buzzard is currently aground. The two vessels are entangled, with African Buzzard's anchor lodged in the bow of Pac Dubhe. Both vessel operators are…