U.S. Coast Guard – Professional Mariner

29 Nov

Wood pellet fires on barges lead to safety alert

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsSafety alert, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — Over a two-week span, two unmanned and uninspected hopper barges loaded with wood pellets containing binders caught fire while awaiting transport at a Mississippi River fleeting facility. Each fire caused approximately $355,000 in damage, including total cargo loss and significant vessel damage. The ignition source for both fires was spontaneous combustion, which is not common, but also not…

28 Nov

Coast Guard honors mariners for Golden Ray response

Rich MillerMaritime Newscasualties, Salvage, U.S. Coast Guard

(BRUNSWICK, Ga.) — The U.S. Coast Guard presented public service awards Monday to maritime partners for their commendable actions during the capsizing of the motor vessel Golden Ray and subsequent response. The public service awards recognized each individual’s actions that resulted in the preservation of life and mitigation of environmental hazards and economic impacts during the Golden Ray capsizing and…

27 Nov

Coast Guard to rename Sectors Buffalo, Sault Ste. Marie

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(CLEVELAND) — U.S. Coast Guard Sectors Buffalo and Sault Ste. Marie are scheduled to change names to Sectors Eastern Great Lakes and Northern Great Lakes, respectively, on Dec. 1. The sector names are changing from their city name locations to their geographic areas of responsibility. The physical site locations of the Coast Guard facilities and the missions performed by these…

27 Nov

Barge bound for San Juan also carries 12 stowaways

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsTugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection partners apprehended 12 stowaway migrants Saturday during the escort of the tugboat Sarah Dann that was towing a barge into San Juan Harbor. “I cannot emphasize enough just how dangerous it is to have stowaways board or jump from a moving barge,” said Capt. Robert Pirone, Sector…

22 Nov

Ingalls delivers 10th national security cutter

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding, U.S. Coast Guard

(PASCAGOULA, Miss.) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s newest Legend-class national security cutter, Calhoun (WMSL 759), departed from Ingalls Shipbuilding on Sunday. “We congratulate the NSC team of shipbuilders on a job well done,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding NSC Program Manager Amanda Whitaker. “Watching Calhoun sail away is a proud moment for us all and we look forward to watching this highly…

21 Nov

Safety alert: By land or sea, firefighting preparation is key

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsSafety alert, shipping, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The purpose of this U.S. Coast Guard marine safety alert is to raise awareness within the Marine Transportation System to the unique dangers of shipboard fires, particularly on multi-level freight vessels like vehicle-carrying roll-on/roll-off ships (ro-ros). In July, a foreign-flagged ro-ro experienced a fire on one of its vehicle decks while cargo was being loaded dockside. With over…

16 Nov

Polar Star departs for annual Antarctic resupply mission

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIcebreaking, U.S. Coast Guard

(SEATTLE) — The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew departed Seattle on Wednesday and are scheduled to transit to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze. Deep Freeze is an annual joint military mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations in support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the lead agency for the United States…

16 Nov

Bollinger delivers sixth FRC to be based in Boston

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsshipbuilding, U.S. Coast Guard

(LOCKPORT, La.) — Bollinger Shipyards has delivered USCGC Melvin Bell to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 181st vessel Bollinger has delivered to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 55th fast response cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program. “We’re incredibly proud to deliver the USCGC Melvin Bell, the final of six…

15 Nov

Coast Guard, partner agencies review Titan evidence

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsNTSB, Salvage, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) and the French Marine Casualty Investigation Authority (BEAmer) conducted an evidence review of recovered Titan submersible debris in Newport, R.I., on Nov. 8. Investigators from the Coast Guard, NTSB, TSB and BEAmer were on site to examine the collected evidence for their respective…

15 Nov

Search ends for crewman overboard from cruise ship

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsU.S. Coast Guard

(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search Wednesday night for an MSC Seascape cruise ship crewmember who is believed to have fallen overboard in the Atlantic Ocean north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Still missing is a 30-year-old man of Indian nationality who was reportedly observed going overboard Tuesday night, approximately 80 feet from the bow…