U.S. Coast Guard – Page 9 – Professional Mariner

14 Sep

Overboard tanker crewman rescued off coast of Galveston

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newssafety, U.S. Coast Guard

(HOUSTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a tanker crewmember from the water 10 miles offshore Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watch standers received a distress call on VHF-FM Channel 16 at 9:23 a.m. from personnel aboard the tanker vessel Ghibli, stating that a crewmember had fallen overboard and was not wearing a life jacket.…

08 Sep

Failure to maintain crane barge results in $6 million loss

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — A barge owner’s lack of inspection and maintenance led to the capsizing and sinking of a crane barge last year in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday. The crane barge Ambition was being towed when it capsized and sank on June 15, 2022, releasing an estimated 1,980 gallons of oil. No injuries…

06 Sep

Coast Guard rescues 18 after tour boat grounds near glacier

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, U.S. Coast Guard

(ANCHORAGE, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 18 people from a passenger vessel that ran aground last week near the Columbia Glacier in southeast Alaska. At 4:35 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command center watch standers overheard the ferry Aurora communicating with a vessel in distress. The watch standers relayed communications through the crew of Aurora and determined…

01 Sep

NTSB pushes Coast Guard again on passenger vessel SMS

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

(WASHINGTON) — Four years after the fire aboard the Conception dive boat claimed 34 lives, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) renewed its call for the U.S. Coast Guard to require safety management systems (SMS) for passenger vessels. The recommendation, which the NTSB reissued following its investigation of the Sept. 2, 2019, fire aboard Conception, remains open. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer…

31 Aug

Towing safety report shows second-lowest crew fatality rate

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, safety, U.S. Coast Guard

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — For almost 30 years, the Coast Guard-AWO Safety Partnership’s National Quality Steering Committee has been tracking overall trends in towing industry safety and environmental protection, which it conveys in an annual report. This year’s report, compiled by the Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis, included the following notable findings: • The 2022 crewmember fatality rate…

31 Aug

Master Boat gets superstructure contract for new cutters

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newsshipbuilding, U.S. Coast Guard

(NEW ORLEANS) — Birdon America announced Wednesday that Master Boat Builders of Coden, Ala., will build the superstructure for the waterways commerce cutter (WCC) program, a vital component of Birdon’s $1.187 billion contract to design and build 27 new vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard. With this contract award, Birdon continues demonstrating its commitment to careful selection of strong U.S.…

22 Aug

Safety alert: Improving small vessel detectability

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, U.S. Coast Guard

21 Aug

NMC updates policy on accepting documentation by fax

Professional Mariner StaffLicensing & TrainingU.S. Coast Guard

(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — As of Aug. 25, Regional Exam Centers (RECs) will no longer maintain separate fax lines. In accordance with 46 CFR 10.217(a), the Coast Guard is designating the following fax numbers for applicants to submit application information to the National Maritime Center (NMC): • Documentation related to the processing of a merchant mariner credential (MMC) application (including CG-719B…

12 Aug

NTSB: Fatal cutter collision due to lack of proper lookout

Rich MillerCasualty NewsNTSB, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The fatal collision between the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Winslow Griesser and a small boat off the coast of Puerto Rico last year resulted from the failure of either vessel to maintain a proper lookout, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. Maintaining a proper lookout, by sight and sound, is a fundamental rule of the Convention…

10 Aug

Three rescued as push tug sinks off North Myrtle Beach

Rich MillerCasualty News, UncategorizedTugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) — U.S. Coast Guard and partner agency crews continue to respond to a 59-foot push tug that sank Tuesday night approximately 3 miles off North Myrtle Beach. Horry County Fire Rescue personnel rescued the three crewmembers aboard the tug, the name of which has not been disclosed. The vessel is currently in 30 feet of water…