Casey Conley – Page 2 – Professional Mariner

04 Nov

Bisso Towboat orders ASD tugboat from Main Iron Works

Casey ConleyMaritime News

Luling, La. — Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. has signed an agreement with Main Iron Works, LLC, of Houma, La., to begin construction of a 5,000-hp ASD tractor tug. The new vessel will share the same hull form as the 6,008-hp Capt. Joseph Bisso that entered service in January 2022, albeit with less-powerful engines. The tug will feature two Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4…

01 Nov

Captain accused of drugging, assaulting cadets surrenders license

Casey ConleyMaritime NewsCoast Guard, John Merrone, Liberty Glory, Liberty Maritime, Merchant marine, merchant mariner credential

By Casey Conley The captain of an oceangoing ship accused of drugging two female cadets in his stateroom while underway in the Atlantic Ocean and then raping one of them has surrendered his license. John C. Merrone, 50, is accused of drugging the two female U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadets several years ago. Documents released by the U.S. Coast…

27 Oct

Eastern Shipbuilding changes tactics in OPC contract challenge

Casey ConleyMaritime NewsAustal USA, Coast Guard, Cutter, Eastern Shipbuilding, OPC

Eastern Shipbuilding has withdrawn its formal protest of the U.S. Coast Guard’s offshore patrol cutter contract (OPC) award and has instead filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. In a statement, the Florida shipbuilder said it was forced to change tactics because the Coast Guard refused to participate in the protest process before the U.S. Government Accountability…

19 Oct

NTSB finds SEACOR Power crew did not face pressure to sail

Casey ConleyCasualty News, Maritime Newscasualty, Coast Guard, NTSB, SEACOR Power

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found that crew aboard the liftboat SEACOR Power did not face pressure from the home office to get underway. Thirteen people died when the 233-foot SEACOR Power capsized on April 13, 2021 at about 1537 with 19 people on board during a severe storm that brought heavy rain and winds exceeding 80 mph.…

26 Apr

Southern shipyards win order for three CTVs

Casey ConleyMaritime News, Shipbuildingcrew transfer vessel, offshore wind, shipbuilding

(NEW BEDFORD, Mass.) — Windea CTV LLC, a U.S. operator of offshore wind crew transfer vessels, announced Tuesday that it has commenced construction of three 98-foot hybrid ready CTVs.  Two of the Incat Crowther-designed CTVs will be constructed at St. Johns Ship Building in Palatka, Fla., and one will be built at Gulf Craft in Franklin, La. The vessels…

23 Dec

Casualties Newsletter December 2021

Casey ConleyMaritime Casualty Newsletter

Reminder: New digital newsletter launching in January Professional Mariner is updating its newsletter format starting in the New Year. Instead of three themed newsletters a month, we will publish one newsletter each week containing a roundup of the most compelling news from the past week. In other words, the monthly Casualties Newsletter is going away. But the content that populated…