The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard: (NEW YORK) — The Coast Guard announced Tuesday that two of its new Sentinel-class fast response cutters (FRCs) will be named in honor of two extraordinary public servants who served in the Coast Guard and also served in the New York City Fire Department and New York City Police Department, respectively, with both losing their lives responding on 9/11. Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard commandant, made the announcement in New York City's Battery Park flanked by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and FDNY Chief of Department John Sudnik, that the new cutters will be named in honor of Port Security Specialist 2nd Class Vincent Danz and Machinery Technician 1st Class Jeffrey Palazzo. Palazzo served as a Coast Guard reservist and FDNY…
Click here to view the blog post by Thomas Allegretti on the website of The Hill.
(NEW YORK) -- A Sandy Hook Pilot who lost his brother in the 9/11 terrorist attacks was assigned to guide the USS New York into New York Harbor for the 10th anniversary commemoration, the Wall Street Journal reported. Capt. Niel Keating's brother was one of the 343 firefighters who were killed on Sept. 11, 2001. For that reason, the Sandy Hook Pilots selected Keating to pilot the battleship, which is made from World Trade Center steel. Click here to view the newspaper's story and a photo.
The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation: (WASHINGTON) -- The heroism of merchant mariners who evacuated hundreds of thousands of people from Lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is featured in a new video released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. “Rescue at Water’s Edge,†includes interviews with vessel operators, emergency responders and passengers. “The story of merchant mariners coming to the aid of those in need on September 11, 2001 is an inspiring one,†said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “On that terrible day, our nation’s seafarers, with courage and selflessness, transported hundreds of thousands of people out of harm’s way to safety.†More than 300,000 people were evacuated by water from…
On May 1, 2023, the New York City Dept. of Transportation introduced the 4,500-passenger 320’ MV Dorothy Day to its iconic free Staten Island-Manhattan ferry service marked the successful end to a long and unexpectedly challenging journey. It all began in 2009 with preliminary design studies that culminated five years later with the selection of the Seattle-based Elliot Bay Design Group to produce a complete contract package for a new class of ferries for the agency. The specifications included Tier 4 engines and numerous emergency access features to support evacuation and rescue procedures developed in the aftermath of 9/11 that included midship side doors to connect to local fire and response boats, and 4,000 lbs. anchors and winches at both ends of the vessels. Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City,…
Ferry operator NY Waterway has christened Arthur E. Imperatore, a new 109-foot ferry/tour boat providing a maximum 500 passengers and commuters with service in New York Harbor. The new vessel is named in honor of the company’s late founder who founded NY Waterway in 1986 and built the company into the nation’s largest privately-owned commuter ferry service. He passed away in 2020. “It was Arthur Imperatore’s bold vision that resulted in the transformation of the Weehawken waterfront and revitalized ferry passage across the Hudson. It is only fitting that this great new ship should bear his name,” said NY Waterway CEO Armand Pohan. The ceremony christening NY Waterways newest vessel in Imperatore’s honor took place at Weehawken’s Port Imperial Ferry Terminal with the namesake’s granddaughter Emma Thompson performing the…
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard has issued an interim rule as the first step to implement the statutorily mandated requirements for DUKW amphibious passenger vessels, commonly known as duck boats. This statutory mandate was enacted after the sinking of Stretch Duck 7 on July 19, 2018, which resulted in the loss of 17 lives on Table Rock Lake, Mo. This interim rule requires additional safety measures for DUKW amphibious passenger vessels operating on navigable waters subject to Coast Guard jurisdiction. This interim rule is effective immediately and operators will have 120 days from the date of publication to comply with the requirements. Interested persons are invited to submit comments and related material on or before Dec. 11, 2023. You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG–2023–0243 using the…
The nation’s ferries have received a major financial boost as the Biden Administration has set aside $384.4 million in grants to modernize ferry services. As part of the $350 billion bipartisan infrastructure law passed last fall, the Federal Transit Administration awarded 23 grants across 11 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, reduce emissions and expand service in rural areas. Funds will be used to replace old vessels, expand fleets and build new terminals and docks. The federal grants will be administered by a trio of ferry programs: • The FTA’s Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program − $252.4 million for eight projects in four states; • The Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program − $97.6 million for seven projects in seven states to fund the use of alternative fuels or…
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Emergency teams worked to secure 10 barges that broke loose from a towboat Tuesday on the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky., including a barge carrying 1,400 metric tons of methanol that is partially submerged, NPR reported. "There is currently zero evidence of a tank breach or any leaks, and air and water monitoring resources are in place," Louisville Metro Emergency Services said. It added, "There is currently no impact to Louisville Water's water intake or water quality." The incident began just after 2 a.m. local time on Tuesday. That's when a vessel towing 11 barges hit a "stationary structure at the entrance to the Portland Canal near the McAlpine Lock and Dam," according to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. Ten barges broke free and three of…
(PORT ST. JOE, Fla.) — Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has completed the third and final Ollis-class ferry for the City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division. On Thursday, the ferry Dorothy Day, Hull 221, departed ESG’s Port St. Joe Shipyard with the U.S. Coast Guard certificate of inspection and the ABS class certificates in hand. “It has been an honor for our company to build the three Ollis-class Staten Island ferries for the citizens of New York City marking a bold new chapter in the Staten Island Ferry’s 200-year-old legacy of public transportation,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding Group. “These cutting-edge ferries are now the premier vessels of the world's busiest passenger-only ferry system that has reliably served the people of New York,…
