safety – Professional Mariner

24 Apr

Coast Guard seeking applicants for towing safety panel

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

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard is accepting applications to fill 18 vacancies on the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee. This committee advises the secretary of homeland security, via the commandant of the Coast Guard, on matters relating to shallow-draft inland navigation, coastal waterway navigation and towing safety. Completed applications must reach the Coast Guard on or before June 10.…

13 Mar

World Shipping Council moving ahead with Cargo Safety Program

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newssafety, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — Despite mandatory international and national regulations on the transport of dangerous goods, these goods continue to be misdeclared or not declared, driving an alarming increase in ship fires. Addressing the need for improved safety measures, the World Shipping Council (WSC) is developing the Cargo Safety Program and has announced that the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) has been selected…

12 Mar

New AWO video highlights industry’s commitment to safety

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingbrownwater, safety

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO) has produced a new video highlighting the tugboat, towboat and barge industry's commitment to safety and its strong record as the safest mode of freight transportation. The two-minute video, "The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry: Delivering Safety on America's Waterways," explains that the industry, while moving nearly 700 million tons of cargo…

05 Feb

New IMO leader addresses Red Sea attacks, emissions

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIMO, safety, Security, shipping

(LONDON) — Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shared the group’s plans and focus areas for the next four years, with the aim of ensuring safer, more secure and environmentally friendly shipping. Speaking at a news conference Thursday at IMO headquarters in London, Dominguez outlined four strategic priorities: IMO’s work to regulate international shipping; its support to…

28 Dec

MarAd alert: Piracy, robbery, kidnapping in Gulf of Guinea

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime News, Uncategorizedsafety, Security, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — Piracy, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom (KFR) pose significant threats to vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) as well as mariners onboard a vessel or transiting to or from a vessel in the GoG. Guidance In 2023, pirates, armed robbers and KFR groups are known to have operated off Nigeria, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory…

19 Dec

CSA recognizes Crowley vessels, crews for environmental achievement

Professional Mariner StaffIndustry Newssafety, shipping

(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) — The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) has recognized 85 Crowley vessels and their crews for a cumulative 782 years of safe environmental practices and operations. The Environmental Achievement Awards, presented annually by the CSA, commend vessels and mariners that demonstrate an outstanding safety record with no reportable spills, no U.S. Coast Guard environmental citations or other…

14 Dec

Corroded wire rope led to crane failure on bulk carrier

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsNTSB, safety, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — Undetected corrosion and wear led to an equipment failure on a bulk carrier while offloading cargo last year in Houston, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday. On July 23, 2022, the cargo ship Thorco Basilisk was offloading a wind turbine component at the Greensport Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel when the hoisting wire rope on…

14 Dec

Crews of four U.S.-flagged vessels honored for heroism

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, safety

(NEW YORK) — The officers and crew of four American-flag vessels were recognized for heroism at sea at the 54th annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Awards hosted by the United Seamen’s Service on Dec. 1. The plaques honored the mariners aboard the following vessels: M/V Midnight Sun, Port of Tacoma Harbor In September 2022, an electrical fire broke…

27 Nov

MarAd alert: Commercial ships attacked in Indian Ocean

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newssafety, Security, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The Liberian-flagged tanker Central Park was boarded by unknown armed entities and subsequently released in the Gulf of Aden, 50 miles east of Djibouti, on Sunday. In addition, the Maltese-flagged containership CMA CGM Symi was reportedly attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Indian Ocean on Friday. Exercise caution when transiting these areas and remain cognizant…

25 Oct

NTSB urges fire upgrades for small passenger vessels

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, NTSB, safety

(WASHINGTON) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended Tuesday that engine-room fire detection and fixed fire extinguishing systems be installed in small passenger vessels previously exempted from U.S. Coast Guard regulations in Subchapter K. The NTSB issued the recommendations after investigating an engine room fire aboard Spirit of Norfolk during a sightseeing cruise near Naval Station Norfolk, Va., on…