USCG Monitors Growing Oil Tanker Presence in San Pedro Bay

By Karen Robes Meeks

The US Coast Guard said it is keeping an eye on the growing number of oil tankers parked at sea in the San Pedro Bay.

Approximately 27 tankers were in the water Thursday, a result of a reduced demand for crude and a backed up supply chain.

"Due to the unique nature of this situation, the Coast Guard is constantly evaluating and adapting our procedures to ensure the safety of the vessels at anchor and the protection of the surrounding environment," said Cmdr. Marshall Newberry, from Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach. "Coast Guard watchstanders, in partnership with the Marine Exchange of Southern California, are closely monitoring each anchorage to manage the increased number of tank vessels we're seeing off the California coast."

US Coast Guard Working on Vessel Aground in Hawaii

By Karen Robes Meeks

The US Coast Guard, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and contractor personnel are teaming up to respond to the removal of potential pollutants that may stem from a 63-foot fishing vessel that ran aground on Monday on rocks northwest of Hilo Harbor, Hawaii.

There are two marine batteries as well as up to 1,800 gallons of diesel aboard the Midway Island, a US-flagged vessel that was grounded after traveling from Los Angeles, Calif. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident.

Meanwhile, a safety zone that extends 100-yards in all directions from the source has been established. The agency is asking the public to steer clear.

John Lockwood Wins Maritime Achievement Award

This morning, May 17, retired US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Lockwood was awarded the 67th annual Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award for his exemplary service to the Puget Sound maritime industry.

The award was presented to RADM Lockwood by RADM Steve Metruck, current Executive Director of the Port of Seattle and former Commander of US Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, at the annual Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast. RADM Lockwood has worked in the Seattle maritime industry for more than 17 years, following a distinguished career in the United States Coast Guard. Overall, he has more than 50 years of maritime expertise.

Lockwood has provided outstanding leadership for the region’s maritime community through his work at Vigor Shipyards and with countless local maritime organizations. He is known throughout the Puget Sound maritime community for his professionalism, dedication and commitment to the industry and its long-term health.

Lockwood, who was commissioned from Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, Virginia in June 1963, assumed command of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District in June 1993.

His awards include two Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and two Meritorious Service Medals. Lockwood retired from the Coast Guard in 1998 and joined the private sector, as senior advisor to Vigor Shipyards, formerly Todd Pacific Shipyards.

He is also the President of Lockwood Associates, Inc., providing consulting services in shipbuilding, ship repair and conversion, government affairs, and homeland security.

Polar Star Returns to Seattle

By Karen Robes Meeks

After 105 days deployed to Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze, the 150 crew members of the US Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star recently returned to their Seattle homeport.

The crew left Seattle, Wash., on Nov. 27 for their sixth deployment and journeyed 11,200-nautical-miles to Antarctica for the annual joint military service mission supporting the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program.

The Polar Star muscled through 16.5 nautical miles of ice to open a channel to the pier at McMurdo Station and later guided the container ship Ocean Giant through the channel, which allowed the offloading of 10 million pounds of goods needed to replenish McMurdo Station, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and other US field camps for the coming 12 months.

Alaska Coast Guard Rescues 13-Year-Old

By Karen Robes Meeks

A 13-year-old girl was rescued last Tuesday on Kruzof Island in Alaska’s Shelikof Bay by the US Coast Guard Air Station Sitka Jayhawk helicopter crew.

The girl’s aunt and uncle notified authorities after they did not see her kayaking in Shelikof Bay. Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders diverted the helicopter crew to help in the search.

The kayak was spotted on the shore and the crew found the girl on some rocks before hoisting and returning her to her family at North Beach on Kruzof Island, according to the Coast Guard.

"Even on a beautiful day the water temperature can be life threatening,” said Lt. Mick Klakring, one of the Jayhawk pilots on the case. “Thankfully this young lady was wearing a life jacket, which may have made the difference in the outcome. We are very happy we could find her and relocate her with family staying at Shelikof Bay to enjoy the Fourth of July."

According to the Coast Guard, those using paddle crafts should wear a life jacket, dress for the water temperature, take a personal locator beacon, a satellite or cell phone and file a float plan with friends and family in case of emergency.

Coast Guard Rescues Hunters

By Karen Robes Meeks

Three hunters were rescued by the US Coast Guard on the south side of Chenega Island in Prince William Sound in Alaska on New Year’s Day.

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew found the three hunters’ 20-foot vessel and a flag on the beach and were able to take them to Seward, Alaska.

According to the Coast Guard, the men, who were three days overdue, had no medical issues and apparently survived on kelp and water while taking shelter in a cabin they found on the island as they waited for help.

“Starting the New Year with a positive outcome to a difficult case is all we can really ask for," said Michael McNeil, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage command duty officer. “Our crews were able to brave the terrible weather, overcome lack of information as to where these men could be, and safely get them back to their family and community.”

The Coast Guard encourages mariners to always be prepared by having marine flares, and operational bilge pumps, wearing life jackets, keeping a marine-band radio on board as well as filing a float plan with family, friends and local marinas before departing. The list should have information about the number of passengers, the destination and when the vessel is expected to return.

Hawaii Search and Rescue Exercise

By Karen Robes Meeks

This week, representatives with the U.S. Coast Guard, Kauai Fire Department, Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services, and Kauai Police Department partnered for a search and rescue exercise near Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii.

The point of the exercise, which took place Thursday morning, was to allow the agencies to deploy their emergency land, sea and air craft to test and review communications among themselves, as well as their response plans and actions, and to look for any shortfalls in the process.

The exercise involved multiple first responders seeking a weighted Oscar dummy in the water to simulate a missing mariner, according to the Coast Guard.

USCG to Boaters: Secure Your Vessels

By Mark Edward Nero

On March 31, Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach sent a reminder to area boaters regarding the importance in maintaining diligence in the safe keeping of personal vessels during foul weather.

The message was spurred in part by a recent incident off the coast of Abalone Cove, a shoreline park near San Pedro. The incident involved an unmanned kayak that was found adrift and resulted in a Coast Guard and local agency response. Several assets were used to search for a report of a possible missing individual, but the kayak was later found to have broken loose from a storm drain due to strong winds and heavy weather.

“These incidents where multiple agencies and assets are responding to derelict or unsecured personal watercraft can hamper response and search capabilities to those in need of actual assistance,” the USCG said. “The Coast Guard urges individuals to exercise caution when heavy weather is predicted and ensure personal vessels are properly secured at all times.”

The USCG is still searching for the owner of the kayak in question and ask anyone who may have information to call the Los Angeles-Long Beach command center at (310) 521-3805.

More Coast Guard information regarding safe boating is available at http://www.uscgboating.org.

Bollinger Delivers Alaska Cutter to USCG

By Mark Edward Nero

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC John McCormick, a Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the US Coast Guard. The FRC will be stationed in the 17th Coast Guard District in Ketchikan, Alaska and will assist in defending US interests in the Alaskan maritime region.

The 154-foot patrol craft is the 21st vessel in the Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class FRC program, and the first FRC to be stationed at Ketchikan, Alaska. Previous cutters have been stationed in the 7th Coast Guard District in Florida or San Juan, Puerto Rico, and two have been stationed in the 5th Coast Guard District in Cape May, NJ.

To build the John McCormick, Louisiana-based Bollinger used an in-service parent craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. It has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat.

The vessel is named after Coast Guard hero John McCormick, who was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal on November 7, 1938 for his heroic action in affecting the rescue of Surfman Richard O. Bracken in treacherous conditions in the outer breaks on Clatsop Spit, near the mouth of the Columbia River.

The Coast Guard took delivery on Dec. 13 in Key West, Florida and is scheduled to commission the vessel in Ketchikan, Alaska in April, 2017.

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Bulk Carrier Spills Oil in Columbia River

By Mark Edward Nero

The bulk carrier Nord Auckland spilled roughly 80 gallons of oil in the Columbia River while anchored near the Port of Kalama on Feb. 18, the US Coast Guard and Washington Dept. of Ecology say.

According to the USCG, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received reports of sheening in the water from National Response Center personnel shortly after 10 am on the date of the incident, then about 1 pm, pollution response experts from the Incident Management Division, based at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, Oregon, arrived on scene.

Dept. of Ecology staff later participated in an overflight surveillance and observed a number of sheening trails downriver. Oil was observed near shorelines and near wildlife concentrations, however, no direct observations of oiled wildlife have been reported, according to the USCG.

The 610-foot Singapore-flagged Nord Auckland, which was built in 2010, reportedly released bunker oil due to operator error: the oil was intended to be burned in the incinerator.

The vessel’s owner contracted the spill response and prevention non-profit Clean Rivers Cooperative, which responded with crews on two booming vessels to engage in cleanup operations.

However, after performing a close inspection of the oil observed by air, the boat assessment team determined that the oil was too thin and weathered to be recovered by mechanical collection methods.

The incident is still under investigation, according to Coast Guard Sector Columbia River.

42 Rescued After Fishing Vessel Fire Near Hawaii

By Mark Edward Nero

Forty-two people were rescued last week after abandoning a fishing vessel that caught fire Feb. 10 about 1,800 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, according to the US Coast Guard.

The 42 crewmembers aboard the 258-foot US-flagged fishing vessel abandoned ship at 10 a.m. local time into two life rafts, three workboats and one skiff.

Crewmembers later successfully dewatered the 40-year-old fishing vessel, the American Eagle, using equipment dropped by an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Barbers Point.

The American Eagle’s captain later reported the fire extinguished and the vessel to be in stable condition. A team of nine was able to restart the generator, reestablish electricity and maintain communication, while the remaining 33 crewmembers were successfully recovered from their life rafts, workboats and skiff by the Fong Seong 888, a Tuvalu-flagged oil tanker.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Fong Seong 888 remained on-scene to provide additional support, according to the USCG, and American Eagle’s sister ship, American Victory, arrived early this week to relieve the Fong Seong 888.

Thirty crewmembers are currently aboard the fishing vessel cleaning and assessing damage caused after the fire broke out, according to the USCG’s Honolulu-based 14th District headquarters.

USCG Detains Bulk Carrier in Seattle

By Mark Edward Nero

US Coast Guard personnel detained the bulk carrier ship Lowlands Kamsar in Seattle on Jan. 4 after an exam detected several significant violations. The crew of the ship was conducting cargo operations at the time of the examination.

During the exam, Coast Guard Port State Control officers discovered that the automatic fire extinguishing system that protects the vessel’s engine room had been disabled by the crew. Additionally, according to the USCG, the vessel’s owner, Misuga S.A., failed to ensure that appropriate corrective action was taken.

The vessel, a 751-foot, Panamanian-flagged ship that was built in 2010, has been ordered by the Coast Guard to remain in Sector Puget Sound’s Captain of the Port zone until the violations are corrected.

“The Port State Control program holds foreign flagged vessels to internationally agreed upon standards to ensure the safety of life at sea,” explained Port State Control Branch, Sector Puget Sound Chief Lt. Kimberly Glore. “Fire detection and extinguishing systems are vital systems that must be ready for immediate use in case of a fire onboard the ship.” Glore said that her branch is continuing to monitor the Lowlands Kamsar and has been working with the bulk carrier’s crew and Panamanian representatives to correct the vessel’s deficiencies.

Storms Close 9 Pacific Northwest Ports

By Mark Edward Nero

On Dec. 11, two US Coast Guard captains of the port temporarily closed nine maritime entrances in the Pacific Northwest – seven in Oregon, two in Washington – due to severe sea conditions and large amounts of debris in the water caused by a string of storms.

The entrances are expected to remain closed during the duration of the inclement weather, which began December 7 and includes heavy rain and snow.

In Washington, the port of Grays Harbor in Westport; and Quillayute River in LaPush were closed; in Oregon, the ports of Chetco River in Brookings; Coos Bay; Umpqua River in Winchester Bay; Siuslaw River in Florence; Yaquina Bay in Newport; Depoe Bay; Tillamook Bay in Girabaldi were all closed.

The Columbia River was also closed to all maritime traffic.

The action was taken after several storms carrying strong winds and heavy rainfall crossed the Pacific Northwest last week and caused flooding and landslides in parts of Oregon and Washington. Flood waters and landslides caused large amounts of debris to flow in the river systems causing potential problems with maritime traffic.

“My job as a captain of the port is to ensure safety throughout the maritime infrastructure and part of that is to sometimes close the lanes of traffic that mariners use,” said Capt. Dan Travers, commander Sector Columbia River and captain of the port for all ports in Oregon and southwest Washington. “The storms that we all experienced over the last several days have made it dangerous for mariners to transit in and out of our many rivers due to severe sea conditions and debris.”

As of Dec. 14, the maritime entrances were still closed to all recreational and uninspected passenger vessels, according to the Portland branch of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Bulk Carrier Again Detained in PNW

By Mark Edward Nero

For the second time in six months, the bulk cargo carrier vessel Ikan Sudip has been detained at a port in the Pacific Northwest for safety violations. On May 16, the US Coast Guard detained the 600-foot, Panamanian-flagged motor vessel after significant environmental and safety violations were found during an inspection in Astoria.

Back in November 2014, the 11-year-old vessel was detained in Longview, Washington by the Coast Guard after inspectors found extensive disrepair of various piping systems in the machinery spaces as well as deteriorated and inoperable fire hoses on the vessel.

Vessel inspectors from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Portland discovered the latest discrepancies during an inspection of the vessel.

“The Ikan Sudip’s safety and environmental conditions posed an unacceptable threat to our waterways,” said Capt. Dan Travers, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Commanding Officer and captain of the port for Oregon and Southern Washington. “We are focused on ensuring that all issues are corrected by fixing the discrepancies and removing the risks found on board the vessel."

While inbound to US waters on May 11, the vessel experienced two separate fuel related propulsion losses within 24 hours, which completely disabled the vessel at sea.

After regaining minimal propulsion with temporary repairs, the captain of the port expelled the vessel from US waters and prohibited its re-entry until the main engine’s fuel system was properly repaired.

Vessel crewmembers and propulsion machinery technicians corrected the fuel system issues on May 16, and the vessel was allowed to enter the Columbia River while under escort by a towing vessel. Inspectors boarded the vessel while it was anchored in Astoria and conducted a safety and security inspection where they identified multiple equipment discrepancies and environmental violations, including a failure to use engineering procedures required by US and international law, which guide the vessel’s crew through fuel management and vessel propulsion requirements.

Other discrepancies were a lack of crew familiarity with emergency rescue drills, deficient structural fire boundary doors designed to prevent the spread of a fire and inoperable lifesaving equipment. Severe corrosion was also found throughout the vessel's machinery piping systems.

The Coast Guard says its vessel inspectors are working with the Ikan Sudip’s flag state, vessel owner EikoKisen Co. Ltd., the vessel’s managing company, and the vessel’s crew to make the essential repairs.

“Only after the vessel crew corrects its deficient safety management system and critical vessel equipment will we allow it to return to commercial service,” Travers said.

Ikan Sudip, a bulk carrier, is scheduled to load potash in Portland and is expected to depart for Brazil after the safety violations have been corrected.

USCG Detains Containership in Seattle

By Mark Edward Nero

On March 5, US Coast Guard personnel detained the containership MOL Precision in Seattle due to numerous alleged violations found during an inspection.

The MOL Precision, a 13-year-old, 962-foot cargo ship, was conducting cargo operations in Seattle at the time of the exam. Its last port of call was Busan, South Korea.

The violations, according to the USCG, included defective oil bilge line filtering equipment. The line filtering equipment, which is required to be maintained so that the ship doesn’t discharge bilge oil overboard, had a non-functional alarm and intermittently operating meter.

Other violations included missing security training records, and not sending required ballast tank information to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse prior to entering a US port. The NBIC collects, analyzes and interprets ballast water management data to reduce the likelihood of exotic species invasions.

Also, records of the security drills could not be provided for an eight-month period in 2014.

Officers from Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound discovered the violations during a port state control exam of the Panamanian-flagged ship, which, according to the Coast Guard, is expected to remain in Sector Puget Sound’s Captain of the Port zone until the violations are corrected.

“The Port State Control program holds foreign-flagged vessels to internationally agreed-upon standards to ensure the safety of life at sea and to prevent damage to the global and local environment,” Lt. James Tynan, chief of the Sector Puget Sound Port State Control Branch, said. “We are continuing to monitor the MOL Precision and are working with the crew and Panamanian representatives to correct these deficiencies.”

Keynote Speaker Named for LNG As Fuel Conference

By Mark Edward Nero

Anthony Chiarello, President and CEO of TOTE, is scheduled to provide luncheon remarks at the inaugural Pacific Maritime Magazine/USCG LNG As Fuel Conference, set for Jan. 29, at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel in downtown Seattle.

Chiarello is expected to discuss TOTE's LNG conversion project, and new LNG vessels destined for their Puerto Rican trade.

The event is an opportunity for the maritime industry to hear from the regulatory and policy making community on the anticipated national and local regulatory environment for LNG fueled vessels, LNG fuel bunkering operations and LNG maritime fueling facilities.

Those considering LNG as a fuel source, considering entering the market as a supplier, or are curious about LNG regulatory, policy and technical developments are invited to attend the conference.

The event, which begins with a 7:30 am breakfast, also includes sessions on vessel design, terminal design & operations and LNG operational aspects. In addition to Chiarello, other scheduled speakers include US Coast Guard Capt. Joe Raymond, who’ll give the opening remarks, and closing remarks from John Dwyer, Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) for the Puget Sound sector.

More information about the conference including the full agenda and registration information, can be found at http://seattlelngconf.com/index.php.

Coast Guard Establishes Puget Sound Safety Zone

The US Coast Guard has established a temporary 500-yard safety zone around 19 Arctic drilling and towing vessels in an effort to curtail illegal demonstrations and ensure the safety of the vessels, public and environment in the Puget Sound region.

The zone, which is effective from June 22, 2012 to Aug. 1, 2012, was created in response to a situation brewing between Shell Oil and environmental organizations. Shell has been preparing two drill ships – the Kulluk and Noble Discoverer – in Seattle to explore for oil and natural gas this year off Alaska’s north coast.

Environmental groups however, primarily Greenpeace, oppose the drilling due to the potential of an oil spill and the harm it could cause to sea life. The Coast Guard cited a number of illegal demonstrations, including the boarding of vessels off Greenland and in New Zealand, among the reasons for establishing the safety zone.

“Certain unlawful protest activity poses a danger to the life and safety of protesters, target vessels, and other legitimate waterway users. The Coast Guard must take swift action to prevent such harm,” the USCG explained in its federal register notice establishing the zone.

The Arctic drilling, support and towing vessels and assist tugs are expected to operate with limited ability to maneuver during their transit through the Puget Sound and Straits of Juan De Fuca and interference with vessels that are limited in their ability to maneuver “could result in collision, grounding, serious injury, death or pollution in the highly sensitive ecosystem of the Puget Sound,” according to the Coast Guard.

The USCG contends that the safety zone provides ample space for any vessel to operate near the Arctic drilling and support vessels during their transit without disrupting their safe navigation. Vessels wishing to operate near the Arctic drilling and support vessels while the zone is in effect are allowed to enter the outer 400 yards of the safety zone, aft of the pilot house of the vessel or the lead towing vessels, as applicable, as long as they operate at the minimum speed necessary to maintain course.

A full description of the safety zone is available at the Federal Register website .

USCG Wants To End Propulsion Loss Incidents

The United States Coast Guard District Eleven office has issued a marine safety alert to increase awareness and reiterate general guidance on fuel systems and fuel switching safety in an effort to prevent propulsion losses.

The USCG said that after a noted decrease in loss of propulsion (LOP) incidents, there has been a recent increase in the number of reported LOP incidents on deep draft vessels within the Eleventh Coast Guard District which covers the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.

According to the alert, posted July 11, Coast Guard studies and review of marine casualties indicate that lack of maintenance and testing of certain systems, including fuel oil systems, is one of the leading causes of propulsion failures.

"Advanced planning and careful fuel system management are critical to safely switching fuels. This is especially important if fuel switching is not routine practice. Proper procedures, training, and maintenance are essential for vessels to safely switch between heavy/intermediate fuel oils and marine distillates," the USCG alert said.

Vessel operators, said the Coast Guard, also need to have a good understanding of their system requirements and limitations, and determine if any modifications may be necessary to safely switch between intended fuels.

"Extensive analysis of LPO incidents have revealed certain trends among vessels operating on marine distillate fuels," the alert said.

In order to manage risk and improve safety, vessel owners and operators should:

• Consult engine and boiler manufacturers for fuel switching guidance;
• Consult manufacturers to determine if system modifications or additional safeguards are necessary for intended fuels;
• Develop detailed fuel switching procedures;
• Establish a fuel system inspection and maintenance schedule;
• Ensure system pressure and temperature alarms, flow indicators, filter differential pressure transmitters, etc., are all operational;
• Ensure system seals, gaskets, flanges, fittings, brackets and supports are maintained and in serviceable condition;
• Ensure a detailed system diagram is available;
• Conduct initial and periodic crew training;
• Exercise tight control when possible over the quality of the fuel oils received;
• Complete fuel switching well offshore prior to entering restricted waters or traffic lanes; and
• Test main propulsion machinery, ahead and astern, while on marine distillates.

Additionally, the Coast Guard said that the following guidance might assist vessel owners and operators in preventing propulsion losses when operating on marine distillates:

• Monitor for accelerated wear of engine/fuel system components and evaluate maintenance period intervals;
• Ensure fuel viscosity does not drop below engine manufacturer’s specifications;
• Ensure proper heat management of fuel systems to maintain minimum viscosity values;
• Make appropriate fuel rack adjustments to account for potential fuel pressure differentials between residual fuel oils and marine distillates;
• Determine speed limitations for stopping the engine ahead and ordering an astern bell to ensure timely engine response; and
• Ensure start air supply is sufficient and fully charged prior to maneuvering.

Special Feature: eNavigation 2009 - User-Driven Technology

By: Chris Philips, Managing Editor  (As seen in the December issue of Pacific Maritime Magazine | Photo credit: John Erik Hagen, was the first speaker at this year's conference, and discussed a structured approach to the development of eNavigation , focusing on interoperability of systems for safety and efficiency - Philips Publishing Group File Photo)

Pacific Maritime Magazine’s ninth eNavigation Conference, eNav 2009, broke a new record for attendance. Speakers, attendees and exhibitors at the two-day conference came from Europe, South America and Asia as well as all three coasts of the US. This year the conference focused less on AIS and more on Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).

This year’s theme, ‘User-driven’ Development and Application, was driven by the evolution of eNavigation as well as the users and those responsible for its development and application.

Since last year’s conference the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed and approved a methodical and logical eNavigation implementation strategy, shipboard carriage requirements for the principal shipboard equipment have been incorporated in SOLAS and a significant number of eNavigation related applications are in use or under development.

In his introductory comments, Program Director Robert Moore called for a logical and methodical approach to eNav. “The devil is in the details,” he said, voicing a concern that the government’s needs could overshadow the mariner’s needs and contribute to “ECDIS-related accidents”.

In the opening address, keynote speaker Michael Sollosi, Chair of the IMO’s Subcommittee on the Safety of Navigation (NAV), pointed out that AIS came about through the work done by that committee, but that problems with AIS were solved by the market, rather than regulatory bodies. Mr. Sollosi suggested that application-specific AIS messages would be the next step in the refining process, and predicted that the lack of a comprehensive display might be rectified by future mandatory carriage of ECDIS, but voiced a concern that, “…further development could be hampered by a lack of standardization and compatibility.”

The first panel was introduced by Dr. Lee Alexander, Research Associate Professor at the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire. The first panelist, John Erik Hagen, is the Chair of the IMO eNavigation Working Group and Correspondence Group. Mr. Hagen discussed a Structured Approach to the Development of eNavigation, focusing on interoperability.

David Patraiko, Director of Development of The Nautical Institute, reported on the 55th Session of the NAV Sub-Committee (NAV 55). He spoke of the need for a user-selectable presentation, and a focus on the “three-legged stool” of technology, procedures and training, but warned against complacency.

“A good navigator is one who’s never quite sure where they are,” he joked, and cautioned against “knobology”, or simply learning the operation of navigation technology, rather than using technology as a navigation decision support tool.

David B. Enabnit, of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey pointed out that mariners who have navigated electronically don’t want to go back to paper, and noted that Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) now cover the applicable coastlines worldwide.

Captain Prash Karnik, Deputy Director of Nautical Operations for Holland America Line, discussed the impact of eNavigation on bridge resource management and watchstanding, and how to supply mariners with the technology they require. Captain Karnik described what his company is doing to provide the tools its mariners need, including a new joint training center in The Netherlands operated by parent company Carnival Corporation. The training center is outfitted with simulators identical to the standardized bridges on the Corporation’s cruise ships, allowing the crew to train on the exact equipment they will be using aboard the vessel.

Brian Sherwood Jones, a consultant to Lloyd’s Register Group, addressed bridge resource management. Geoffrey Gill, with the law firm of Countryman & McDaniel, described the consequences of the shipboard violation of regulations and procedures. Mr. Gill used the aviation industry as an example of a successful four-step safety process, known as PACE, that should be followed shipboard:

• Probing for better understanding– “I need to understand …” 
• Alert to anomalies– “It appears to me that … the result will be …”
• Challenge appropriateness of strategy– “This course places the ship in immediate danger from [describe].”
• Emergency response to immediate danger– “Captain, if you do not immediately … , my duty and responsibility is to take command.”

From the California Maritime Academy, Captain James J. Buckley, Associate Dean for Simulation, and Captain Samuel R. Pecota, Chair of the Department of Maritime Transportation, discussed the changing instructional paradigm (see Mariner Training: New Technology Demands Maritime Education Reform, on page 25 of this issue).

Mr. Robert Markle, President of the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM), gave a communications overview, and used the Gulf of Mexico’s Hornbeck Offshore Services as an example of a company that is successful because of the training programs it provides for its crews.

Captain John Fuechsel, USCG (Ret), Chair of the National GMDSS Task Force, spoke on the Role of GMDSS in supporting eNavigation. Alan Weigel, of BlankRome, LLC, warned the attendees to not forget the legal side of eNavigation, and gave examples of the legal ramifications of disregarding electronic information. He noted some cases where AIS data was thrown out by a judge as unreliable, while other cases were won and lost based on the AIS data. Examples included a cross channel ferry that grounded while approaching the port entrance. The court found that ECDIS safety features not been correctly enabled. A container vessel that went aground was determined to be using a fully approved ECDIS whose depth contours had been inappropriately set.

The second day of the conference was introduced by CDR Brian Tetrault, USCG (Ret), and focused on technology. The session began with a presentation by Irene Gonin, of the US Coast Guard Research and Development Center, who discussed application-specific messages for VTS users. Some of the benefits would include reduced workload on the bridge, removing much of the VHF voice traffic and making crucial information available on an as-needed basis. Improved VTS efficiency could offer the possibility of “silent” traffic advisories and automatic encounter lists, and offer better information to mariner in a more usable format.

Darren Wright, PORTS Program Manager at NOAA, discussed the possibility of sending Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) data over AIS, providing real-time tide and current data and greatly enhancing the accuracy of electronic and paper navigation systems.

Captain Jorge Viso, Chairman of the Navigational and Technical Committee of the American Pilots Association, spoke about issues pilots face when visiting the bridge. These ranged from hidden or poorly wired pilot plugs to improperly programmed AIS or PGS units.

Captain Viso noted that MSC.1 Circular 1252 calls for the installation of AIS, as well as testing of static information, dynamic information, voyage related information and performance, including instrument testing and a live air test. He noted that these guidelines are not presently enforced. There is presently a draft amendment to SOLAS 1974, Regulation 18.9, that would require that AIS be subjected to an annual test, conducted by an approved surveyor or an approved testing or servicing facility, to verify the correct programming of the ship static information, correct data exchange with connected sensors as well as, verifying the radio performance by radio frequency measurement and on-air testing.

Professor Reinhard Mueller, of the German Hochschule Wismar University of Business, Technology and Design, Maritime Branch, presented a paper on the Automated Monitoring of Compliance with Rule 10 of COLREGS via AIS. Prof. Mueller gave examples of a test in October 2007 in the Traffic Separation Scheme north of Ruegen, Germany. The test involved all vessels shipping in the vicinity, and monitored compliance with rule 10 of COLREGS regarding traffic lanes.

Analysis of the results showed 1,217 AIS tracks, of which 82 (more than 6 percent) had detected rule violations, with 70 vessels crossing at the wrong angles in the lanes and 12 heading the wrong direction in the lanes, some for more than 54 minutes!

Professor Mueller raised the possibility of an automated monitoring and evaluation of compliance of Rule 10 via AIS, and suggested the application could be integrated into existing technical infrastructures like transponder fitted buoys, Vessel Traffic Services Centers and ECDIS.

Andrew Loretta, Director of AIS Business Development for ORBCOMM discussed real world satellite AIS Applications, and USCG CDR Greg Tlapa, Chief of the Visual Aids Division at US Coast Guard Headquarters, discussed the continued need for traditional aids to navigation in an eNavigation world.

Hugh Phillips, of the UK Hydrographic Office, described some of the weather information available that can help save time and fuel. Providing route optimization based on ocean current, wind, wave, tidal and swell data, as well as understanding and responding to environmental factors in real time, has led to results such as faster voyages or gaining one or more knots of speed while using the same amount of fuel.

The final session addressed applications, and included a presentation by Cees Glansdorp, Chairman, CETLE (The Netherlands), who described the commercial benefits of shore-based eNavigation, and Eric Meger, of COM DEV International Ltd, who addressed space-based AIS.

Peter Granger, of Washington Sea Grant, spoke of the vitality of coastal communities and maritime operations, the barriers to coastal community development, maritime infrastructure and safe dredging.

US Navy Captain George E. McCarthy, Chief of the Outreach & Coordination branch of the Office of Global Maritime Situational Awareness, described the benefits of the Maritime Safety & Security Information System, a non-classified, multi-lateral, freely shared data network exchanging AIS data between participating governments.

At the end of the conference, the floor was opened to questions, moderated by David Patraiko of The Nautical Institute.

The main topic of discussion was the concern over the perceived disparity between what the industry is using and what might be mandated by IMO or the US Coast Guard. A need for user-driven development seemed to be the consensus among both users and regulators, but as Captain Moore pointed out at the beginning of the conference, the devil will be in the details.