By Mark Edward Nero
Crowley Maritime Corp. marine operations director David Ridge was presented with the annual Thomas Crowley Award, the company’s highest honor, at a recent ceremony at the company’s Anchorage, Alaska, office.
Presenting the award before more than 70 employees and senior leaders was Crowley’s Chairman, President and CEO Tom Crowley Jr., the grandson of the company’s founder.
Among those present for the ceremony were two past recipients of the award, marine solutions Vice President Bruce Harland and government relations vice president Craig Tornga.
Ridge, a 30-year Crowley employee, was selected for the award, according to the company, because of his reputation for high performance. In his nominating letter, Crowley’s marine services general manager Captain Rod Jones, wrote:
“David has proven his competence, loyalty and exemplary performance time and again, both aboard the vessels and in the office. Whether commanding Crowley assets halfway around the world or facilitating a training seminar in Valdez, his commitment to the core principles of safety, integrity and high performance has never waned.”
Ridge joined Crowley in 1984 as a mate, subsequently working aboard a variety of vessels operated by the company, including oil and cargo barges, offshore towing tugs, and ship assist and tanker escort tugs.
He came ashore as port captain in Seattle in 2005, and was later assigned to the position of marine operations manager in Valdez, Alaska. In 2014, he was promoted to his current position.
“I am honored to have received this award, but the recognition really should go to my team,” Ridge said. “Crowley is the most unique and worthwhile company I have ever had the pleasure of working for and it’s the people I work with who make me who I am.”
The Thomas Crowley Award, created in 1985 is symbolized by a limited edition bronze sculpture, which depicts company founder Thomas Crowley ferrying goods to and from ships on San Francisco Bay in the early 1890s.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Whale Watching Boat Sinks, 5 Killed
By Mark Edward Nero
Five people died and one remains missing after a whale-watching vessel sank off the British Columbia coast on the afternoon of Oct. 25. The MV Leviathan II, operated by Jamie’s Whaling Station, had 27 people on board when it sank west of Vargas Island, according to Canadian authorities.
The cause of the accident has not been determined and is under investigation. Although the weather was moderate and the waters were not overly choppy at the time of the incident, the area where the vessel sank is known for its strong currents, local fishermen have said. The vessel’s operator is cooperating with the investigation to determine what exactly happened.
A total of 27 people were aboard the vessel when it sank, 21 of whom were rescued, according to the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Center, which is jointly operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.
The five confirmed dead were all British nationals who were passengers aboard the boat, not crewmembers. Three were tourists vacationing from Britain, and two were currently residing in Canada while retaining their status as British nationals.
In total, four of the confirmed deceased were males while one was female. The age range of the deceased is from 18 to 76 years of age.
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board sent a team of investigators to the area on Oct. 26.
Five people died and one remains missing after a whale-watching vessel sank off the British Columbia coast on the afternoon of Oct. 25. The MV Leviathan II, operated by Jamie’s Whaling Station, had 27 people on board when it sank west of Vargas Island, according to Canadian authorities.
The cause of the accident has not been determined and is under investigation. Although the weather was moderate and the waters were not overly choppy at the time of the incident, the area where the vessel sank is known for its strong currents, local fishermen have said. The vessel’s operator is cooperating with the investigation to determine what exactly happened.
A total of 27 people were aboard the vessel when it sank, 21 of whom were rescued, according to the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Center, which is jointly operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.
The five confirmed dead were all British nationals who were passengers aboard the boat, not crewmembers. Three were tourists vacationing from Britain, and two were currently residing in Canada while retaining their status as British nationals.
In total, four of the confirmed deceased were males while one was female. The age range of the deceased is from 18 to 76 years of age.
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board sent a team of investigators to the area on Oct. 26.
USCG Suspends Towing Captain’s Credential
By Mark Edward Nero
A US Administrative Law Judge has suspended the merchant mariner credential of Cindy Stahl of Bainbridge Island for six months for operating a commercial towing vessel with an invalid credential.
The suspension was issued on Oct. 7, nearly eight months after a Feb. 17 incident where the US Coast Guard says Stahl wrongfully assumed direction and control of the towing vessel Shannon in Elliot Bay with an invalid credential in violation of US laws and regulations.
Stahl’s credential was suspended at the time as a result of a previous violation during which the Coast Guard says she endangered the crew and passengers aboard multiple Washington State ferries by purposely hindering their safe transit in Elliot Bay near Seattle on Oct. 7, 2014.
Stahl had also previously been issued a Letter of Warning by the Coast Guard in March 2013 and had her credential suspended for three months in September 2013, both for other violations of US laws and regulations.
“The Coast Guard’s enforcement actions regarding mariner credentials are remedial and not penal in nature and are designed to maintain standards of competence and conduct necessary to minimize loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and environment harm on US waters,” the senior investigator at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hennessy, explained. “When repeat offenses warrant more significant action, the Coast Guard will not hesitate to seek lengthy suspension or revocation of a mariner’s credentials.”
A US Administrative Law Judge has suspended the merchant mariner credential of Cindy Stahl of Bainbridge Island for six months for operating a commercial towing vessel with an invalid credential.
The suspension was issued on Oct. 7, nearly eight months after a Feb. 17 incident where the US Coast Guard says Stahl wrongfully assumed direction and control of the towing vessel Shannon in Elliot Bay with an invalid credential in violation of US laws and regulations.
Stahl’s credential was suspended at the time as a result of a previous violation during which the Coast Guard says she endangered the crew and passengers aboard multiple Washington State ferries by purposely hindering their safe transit in Elliot Bay near Seattle on Oct. 7, 2014.
Stahl had also previously been issued a Letter of Warning by the Coast Guard in March 2013 and had her credential suspended for three months in September 2013, both for other violations of US laws and regulations.
“The Coast Guard’s enforcement actions regarding mariner credentials are remedial and not penal in nature and are designed to maintain standards of competence and conduct necessary to minimize loss of life, personal injury, property damage, and environment harm on US waters,” the senior investigator at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Chief Warrant Officer Brian Hennessy, explained. “When repeat offenses warrant more significant action, the Coast Guard will not hesitate to seek lengthy suspension or revocation of a mariner’s credentials.”
BC Ferries Vessel Undergoing Upgrade
By Mark Edward Nero
British Columbia ferry service provider BC Ferries says its vessel Queen of Cumberland will undergo an $18 million mid-life upgrade from Nov. 21, 2015 to April 17, 2016 to prepare the vessel for another 20 years of service.
The refit work will be carried out at Esquimalt Drydocking Co. in Victoria, BC. Highlights of the vessel’s extensive upgrade include safety, mechanical and customer service improvements, such as the installation of a new boat deck entrance/exit for walk-on passengers; the installation of a new evacuation system and replacement of the rescue boat; installation of a pet area; and a complete elevator system overhaul.
Also planned are upgrades to vessel stairwells, disabled washrooms, the ship intercom and public address system, and CCTV and other security systems.
“A significant upgrade such as the one the Queen of Cumberland is undergoing allows BC Ferries to operate a more efficient vessel for decades into the future,” BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering, Mark Wilson, said. “We are confident that our customers will see positive results and we hope they are pleased with this commitment to reliable service.” For the duration of the upgrade, service on the Swartz Bay-Southern Gulf Islands route will be provided by a combination of the ferries Skeena Queen and Bowen Queen.
Since the vehicle capacity of the Bowen Queen is lower than that of the Queen of Cumberland, BC Ferries says it will deploy the Skeena Queen on the Swartz Bay-Southern Gulf Islands route during the morning and late-afternoon periods to better meet expected demand.
The Skeena Queen normally services the Swartz Bay-Fulford Harbour route, where the Bowen Queen will provide service during those same peak times. The vessels will ‘swap routes’ during each weekday, BC Ferries says.
British Columbia ferry service provider BC Ferries says its vessel Queen of Cumberland will undergo an $18 million mid-life upgrade from Nov. 21, 2015 to April 17, 2016 to prepare the vessel for another 20 years of service.
The refit work will be carried out at Esquimalt Drydocking Co. in Victoria, BC. Highlights of the vessel’s extensive upgrade include safety, mechanical and customer service improvements, such as the installation of a new boat deck entrance/exit for walk-on passengers; the installation of a new evacuation system and replacement of the rescue boat; installation of a pet area; and a complete elevator system overhaul.
Also planned are upgrades to vessel stairwells, disabled washrooms, the ship intercom and public address system, and CCTV and other security systems.
“A significant upgrade such as the one the Queen of Cumberland is undergoing allows BC Ferries to operate a more efficient vessel for decades into the future,” BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering, Mark Wilson, said. “We are confident that our customers will see positive results and we hope they are pleased with this commitment to reliable service.” For the duration of the upgrade, service on the Swartz Bay-Southern Gulf Islands route will be provided by a combination of the ferries Skeena Queen and Bowen Queen.
Since the vehicle capacity of the Bowen Queen is lower than that of the Queen of Cumberland, BC Ferries says it will deploy the Skeena Queen on the Swartz Bay-Southern Gulf Islands route during the morning and late-afternoon periods to better meet expected demand.
The Skeena Queen normally services the Swartz Bay-Fulford Harbour route, where the Bowen Queen will provide service during those same peak times. The vessels will ‘swap routes’ during each weekday, BC Ferries says.
Port Awarded Zero-Emission Equipment Grant
By Mark Edward Nero
The Port of Long Beach said Oct. 23 that it has been awarded a $1.2 million grant by the US Environmental Protection Agency to help Long Beach Container Terminal replace diesel-fueled tractors with electric, zero-emission vehicles.
The federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act grant is expected to help LBCT buy eight cargo-handling electric-powered yard tractors for $5.4 million, replacing a matching number of diesel-powered yard tractors and reducing the associated air pollution.
The electric vehicles are critical components of the port’s $1.3 billion Middle Harbor project, which when opened early next year is expected to be among the greenest, most technologically advanced shipping terminals in the world as a virtually all-electric and zero emissions facility.
“These vehicles will cut pollution, providing immediate health benefits to surrounding communities,” Rick Cameron, the port’s Managing Director of Planning and Environmental Affairs said. “They’re an important part of building our Port of the Future and we thank the EPA for recognizing our efforts and awarding us this funding to facilitate the project for LBCT.”
The project’s expected to reduce emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxides by 40 tons and diesel particulate matter by two tons during the lifecycle of the equipment. Vehicles are scheduled for delivery by summer 2017.
The 10-year-old Diesel Emission Reduction Act provides grants to state, local and tribal governments for programs to reduce emissions from diesel engines. Since 2005, the Port of Long Beach has received about $10.5 million in grants from the EPA to reduce emissions in the Harbor area.
The Port of Long Beach said Oct. 23 that it has been awarded a $1.2 million grant by the US Environmental Protection Agency to help Long Beach Container Terminal replace diesel-fueled tractors with electric, zero-emission vehicles.
The federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act grant is expected to help LBCT buy eight cargo-handling electric-powered yard tractors for $5.4 million, replacing a matching number of diesel-powered yard tractors and reducing the associated air pollution.
The electric vehicles are critical components of the port’s $1.3 billion Middle Harbor project, which when opened early next year is expected to be among the greenest, most technologically advanced shipping terminals in the world as a virtually all-electric and zero emissions facility.
“These vehicles will cut pollution, providing immediate health benefits to surrounding communities,” Rick Cameron, the port’s Managing Director of Planning and Environmental Affairs said. “They’re an important part of building our Port of the Future and we thank the EPA for recognizing our efforts and awarding us this funding to facilitate the project for LBCT.”
The project’s expected to reduce emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxides by 40 tons and diesel particulate matter by two tons during the lifecycle of the equipment. Vehicles are scheduled for delivery by summer 2017.
The 10-year-old Diesel Emission Reduction Act provides grants to state, local and tribal governments for programs to reduce emissions from diesel engines. Since 2005, the Port of Long Beach has received about $10.5 million in grants from the EPA to reduce emissions in the Harbor area.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Willard Marine Gets Research Vessel Contract
By Mark Edward Nero
Anaheim-based boat builder Willard Marine has been awarded a contract by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to produce a 20-foot rigid hull inflatable boat for the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center to facilitate their fisheries and marine mammal research in the Pacific region.
Willard Marine says it will provide a slightly modified version of its Sea Force 730, a military-grade, aluminum, rigid hull inflatable boat that’s designed with a deep-V hull for stability in rough sea conditions.
The research vessel designed for NOAA will be fitted with both lift fittings and a lift sling that are designed for hoisting 6,700-pounds of weight with a 6:1 weight ratio safety factor.
Twin Honda 115hp outboard engines will propel the vessel throughout the Hawaiian islands, Guam and other areas in the Pacific as NOAA conducts scientific sampling, including bottom fish collection, remote sensing survey, marine mammal population survey and dive operations.
The collar is designed to be closed-cell foam with a polyurethane sheathing that covers the foam, according to Willard Marine. Additionally, the company says it will provide a complete davit for deploying and recovering scientific equipment. The davit, which will have a mount for attaching winches/pot pullers, would be removable from the mounting bracket when not in use.
Eight removable SCUBA tank holders and an aluminum engine guard will also be installed, and personnel recovery cutouts will be provided on both sides of the collar.
Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the summer of 2016.
Anaheim-based boat builder Willard Marine has been awarded a contract by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration to produce a 20-foot rigid hull inflatable boat for the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center to facilitate their fisheries and marine mammal research in the Pacific region.
Willard Marine says it will provide a slightly modified version of its Sea Force 730, a military-grade, aluminum, rigid hull inflatable boat that’s designed with a deep-V hull for stability in rough sea conditions.
The research vessel designed for NOAA will be fitted with both lift fittings and a lift sling that are designed for hoisting 6,700-pounds of weight with a 6:1 weight ratio safety factor.
Twin Honda 115hp outboard engines will propel the vessel throughout the Hawaiian islands, Guam and other areas in the Pacific as NOAA conducts scientific sampling, including bottom fish collection, remote sensing survey, marine mammal population survey and dive operations.
The collar is designed to be closed-cell foam with a polyurethane sheathing that covers the foam, according to Willard Marine. Additionally, the company says it will provide a complete davit for deploying and recovering scientific equipment. The davit, which will have a mount for attaching winches/pot pullers, would be removable from the mounting bracket when not in use.
Eight removable SCUBA tank holders and an aluminum engine guard will also be installed, and personnel recovery cutouts will be provided on both sides of the collar.
Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the summer of 2016.
Pollution-Scrubbing Tech Approved
By Mark Edward Nero
The California Air Resources Board has approved a new technology by an LA-area company that uses specialized barges that connect to the exhaust ports of container ships to scrub pollution.
Advanced Cleanup Technologies Inc. can now market AMECS to vessel operators as an alternative to container ships plugging into the electrical grid to reduce emissions while at berth.
Container and cruise ships must significantly reduce at-berth emissions to meet state regulations, but the existing “shore power” option requires retrofits to each vessel. According to ACTI, the AMECS barge system can meet the state standards by removing 90 to 99 percent of harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter without requiring vessel retrofits.
The California Air Resources Board’s approval of AMECS on container ships now allows ACTI to begin the process of testing the system on other vessel types.
In 2013, the Port of Long Beach provided about $2 million in seed money to help test the Advanced Maritime Emissions Control System, or AMECS.
“We’re thrilled any time we can find more tools to reduce emissions and continue to improve community health. That’s why we fund projects like the demonstration and testing of these new technologies, through our Technology Advancement Program,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán said. “We’ve made a lot of progress in reducing air pollution, and we are nurturing new technologies like these to help us do even more.”
The California Air Resources Board has approved a new technology by an LA-area company that uses specialized barges that connect to the exhaust ports of container ships to scrub pollution.
Advanced Cleanup Technologies Inc. can now market AMECS to vessel operators as an alternative to container ships plugging into the electrical grid to reduce emissions while at berth.
Container and cruise ships must significantly reduce at-berth emissions to meet state regulations, but the existing “shore power” option requires retrofits to each vessel. According to ACTI, the AMECS barge system can meet the state standards by removing 90 to 99 percent of harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter without requiring vessel retrofits.
The California Air Resources Board’s approval of AMECS on container ships now allows ACTI to begin the process of testing the system on other vessel types.
In 2013, the Port of Long Beach provided about $2 million in seed money to help test the Advanced Maritime Emissions Control System, or AMECS.
“We’re thrilled any time we can find more tools to reduce emissions and continue to improve community health. That’s why we fund projects like the demonstration and testing of these new technologies, through our Technology Advancement Program,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Lori Ann Guzmán said. “We’ve made a lot of progress in reducing air pollution, and we are nurturing new technologies like these to help us do even more.”
