New Bridge to Open in Long Beach

After seven years of construction, a new cable-stayed bridge in Long Beach – the first of its kind in California – is expected to open to public traffic on Oct. 5.

The new not-yet-named span replacing the aging Gerald Desmond Bridge is taller and wider to accommodate bigger vessels passing through, and is a major link for goods movement, carrying 15 percent of the nation’s imports. It also features six lanes, two 50-story-tall towers and 80 cables, a pedestrian-bike path and color-changing LED lights.

“The new bridge is an engineering marvel and a point of pride for the tens of thousands of workers whose livelihoods are connected to the Port of Long Beach,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “We are both grateful for the years of hard work by the bridge contractor and workers and for the collaboration with Caltrans to deliver our new bridge. We’re very excited by what this bridge to everywhere means to our Port and the national economy.”

The $1.47 billion bridge project was led by the port and Caltrans, with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

To prepare for the new bridge opening, motorists should expect traffic closures in the area from Oct. 2-4 “in order to switch over lanes to connect both ends of the nearly 2-mile-long structure to existing roadways that reach the 710 Freeway, downtown Long Beach and Terminal Island,” according to the port.

Visit www.newgdbridge.com for more.

COVID-19 Affects Merchant Mariner Credential App Processing

With COVID-19-related remote work and limited staff affecting processing times for Merchant Mariner Credential Applications, the National Maritime Center is asking mariners to include the necessary information needed to speed up the process.

When mariners submit their application, they should:

• Turn them in electronically in a .pdf format;


• Pay all fees with Pay.gov and include a scanned receipt copy when the application is submitted;


• Make sure to include all necessary documentation (course completion certificates, drug tests, sea service forms, etc.); and


• Submit applications as soon as mariners meet the requirements. At any time, MMCs can be renewed and post-dated up to eight months.

“Every effort is being made to maintain our 30-day net processing goal, with a corresponding high level of customer service you’ve come to expect,” Kirsten R. MartinCaptain, U.S. Coast Guard Commanding Officer, said in a release. “The above items will greatly help streamline application processing.”

The center will handle applications on a ‘first in, first out’ basis. It will also consider hasten cases “when an employer verifies it is critical to operations or an applicant’s employment.” Reach out to the Customer Service Center at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) for an expedited service.

AltaSea Webinars to Feature Top Female Marine Experts

Three women known for their expertise in ocean exploration and conservation will be featured in an upcoming webinar hosted by AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.

The Oct. 9 event will feature Dr. Carlie Wiener, the director of Communications and Engagement Strategy at the Schmidt Ocean Institute; Dr. Dawn Wright, Chief Scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute, and Ocean Exploration Trust Chief Operating Officer Allison Fundis.

“These remarkable women have broken the glass ceiling at the bottom of the ocean, exploring what has been traditionally a man’s domain,” said Jenny Krusoe, founding executive director of AltaSea. “Collectively, they have covered significant ground in the exploration of the vast ocean, and their careers light the path forward for the next wave.”

The event is set for noon PDT on Oct. 9. Since space is limited, guests will need to pre-register at https://altasea-project-blue.org/webinars/.

The Oct. 9 event is part of a series of webinars hosted this year by AltaSea after launching Project Blue, a digital platform seeking to educate and inspire future generations with science-based programming via webinars and live chats.

NOAA to Upgrade its Global Ensemble Forecast System

Improvements to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast system will help meteorologists at the National Weather Service better predict weather, the agency announced Sept 23.

The Global Ensemble Forecast System now has the Finite-Volume Cubed-Sphere (FV3) dynamical core, allowing the National Weather Service to offer “first-ever numerical weather predictions three and four weeks in advance, providing more lead time for decision making than ever before,” according to NOAA.

“This significant upgrade to GEFS - the first of its kind in five years - will improve probabilistic weather model guidance for public safety, quality of life and business decisions that drive U.S. economic growth,” said Neil Jacobs Ph.D., acting NOAA administrator.

Other updates include bolstering GEFS resolution from approximately 33km to 25km and the amount of individual forecasts input into the ensemble from 21 to 31, according to the agency.

“If our upgrade to the Global Forecast System last year was like upgrading the engine in a car, this upgrade to GEFS is like replacing the engines in a fleet of cars,” said Ivanka Stajner, Ph.D., acting director of NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center. “Each car takes advantage of the power of this new engine, and with slightly different features, they represent the forecast uncertainties more accurately, aiding the forecasters and decision makers with information on a range of possibilities to be considered when issuing the forecasts.”

More Recs to Reopen for Testing

On Sept. 28, the National Maritime Center’s Regional Examination Centers will reopen for limited testing services in Anchorage, Baltimore, Oakland, Portland, and St. Louis, it was announced this week.

Mariners need to email for an appointment and include their name, mariner reference number, potential dates for testing, phone number and a copy of their Approved to Test letter(s).

Walk-in appointments are not allowed. Mariners must have an appointment for exam services.

Before taking their examinations, mariners will be tested for COVID-19 and those with symptoms will not be allowed in the facility and will have to visit another time. Face coverings must be worn at all times or be asked to leave. Fees for all exams fees must be paid before taking a test.

Test-takers should come with No. 2 pencils, photo identification, a non-programmable calculator, and plotting equipment. Other personal belongings will be prohibited.

To set up an exam appointment, reach out to:

• REC Anchorage – recanc@uscg.mil
• REC Baltimore – recbaltimore@uscg.mil
• REC Boston – recboston@uscg.mil
• REC Charleston – reccha@uscg.mil
• REC Honolulu – rechonolulu@uscg.mil
• REC Houston – rechoustonexam@uscg.mil
• REC Juneau – recjun@uscg.mil
• REC Long Beach – reclb@uscg.mil
• REC Memphis – recmemphis@uscg.mil
• REC Miami – recmia@uscg.mil or (305) 536-4331
• REC New Orleans – recnola@uscg.mil
• REC New York – recny@uscg.mil
• REC Oakland – recoakland@uscg.mil
• REC Portland – recportland@uscg.mil
• REC Seattle – recseattle@uscg.mil
• REC St.Louis – recstl@uscg.mil
• REC Toledo – rectol@uscg.mil
• MU Ketchikan – (907) 225-4496 (extension #3)
• MU San Juan – (787) 729-2368

For more, reach out to the Customer Service Center at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) or IASKNMC@uscg.mil.

Port of Everett Awarded Grant to Raise Freight Capacity

The Port of Everett will be awarded $17.75 million in federal transportation funds to bolster freight capacity, announced Washington Rep. Rick Larsen, who implored the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao to look at the port’s grant application.

The Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program paves the way for the development of a new cargo terminal, infrastructure improvements, cleanup and more jobs, the port said.

“I am beyond thrilled with the news of this BUILD grant,” Port of Everett CEO Lisa Lefeber said, thanking Larsen and others who have supported the port’s freight improvement efforts. “The grant is a game-changer for our region, and the Port of Everett stands ready to deliver on the scope of this critical maritime project to enhance the movement of freight and restore jobs to the site.”

Rep. Larsen, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said this grant “is great news for businesses and workers who depend on the Port of Everett to connect local goods and services with global markets. I will continue to champion federal investment in Northwest Washington to build and sustain local projects, put people to work and boost long-term economic recovery.”

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active Returns to Port Angeles

 After 56 days and more than 7,300 miles on patrol, crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active recently came back from deployment to their Port Angeles home port, the agency announced this month.

The 210-foot Active patrolled the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Oregon and Washington coasts and boarded more than 40 commercial fishing vessels as part of Operation Pacific Fortune. The crew teamed with the Coast Guard afloat training office in Everett for training, including more than 96 drills. They trained to react to fires, flooding, towing disabled vessels and a number of other contingencies.

The training applied during patrol, when Active had to address disabled vessel calls.

“As the pandemic wears on, this crew continues to redefine what I understand as ‘resilience,’" said Cmdr. James O’Mara, commanding officer of the Active. “Going to sea, living in tight quarters, enduring tedious, but necessary protocols in port and underway – this crew does it all to stay healthy, protect the public, and perform our missions at sea for the taxpayer. Even after this busy summer transfer season with 30% personnel turnover, I was amazed at how quickly the team came together for such a productive patrol. This crew is rock solid, top notch.”