News Briefs – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Mariner Credentials Lost in the Mail? Here’s How to Lower Risks, NMC Says

It could take as many as 21 days for mariners to receive their completed credentials through the mail from the National Maritime Center, and without being able to track them, credentials could be lost or returned. In a March 20 announcement, the National Maritime Center reminded mariners of ways to lower the risk of lost credentials. One is to check the mariner’s address for accuracy and legibility. If the address changes after submitting the application, call the Customer Service Center at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) as soon as possible. Another is to look into expedited mailing options. E-mailing one’s application is preferable,…

Coast Guard Cutter Munro Arrives in Juneau

The Coast Guard cutter Munro arrived in Juneau, Alaska, for a scheduled port visit on Feb. 27. The port call marks Munro’s final stop before returning to its homeport in Alameda, Calif., following 11,500 miles and 105 days away. During the patrol, Munro served as the primary search and rescue (SAR) asset in the Bering Sea, performing 452 flight evolutions with five separate aircraft from Air Station Kodiak, qualifying seven pilots and ensuring SAR readiness. Munro also partnered with the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement to conduct 24 boardings of commercial fishing vessels with the goal of enforcing sustainable fishing…

USCG Cutter Kimball Completes Training Exercises with Japan Coast Guard

The Honolulu-homeported U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball has left Kagoshima, Japan after participating in a days-long joint training session with the Japan Coast Guard, U.S. officials said Feb. 16. Members from both agencies engaged in several search-and-rescue exercises and other activities in Kagoshima Bay, including “collaborative mission planning, boat handling and helicopter operations and demonstrated techniques for locating, recovering and hoisting a simulated distressed swimmer.” The U.S. Coast Guard command also visited the Japan Coast Guard’s 10th Regional Headquarters and gave tours of the cutter to several Japan Coast Guard members and the community. The events are meant to nurture…

SAFE Boats Unveils Autonomous Hydrographic Survey Vessel

Bremerton, Wash.-based boat builder SAFE Boats International in late March announced the introduction of its new autonomous hydrographic survey vessel: Merlin. The 23-meter semi-displacement monohull design was developed in collaboration with marine autonomy developer Mythos AI, equipment supplier Echo81 and World Marine Design. SAFE Boats International says that it has exclusive rights to build the design at its Tacoma-area large-craft production facility. “Merlin will be a Jones Act-compliant all-aluminum hull powered by a twin Volvo Penta D13 Hybrid-ready System with IPS,” the company said in a statement. “For a zero-emission power package, the Merlin can accommodate forward-thinking hydrogen technology supplied…

Interim President Named for California State University Maritime Academy

California State University (CSU) Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester has appointed retired Navy Reserve Vice Admiral Michael J. Dumont to serve as interim president of California State University Maritime Academy. Dumont is expected to begin in his position on July 7, and would serve in that capacity until a new president is appointed by the CSU Board of Trustees. He most recently served as deputy commander, U.S. Northern Command and vice commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) where, under the direction of the president of the United States and the secretary of defense, he was responsible for overseeing…

Coast Guard Base Seattle: An Expansion Update

The U.S. Coast Guard’s proposal to expand Base Seattle has set off a buzzsaw of issues among port neighbors and regulatory agencies – federal, state and local. The Guard has been challenged across numerous fronts. A common message is that while most people support the Coast Guard’s mission and acknowledge the need for expansion and modernization at Base Seattle, the Guard’s current draft proposal, released in October, is drastic, a steam roller that flattens everything in its path. Consider: “Coast Guard land acquisition under any of the alternatives would result in direct, significant adverse impacts associated with displacement of existing…

Oregon Awarded $24M for Port of Portland Improvements

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Oregon’s Port of Portland $24,360,000 for port infrastructure improvements that would support current and future operations. The funding is to support current infrastructure by strengthening pavement for flexible cargo storage and upgrading pavement in the container yard. The funds also are to support new stormwater treatment infrastructure to reduce pollutants entering the Columbia River, improve energy consumption, reduce light pollution and support a port goal of moving ward zero-emission operations. The announcement came with kudos from U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Roy Wyden, both D-Ore. Merkley said the funds will provide crucial support…

CEO, President of Hawaii Shipbuilding Company Charged with Fraud

A married couple is facing federal charges for their alleged roles in a decade-long scheme to defraud investors in connection with Hawaii-based shipbuilding company Semisub Inc., the U.S. Justice Department announced Oct. 24. According to court documents, Curtiss E. Jackson, 69, of Honolulu, and Jamey Denise Jackson, 59, currently of Lake Worth, Fla. and formerly of Honolulu, allegedly engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain money by deceiving purchasers of Semisub securities about the company’s business and operations, including its revenue and expenses. The indictment alleges that Curtiss Jackson and Jamey Jackson, who were respectively Semisub’s CEO and president, raised…

New York-New Jersey Port Cargo Volumes Outpacing West Coast Seaports: PMSA

More imported containers are beginning to move through the Port of New York & New Jersey than other U.S. ports, including the Port of Los Angeles, according to November edition of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association’s West Coast Trade Report. The report, released Nov. 18, shows that the Port of New York and New Jersey handled 423,424 imported TEUs in September, far more than the 343,462 TEUs handled by Los Angeles. With outbound loaded and empty TEUs, the East Coast gateway moved a total of 842,219 TEUs, 18.6% more than the 709,873 TEUs handled in September by the POLA.…

Coast Guard Sector Alaska Helps Battle Tanker Fire

The Coast Guard responded to a fire aboard the tank vessel Atlantic Lily at the Port of Anchorage on Nov. 18. At about 10 p.m. on the date of the incident, thick, black smoke was seen billowing from the exhaust stack of the 600-foot foreign-flagged tank vessel, following by a loud boom and flames, according to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard said that it responded to the emergency by deploying fire hoses and extinguishing the flames, and that Anchorage Fire Department and Port of Alaska personnel arrived on scene shortly after to provide support. The vessel was reportedly transferring…