On Saturday, USNS Fisher, a 951-foot long vessel with the Military Sealift Command, dropped anchor at the Port of Vancouver USA, where Fisher will call home for the next nine months, the port announced. The vessel, which will be based at berths 13 and 14, allows the military to quickly load and unload Army vehicles and large equipment. MSC oversees 125 civilian-crewed ships including Fisher and conducts “specialized missions, strategic pre-positioning combat cargo at sea and moving military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners,” according to the port. “For the Port of Vancouver to host the USNS Fisher for an…

The U.S. Coast Guard recently teamed up with Border Patrol members near Southeast Alaska and the Canadian border to ensure border security and motor vessel safety and raise awareness among mariners on border crossing requirements. Crew members of Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130J Super Hercules transported Border Patrol agents and equipment from Anchorage to Juneau, while Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew members pointed out vessels of interest to the Border Patrol and Coast Guard members that were on Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat-Medium. Crew members jointly accomplished four boardings to discuss vessel safety…

Nearly $400,000 in sponsorship funds have been approved by the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the body that governs the Port of Long Beach. The funds will pay for 89 community events and projects, including CityHeART’s COVID-19 and Me Virtual Storytelling Workshop, the Andy Street Community Association’s Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: A Black History Project, and the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Recovery and Resiliency Program Series, according to the port. “We’re proud to continue our commitment to the community through our robust sponsorship program,” said Port Executive Director Mario Cordero. “Supporting these organizations is especially important…

As Dungeness crab season opens Dec. 16, commercial fishermen can safeguard from emergencies by practicing vessel safety, said the U.S. Coast Guard. Before crossing a restricted bar between sunset and sunrise, commercial fishermen should alert the Coast Guard on VHF-FM channel 16 or 22A and offer the name of the vessel name, location, number of people aboard, where the vessel is going and any limitations. They also need to report whether the vessel had a safe transit after crossing. On deck, everyone should wear life jackets or immersion suits when crossing a restricted bar. They must be worn by all…

The American Association of Port Authorities recently joined other maritime organizations in urging Congress and Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin to aid the hard-hit maritime industry with $3.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding. “America’s maritime transportation system, including its ports and their direct workforce of more than 650,000 front-line personnel, have kept essential goods moving to medical professionals, first responders and vital manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses during the pandemic,” said AAPA President and CEO Christopher J. Connor. “Their dedication and perseverance has enabled commerce to continue flowing during a time of great risk, upheaval, stress and greatly increased costs, allowing…

Earlier this month, NOAA released the findings of its 15th Arctic Report Card. The report card, generated from the input of 133 scientists from 15 countries, reports that increasingly warm temperatures continue to affect the Arctic. For example, the Eurasian Arctic saw its lowest June snow extent in the last 54 years, a result of high temperatures felt this past spring across Siberia. Moreover, the second-warmest average annual land-surface air temperature in the Arctic since 1900 was observed between October 2019 and September 2020. The report also shows that the Arctic ice has become thinner and more fragile in the…

Port of Los Angeles Director of Trade Development Marisela Caraballo DiRuggiero was recently named Global Trade Catalyst of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of Women in International Trade. The award honored the leadership and experience of DiRuggiero, who has been with the seaport for almost 20 years. In her capacity, DiRuggiero leads the port’s Trade Development Division and the award-winning program Trade Connect, which helps small and midsize companies expand their business. “I’m thrilled to see Marisela recognized for her hard work, dedication and contributions to promoting and expanding trade through our Port, the busiest in the Western…

About 783,523 TEUs came through the Port of Long Beach last month, giving the seaport its busiest November ever, according to statistics released Wednesday. The port is attributing the demand for PPEs and holiday goods for the latest cargo numbers, which soared 30.6 percent from the same time a year ago. November imports rose 30.5 percent to 382,677 TEUs, while exports fell 5.2 percent to 117,283 TEUs year over year. Empty containers were up 55 percent to 283,563 TEUs. “Online shopping and PPE purchases are on the rise as consumers continue the stay-at-home lifestyle, but the overall economic outlook is…

Supply chain workers should be considered for priority access to COVID-19 vaccines, the American Association of Port Authorities and cargo transportation organizations wrote in a letter to federal leaders. The groups wrote to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, and the Subcommittee on Transport & Safety that giving industry workers access will help prevent supply chain delays. “Prioritizing vaccinations for freight, rail, port and energy workers will be a key intervention to help keep our critical supply chains operating, and to reinforce the resilience of our transportation networks,” according to the letter. Over 650,000 people account for…

Lynden Transport recently helped to deliver three bison bulls from Yellowstone National Park to the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor, Alaska, the company said. The bulls - which were given to bolster the genetic diversity of the tribe’s herd - journeyed from Montana to Seattle by plane to Anchorage then on a 20-foot container to Homer Spit before riding via boat to Sitkalidak on Kodiak Island. "Our herd is managed to provide food security for our community of 230 residents and tribal members throughout the state," Cynthia Berns, Vice President of Community Affairs for the Old Harbor Native Corp., told…