November/December 2023 – Page 2 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Coast Guard Cutter Munro Visits Japan, South Korea

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro visited Yokosuka, Japan and the Republic of Korea during international port visits conducted in July and August. In Japan, the Munro conducted training and engagements with the Japan Coast Guard; in Gwangyang, South Korea, the cutter conducted several days of engagements and exchanges with the Korea Coast Guard. The Munro arrived Aug. 6 while deployed in the Indo-Pacific and hosted several members of the Japan Coast Guard for professional exchanges, including showcasing the Munro’s small boat and aerial capabilities and search-and-rescue operations. The visit allowed members of both services to discuss their dual mission…

Safety in Shipping Report Highlights Developing Risks, Changing Landscape

New risks are emerging in the shipping industry—from excess capacity, economic factors, decarbonization and increased fire perils driven by changing cargo trends—countering the upsides of a continued long-term drop in vessel losses due to improvements in safety and ship design. These developing trends, detailed in a new report from global insurer Allianz, are worth watching for West Coast shippers as part of various changes that promise to reshape the global shipping landscape. The upside of this year’s Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty Safety and Shipping Review, an annual look at losses and safety trends in shipping, is the continuation of…

EPA Seeks Ideas About Zero-Emission Port Projects

In May, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a request for information (RFI) about how the agency can best develop funding programs to support the build-out of zero-emission energy and transportation infrastructure at ports. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides $4 billion to the EPA to develop grant and rebate funding programs to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality. There are two focuses: a $1 billion Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Program and the $3 billion Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports. Funds go to eligible recipients, with the money not dependent on annual federal budget cycles. The EPA’s…

Port of Vancouver USA Settles Pollution Lawsuit

The Port of Vancouver USA and environmental group Columbia Riverkeeper on Sept. 12 announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit over years of alleged unlawful water pollution from the public port. In the settlement, the port committed to make significant changes to reduce the amount of water pollution that flows off the 1,643-acre property into the Columbia River. However, before the proposed settlement can go into effect, it must undergo a 45-day review period by the U.S. Department of Justice and be approved by a federal district court judge. As part of the…

Vigor Alaska Begins Maintenance, Repair Work on Coast Guard Cutter

The U.S Coast Guard has awarded Vigor Alaska, a Titan Acquisition Holdings company, a contract to perform maintenance and repairs on U.S. Coast Guard cutter John McCormick at Vigor’s Ketchikan shipyard. CGC John McCormick is the first Coast Guard maintenance solicitation awarded to Vigor’s Ketchikan shipyard since 2011. The Fast Response Cutter is stationed at Coast Guard Base Ketchikan, just 3.5 miles from Ketchikan Shipyard, ensuring work on this locally-based vessel supports jobs in Ketchikan’s local economy. Work on the vessel began in mid-September. “Having a strong partnership with the Coast Guard supports family wage jobs in Ketchikan and helps…

SAFE Boats Gains New Board Members

Bremerton-Wash.-based SAFE Boats International announced in late September that retired Vice Admiral William “Dean” Lee and Tom Norton have joined the company’s Board of Directors. Lee served in the U. S. Coast Guard for more than 36 years, most recently as the Commander, Atlantic Area (LANTAREA), responsible for all Coast Guard operations from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. During his service to the Nation, he served in numerous command and staff positions specializing in search and rescue and small boat operations. Notable assignments included Commander, Fifth District; Deputy Commandant for Operations Policy and Capabilities; Commander, Deployable Operations Group;…

Diving, Salvage, Other Underwater Projects Remain Tricky, Require Specific Expertise

While a lot of the work in the maritime industry happens above the water’s surface, often the jobs that take mariners underwater can be particularly tricky. But many of today’s professional divers are proficient in a variety of underwater tasks, including construction and engineering work, vessel salvage jobs, environmental projects and ship repairs. Pacific Maritime reached out to companies along the West Coast that offer diving and salvage services to find out about some of their recent projects. Power Engineering Alameda, Calif.-based Power Engineering Construction (PEC) has a long history of tackling complex jobs “where the risk is high, the…

Deck Machinery Update 2023: Innovation Never Sleeps

The innovation of deck machinery is an ever-present force in the maritime industry. While a winch will always be a winch, a newer model may pack the same power in a smaller footprint. A crane is always a crane, but the modern version may be all-electric. And the list goes on. Herein some of the deck machinery industry’s major players discuss their newest and best-selling products as well as industry trends. Markey Machine Seattle-based Markey Machine saw an ownership shift late last year, closing a growth investment with Christian Schiller and Brian Bogen. “The new ownership arrangement offers many advantages, particularly…

Panama Canal Adjusts Transit Numbers, Surcharge Amid Drought Conditions

The Panama Canal recently made a handful of changes to its operations, all of which were spurred by an ongoing drought that has hampered the flow of vessel traffic through the waterway. As of Nov. 1, the average number of transits through the Panama Canal is 31 transits per day: nine through the Neopanamax locks and 22 through the Panamax locks. The number is a slight decrease from the 32 daily transits previously allowed. The change was announced by the Panama Canal Authority in late September. Additionally, as of Oct. 1, modifications to the Canal’s Fresh Water Surcharge (FWS) took…

U.S., Pacific Islands Look to Enhance Maritime Partnerships

At a U.S.-Pacific Islands forum summit meeting at the White House on Sept. 25, President Biden renewed America’s commitment to enhancing the nation’s partnership with the Pacific Islands and their respective governments. President Biden announced a new slate of activities in conjunction with the event. Among those tied to the maritime industry are: Expanding the United States Coast Guard Presence in the Pacific: The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane is scheduled to arrive in region in late 2023 as the first ever USCG Indo-Pacific support vessel dedicated to collaborating with Indo-Pacific partners. By the end of 2023, USCG assets…