September 2022 – Page 2 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

More Than 10 Tons of Illicit Drug Seized at Port of Seattle

A joint effort between U.S. Homeland Security Agencies, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Coast Guard within the Port of Seattle has led to the seizure of more than 20,000 dried pounds of the controlled substance khat, with an estimated street value of $3.6 million, CPB officials revealed July 21. Khat is a plant native in Africa and contains cathinone which causes stimulation and excitement. Its leaves are chewed or dried for tea. Cathinone is known to be very addictive and has been classified as a controlled substance in the United States since 1987. The seized khat, which was destined…

Crowley Honored for Safe Operations by Chamber of Shipping of America

Maritime corporation Crowley Shipping, through the achievements of the captains and crews of 95 company owned or managed vessels, has been recognized for safe operations with Jones F. Devlin Awards by the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA), it was announced July 28. The Devlin Award is presented to vessels that have operated for two or more years without a work-related injury to a crew member resulting in the loss of a full turn at watch. Through 2021, Crowley has achieved 665 cumulative years of accident-free service on its recognized vessels, ranging from two to 23 years without a loss-time…

Coast Guard Cutter Munro Concludes 20,000-Nautical-Mile Deployment

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro returned to its homeport of Alameda, Calif. in mid-July after concluding a 128-day, 20,000-mile deployment to the South and North Pacific Ocean to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) and strengthen maritime security in the region. The Munro crew supported Operation Blue Pacific and Operation North Pacific Guard during the patrol. Both missions promote international efforts to uphold principles of security, safety, sovereignty and economic prosperity in Oceania and the North Pacific through engagements to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. Vice Adm. Andrew J. Tiongson, commander for the USGS Pacific Area, said…

NASSCO Awarded $1.4 Billion Navy Ships Build Contract

San Diego-based shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO, which already has a large design-build contract with the U.S. Navy, is receiving more military work, the company announced Aug. 5. NASSCO has received a $1.4 billion contract with the Navy to build a sixth Expeditionary Sea Base ship (ESB 8) and two more John Lewis-class fleet oilers (T-AO 211 and 212). The award comes in addition to $600 million already received to procure long-lead time materials for the same ships. The contract modification also provides an option for the Navy to procure an additional oiler, T-AO 213, bringing the total potential value to…

Simplified Panama Canal Toll Structure Approved

The Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panama said on July 13 that it has approved a new Panama Canal tolls structure recommended by the canal’s Board of Directors, following a formal consultation and public hearing process. With this approval, the Panama Canal will assume a simplified, value-based pricing structure, reducing the number of tariffs from 430 to less than 60. “The proposal aims to strengthen the tolls structure in a way that is consistent with the value provided by the Canal transit service while providing greater visibility and predictability to customers,” Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales explained. The…

New Port of Singapore Chief Executive Appointed

The Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Quah Ley Hoon, is stepping down on Sept. 5 and will be replaced by Teo Eng Dih, who’s currently Singapore’s Deputy Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Defense. According to an Aug. 4 news release from the country’s Ministry of Transport, Teo will be appointed as chief executive (designate) of the port authority from Aug. 8 to Sept. 4 and take over as Chief Executive on Sept. 5. As Deputy Secretary (Policy) for the Ministry of Defense, Teo has been responsible for the ministry’s defense policy and diplomacy and…

Global Piracy and Armed Robbery Incidents at Lowest Level in Decades: IMB

During the first half of 2022, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) received the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of any year since 1994, which the IMB is calling a testament to its pivotal role in raising awareness to make waters safer. IMB’s latest global piracy report, which was released July 12, details 58 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships – the lowest total since 1994 – down from 68 incidents during the same period last year. In the first six months of 2022, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Center reported 55 vessels…

Captain’s Corner: The Evolution of Safety

In general, as a society we like to believe we have evolved, and are continually evolving, to make the world a smarter, safer and overall better place. Technology has taken us to unimaginable heights to make tasks easier, more efficient and hopefully safer. New cars are well equipped with a massive amount of safety tech devices from lane-departing alarms to blind-spot indicator warnings and a host of other innovations that alert the driver and try to mitigate human error as much as possible. The trucking industry has electronic logbooks for drivers that record distance and working hours along with highway…

Ballast Water Treatment: New Technologies Hitting the Market

There are only two years left for the world’s international fleet to meet the International Maritime Organization’s September 2024 deadline for implementing ballast water treatment. Here’s a look at some of the ballast water technologies—onboard and otherwise—hitting the market to help vessels prepare for compliance. Shore Support Freedom Ballast has brought shore-based ballast water treatment to the U.S. Allowed to operate in Louisiana thanks to a newly-created permit with heightened environmental requirements, its services are available along the Louisiana Gulf Coast, from the head of the Mississippi River through Baton Rouge, the Sabine River and the Calcasieu River. A permit…

Major Infrastructure Projects Underway at Smaller West Coast Ports

Smaller ports on the West Coast have been investing in their future in a major way. Officials are looking toward modernization with infrastructure projects focused on reducing emissions, improving efficiency, enhancing rail systems and increasing shore power. Some are also looking at enhancing maneuverability to accommodate bigger ships. Here are some of the highlights of a few of the projects shared with Pacific Maritime Magazine by a number of ports along the West Coast. PORT OF HUENEME Although the Port of Hueneme is considered small, it’s also in a key location as the only commercial deepwater port between Los Angeles…