A Greek citizen who oversaw the engineering department on board a Dominica-flagged bulk cargo ship pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in New Orleans for violating environmental laws designed to prevent pollution from ships and making false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Justice Department announced.
U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruling on DOI’s request for clarification of the Court’s earlier decision to vacate the 2007-2012 Outer Continental Shelf oil and
The Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF) is thanking its retiring Chairman, Philip M. Grill, for his 14 years of leadership of the labor/management coalition that promotes the Jones Act and other U.S. maritime cabotage laws in Washington. Grill, who is retiring as Vice President – Government Relations for Matson Navigation Company, Inc.
Tidewater Inc. (NYSE:TDW) announced first quarter net earnings for the period ended June 30, 2009, of $44.5m, or $0.86 per share, on revenues of $326.6m. Included in net earnings for the June 2009 quarter is a non-cash charge totaling $48.6m ($47.7m after-tax, or $0.93 per common share) related to the company’s Venezuelan operations.
Nearly $1.5m in grant money recently awarded to the Port of Tacoma will empower Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) to reduce the particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions of its two Orca Class vessels by an estimated 90 percent while at TOTE’s Tacoma terminal.The emissions
Panagiotis Stamatakis, the chief engineer on the Cyprus-flagged M/V Myron N, and the second engineer, Dimitrios Papadakis, both citizens of Greece, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Trenton, N.J., to using falsified records that concealed improper discharges of untreated bilge waste from the cargo ship, the Justice Department announced.
John Joseph Cota, the pilot who caused the Cosco Busan, a 900-ft long container ship, to collide with the San Francisco Bay Bridge and discharge approximately 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay, was sentenced to serve 10 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston for the Northern District of California,
Colombian Naval Forces Commander, Adm. Guillermo Enrique Barrera Hurtado met with U.S. Coast Guard Vice Commandant, Vice Adm. Vivien Crea, during his visit to Coast Guard Headquarters July 16.Among topics of discussion was a law passed in Colombia July 9 that makes all persons who finance,
A Greek citizen, Panagiotis Lekkas, the captain of the bulk cargo ship the M/V Theotokos, pleaded guilty to four felony counts in federal court in New Orleans for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws and obstructing a U.S. Coast Guard investigation, the Justice Department announced. Additionally, a Philippine citizen, Charles P.
MAN Diesel SE and MAN Turbo AG are to work more closely together in future with the aim of forming a merger with each other under corporate law. By combining the product portfolios, the merged company will strive for further growth and a stronger position in its respective market segments. <br
The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today that its Annual Pacific Area Awards Dinner will take place on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 in San Francisco. In conjunction with the Coast Guard
Perenco Ecuador Limited has called on the Government of Ecuador to cease efforts to sell oil seized from Blocks 7 and 21 in defiance of orders by international arbitration tribunals, and instead to seek a negotiated solution to the dispute concerning the applicability of Law 42. Perenco Ecuador is the Operator of the two blocks in question.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar appointed Liz Birnbaum, an attorney with two decades of federal government and private sector experience in energy and environmental policy, as Director of the Department’s Minerals Management Service. The appointment does not require Senate confirmation.<br
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen presented the Auxiliary with a Coast Guard Unit Commendation award Tuesday at Coast Guard Headquarters as part of the Coast Guard's celebration of the Coast Guard Auxiliary's 70th anniversary."The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the finest all-volunteer organization in our nation," said Adm.
The U.S. Coast Guard named its new Assistant Commandant for Acquisition and its Chief Acquisition Officer June 15 and promoted that flag officer to rear admiral upper half.The Coast Guard's newest two-star admiral is Rear Adm. Ronald J. Rábago, a 1978 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy.
Revised guidance on combating piracy and armed robbery against ships was agreed by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) when it met at the Organization's London Headquarters for its 86th session from 27 May to 5 June. Specific guidance relating to the continued attacks on ships off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden was also agreed.
As compact stabilized optics and pointing systems gain in popularity on land vehicles, aircraft, and vessels, engineers have had difficulty finding ultra-compact gyros that offer the performance and long-term reliability required for smaller and lighter applications. KVH Industries’ (Nasdaq: KVHI) new DSP-1500,
Carroll McNulty & Kull LLC (CMK) has announced that Christopher H. Mansuy has joined the law firm as a member. Mansuy brings 35 years of experience to CMK handling maritime and commercial litigation matters in the State and Federal Courts of New York and New Jersey as well as maritime disputes in
Boat security systems supplier Paradox Marine now offers acoustic technology to protect yachts, boats and marinas from intruders. Inferno Intenso Sound Barriers generate a patented, unbearable noise frequency pattern that immediately immobilizes onboard intruders between alarm activation and arrival of security or law enforcement.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has extended its contract agreement with Crowley Maritime Corp. to station a state-funded emergency response tug at Neah Bay for another full year of service beginning July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010.Under the $3.6m extension agreement,
In 1977 the Congress enacted the Clean Water Act and for over 30 years the EPA regulations excluded vessels from the system of permits required under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Lawsuits by environmental interests challenged this exclusion and as of December 19, 2008 this exemption has been eliminated.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report Friday detailing its findings following a review of the Coast Guard's Administrative Law Judge Program that was requested by Congress and welcomed by the Coast Guard.The GAO conducted an independent and objective review of 1,675
Netherlands law firm AKD Prinsen Van Wijmen says a recent decision of the Dutch Supreme Court indicates that, whilst Holland remains an extremely carrier-friendly jurisdiction for disputes under the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), a much stricter approach
In a statement from Representative Randy Forbes (R-Va.), May 22:“President Obama came to office boldly promising ‘a new era of openness in our country.’ Less than twenty-four hours after taking the oath of office, the new president declared that ‘transparency and
Mustang Survival unveiled its "Go Pro, Go Mustang" campaign with a line-up of new products, new pricing and new service targets.The campaign has been put together in response to shifting market conditions and competitive assessments. Go Pro, Go Mustang kicks off a strategic shift
The Passenger Vessel Association reminded its members that applications for Federal Ferry Boat Discretionary Grants are being accepted through Friday, June 12. This competitive solicitation is different than an earlier one involving funds contained in the Economic Stimulus Act. This
Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and a provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced its operating and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009. First Quarter Highlights: •
Years of study and effort by NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard will pay off this summer when two changes to shipping lanes into Boston are implemented. Both changes significantly reduce the risk of collisions between large ships and whales.Beginning on June 1, ships 300 gross tons and above
When I was a child, I spent a good part of my time getting into trouble, as most children do. My favorite excuse was “someone else made me do it.” Unfortunately, my father was not a big fan of that excuse and I cannot recall one incident that was overlooked based on this defense.However,
The trend towards outsourcing of ship management services over the past 20 years has created a knowledge gap in shipping companies which once operated a top-to-bottom system to support their fleet. Rodger MacDonald, secretary general of the International Federation of Shipmasters’
Liberty Maritime Corporation President and CEO Philip J. Shapiro testified May 20 on lessons learned from the international piracy crisis and the immediate need to protect American merchant mariners on U.S.-flag vessels. In his testimony before the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee,
Ray Mabus, former Mississippi governor and U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was sworn in today as the 75th Secretary of the Navy. Leading the Navy and Marine Corps, Secretary Mabus will be responsible for an annual budget in excess of $150 billion and almost 900,000 people. <br
The U.S. Coast Guard announced on May 18 the publication of an updated and revised Model Maritime Service Code designed to assist countries seeking guidance in developing effective maritime forces with corresponding authorities.The Model Maritime Service Code, primarily based on some of
Liberty Maritime Corporation President and CEO, Philip J. Shapiro, asked Congress to provide the U.S. legal framework to allow for ship owners to arm crews or contract armed private security teams when necessary. In the interim, Shapiro asked for government security teams or naval escorts of all U.S.
A Diplomatic Conference to adopt an international convention on the recycling of ships was opened in Hong Kong, China, by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, on Monday, 11 May 2009. The convention, the first ever to address ship recycling issues,
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a maritime security directive May 11 in response to the rise in piracy in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa and in light of recent pirate attacks on U.S. flagged vessels. Maritime Security Directive 104-6 (rev. 2) issued by the Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Offshore Marine Service Association signed a formal memorandum of understanding April 30, for the establishment of an Offshore Support Vessel Industry Quality Partnership. The quality partnership was formed to promote safety and security within the offshore industry and to help protect the environment.
The U.S. Coast Guard took final acceptance of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf, the first of the Legend class National Security Cutter fleet, at the cutter's homeport of Alameda, Calif., Friday, May 8.Bertholf's final acceptance is part of the Coast Guard's deliberative acquisition process
Four Truman-Hobbs Bridges to Receive Funding from Recovery Act:On April 20, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security revealed that four bridge alteration projects will receive funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that President Obama signed into law on February 19.
Trade and transportation organizations with close ties to California’s vital maritime industry will gather in Sacramento May 12-14 for the California Maritime Leadership Symposium. The event is organized by The California Association of Port Authorities (CAPA), California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference (CMANC),