The Coast Guard issued a safety advisory titled “Controllable Pitch Propeller Systems and Situational Awareness“.  The alert was issued after the analysis of the Alaska Ranger sinking in the Bering Sea this past winter.  Investigators found that when the decision was made to abandon ship, the propellers were still turning with astern pitch.  The resulting [...]

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1910909238288190289&q=skysails&ei=n3FtSOLLCZaYrAOjyuisDw] Bunkerworld is reporting that the German shipping company Wessels has decided to install SkySails on all three of its next newbuilds, citing a 50% fuel savings when used in optimum conditions. The trials and testing of SkySails has been posted on numerous blogs, but nonetheless, if you haven’t seen this before, its actually pretty [...]

The 140ft Coast Guard buoy tender “Morro Bay” collided with the 175ft Block Island ferry running from Point Judith Rhode Island, to Block Island. Fog had reduced visibility down to about 200 yards at the time of the incident. Apparently the Coast Guard Cutter had just finished a change of command ceremony in Newport and [...]

A recent decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals, fifth circuit, should remind us all that Oil Record Books (ORB)s are serious documents, and must be one of the most accurate documents the Chief Engineer maintains.  In an article by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, they highlight that the courts decision in [...]

Washington state has decided to pay $3.65 million dollars to pay for a tug to standby in Neah Bay, the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Crowley has been contracted to provide the tug.  The Hunter will start, and will be relieved by the Gladiator when it returns from a job up in [...]