Professional Mariner Magazine - June/July 2020

In this issue

Patrol Boats power up for the New Age. Crews and ports push through the Corona Virus pandemic and Bouchard bounces back.

Industry faces hurdles on crew changes, essential staff in pandemic

Signals

7 mins

Report finds shift to LNG could worsen shipping's climate impact

Switching to liquefied natural gas (LNG) is being widely touted as a responsible way for ships to reduce their climate impact, but it’s actually making greenhouse gas emissions far worse, according to an international environmental advocacy group.

3 mins

Expecting the unexpected simply routine for WSF ferry crews

Washington State Fer-ries (WSF) Capt. Joel Michelson barely finished explaining how every Elliott Bay passage is a little different when he got a message proving his point. Down below, a passenger was unconscious and suffering a seizure.

8 mins

New Lake Charles launch keeps pace with LNG boom

In front of the Lake Charles pilot station in Cameron, La., the 70-foot Cameron Pilot II went from zero to 28 knots in a matter of seconds, and did it as smoothly as the hand of Capt. Mark Foster advancing the throttles.

3 mins

Poor coordination between master, pilot cited in San Juan pier strike

Norwegian Epic sailed into San Juan, Puerto Rico, for repairs to its port-side propeller motor. While docking, the cruise ship’s port bow struck two mooring dolphins, gouging the hull and causing $3.5 million in damage to port infrastructure.

3 mins

High-water barge strike knocks Tombigbee bridge out of alignment

Rivers Wilson was pushing six barges up the rushing Tombigbee River when its port-side aft barge hit the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge near Jackson, Ala. The tow spun to port after impact and became pinned against a support pillar.

4 mins

Procedural breakdown leads to rupture aboard tanker in Texas

The 479-foot Fairchem Filly berthed at the Vopak Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel to offload hexene, a process that required pumping nitrogen into the vessel’s cargo tanks to maintain the chemical’s purity.

3 mins

Need for tighter port security driving new demand for patrol boats

Security vessels for civilian operators have been getting a lot more attention in recent years, and that has been driving a wave of purchases.

6 mins

Pandemic stalls IMO talks on regulating autonomous ships

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended its Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meetings until further notice due to the COVID19 pandemic.

3 mins

Real estate firm advances plan to restore SS United States

In a significant step toward preserving “America’s flagship,” a prominent New York development company has agreed to proceed with renovating the mothballed ocean liner SS United States, converting it into a hotel, museum, and entertainment and cultural center — if a city agrees to provide a permanent berth.

2 mins

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Professional Mariner Magazine Description:

Tugs, towboats, cargo, government, passenger, spill response, pilot boats, offshore support, salvage, dredge and fireboats - Professional Mariner covers them all. Plus, only Professional Mariner gives you all the essential information you need to advance your maritime business or career including the latest news and in-depth, investigative reporting on maritime casualties, regulations, legislation, shipbuilding, safety, technology, business/management issues and more.