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Mariners Must Renew Fire Training
The Coast Guard has decided that mariners need to prove continued proficiency in firefighting abilities. After 2016, maritime officers will be required to update their firefighting course work every five…
Another Chemical Spill, This Time Asphalt
Another Chemical Spill, This Time Asphalt Nearly 11,000 gallons of asphalt spilled into the Mystic River, near Everett, MA, earlier this month. The Coast Guard is monitoring the cleanup efforts.…
New Boating Safety Law Passes in New York
A new state law passed in New York requires boaters to take a safe-boating course. It applies to anyone born after May 1996 — which means that this year, every…
Crewmember Falls To Death While Ship Is At Anchor
A crewmember on a 19-ton cargo ship was fatally injured as a result of a fall. The crewman had been working in a steel basket attached, high above the deck,…
Can Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard?
Can Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard? A pair of harbormaster boats were the first to arrive on the scene when a small boat’s mast struck high-tension…
Could Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates?
Could Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates? DNV GL, the world’s largest ship and offshore classification society, has declared the dire need for a massive reduction in the number of…
Fire Disables Tugboat off Rhode Island
Just last week, the 126-foot tugboat Viking was pushing a barge loaded with barrels of gasoline, when an engine fire erupted. The Coast Guard, along with crews from Rhode Island…
Does Weather Play a Part in Maritime Safety?
A tugboat captain whose barges collided with a cargo freighter in Texas said the larger vessel “increased its speed in foggy conditions,” making it impossible to avoid the crash. There…
The Owner Of My Ship Ignores Safety Guidelines. What Can I Do?
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that during a November fishing expedition, a 72-foot trawler and its seven-member crew were 150 miles southeast of Cape Cod, when the engineer noticed loose…