MarEx eNewsletter - July 2, 2009

July 2nd, 2009 Vol. 7, No. 26 Transportation Infrastructure: Boxer (almost) Gets it Right CA lawmaker calls on heavy users to pay for transportation infrastructure but misses the low-hanging fruit of Harbor Maintenance Tax reform as an additional way to get to the Promised Land. The June 25 Senate Environment and Public Works hearing revolved largely on how to keep the ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag: This week's Mailbag contains just a couple of letters. Both reference our lead editorial from last week. Last week, our lead piece referenced the sad coincidental timing of the death of a seaman as a result of the continued scourge of Somalian piracy and the introduction of ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Podcast Our now regular feature is a popular staple for MarEx readers on the go. Our fourth podcast recounts our June 25th lead editorial referencing piracy, current events relating to that and some anti-piracy legislation in play. Tune in and listen now. H.R. 2984, if enacted, will direct ... Read More>>>Back to Top EPA Proposes Stringent Standards for Large Ships WASHINGTON (July 1 2009): The Environmental Protection Agency today announced the next steps in a coordinated strategy to slash harmful emissions from ocean-going vessels. EPA is proposing a rule under the Clean Air Act that sets tough engine and fuel standards for U.S. flagged ships that would harmonize with international ... Read More>>>Back to Top WGMA Offers Mediation to GALTEX Pilots Offer reportedly not yet accepted; mediation on Monday unlikely, says WGMA spokesman. In a direct challenge to GALTEX Pilots and in an apparent effort to avoid the upcoming scheduled rate hearing on July 16th, the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA), has proposed mediation on July 6th. According ... Read More>>>Back to Top MAC Questions Cosco Busan Questions that were not asked the right way, or weren't asked at all, caused in ambiguity on the bridge of the containership Cosco Busan and contributed to the vessel making contact with the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in fog. It is one of the lessons featured in the latest Maritime ... Read More>>>Back to Top Moore Stephens: Insurance Industry Falling Short on Embedding Risk Management A survey by leading accountant and insurance consultant Moore Stephens has revealed that there is still has some way to go in terms of embedding risk management into the UK insurance industry, given the FSA's continued focus on the whole area of risk management in regulated firms. Read More>>>Back to Top AD22 Lifeboat Sea Trial Fatal Accident June 2009 Accident Description On June 09, 2009 at around 1400 hrs in calm sea state, AD22 launched its Starboard lifeboat with a crew compliment of 7 persons for a periodic sea trial test. The lifeboat was successfully launched and sailed for 20 minutes. At the conclusion ... Read More>>>Back to Top SEAWAY Committed to Sustainable Shipping Practices Canadian and U.S. Seaway corporations remain resolute in their commitment to the sustainability of this bi-national transportation system. Cornwall, Ontario (July 3, 2009) - Fifty years after the official opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and ... Read More>>>Back to Top Coast Guard Responds to Staten Island Ferry Allision Multiple injuries after ferry allides with St. George's Ferry Terminal. NEW YORK: The Coast Guard is responding to a Staten Island ferry allison at the Saint George's Ferry Terminal in Staten Island, N.Y., at 1900 hours on Wednesday night. At least 17 injuries have been reported after ... Read More>>>Back to Top EPD Names Karaszewski Electronic Power Design, Inc. (EPD), of Houston, TX, a world class electrical systems integrator appointed Zbigniew (Zbig) J. Karaszewski as its Business Development Consultant – Government. In this role, Zbig will promote EPD's technical capability, and promote sale of EPD products and services to the United States governmental entities. Read More>>>Back to Top MCA: European Seafarer Fatigue Research Launched A major multi-partner European research project aiming to tackle the problems posed by seafarer fatigue has been launched with a two-day inaugural meeting at Warsash, in the UK. The European Commission-funded Project Horizon brings together 11 academic institutions and organizations with a broad range of interests from ... Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB Acting Chairman Stresses Passenger Ship Safety National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker addressed the Crescent River Pilots' Association on ensuring passenger ship safety on the nation's waterways. Rosenker applauded the audience on their efforts to reduce risks associated with movement of passenger vessels in and out of the port and ... Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Incidents - July 2, 2009 Oil Rig Workers Killed: The DEMAS VICTORY, a supply boat operated by Midgulf Offshore Chartering LLC on behalf of Demas Marine, capsized after being hit by a huge wave in strong winds. The crew of nine and 24 workers, including two caterers, employed by HBK Power Cleaning ... Read More>>>Back to Top The Future of Cargo Container Screening and Security Lew Knopp, CEO of Templar Titan argues that a world-wide focus on the security of the supply chain is required. He adds, "Not one country, port or operator can assume the responsibility of cargo security." The future of cargo container screening and security is and will always ... Read More>>>Back to Top ASA to Sponsor "WRECKS OF THE WORLD: HIDDEN RISKS OF THE DEEP" September 9th Conference will address 8,500+ world-wide shipwrecks that may contain up to 20 million tons of oil, other hazardous materials. Washington, DC: The American Salvage Association (ASA), supported by the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI), International Salvage Union (ISU), Marine Technology Society (MTS), North American ... Read More>>>Back to Top Coast Guard Announces Interim Rule Affecting OPA-90 The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday the publication of an interim rule that adjusts limits of liability for vessels and deepwater ports under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The interim rule, effective July 31, 2009, increases the current OPA 90 limits of liability for vessels and ... Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB Delivers 2008 Annual Report to Congress Nineteen major accident investigations initiated, three of those marine in nature; 129 recommendations issued. The National Transportation Safety Board today released its annual report to Congress, providing a summary of accident investigations and safety recommendations in the past calendar year. 2008 highlights include: ... Read More>>>Back to Top House Passes NDAA with Cummings Amendment to Protect U.S. Ships Amendment would require the Department of Defense to protect U.S.-flagged ships at risk of being boarded by pirates. The bill ill now go to the senate where it would have to be negotiated and approved, as well. Washington, DC (June 25 2009): Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings ... Read More>>>Back to Top McQuilling Services, LLC Weighs in the Panama Canal Marine Transport Advisors Weekly Note No. 15 says: It goes without doubt that the opening of the Panama Canal in 2014 to larger vessels will forever change the face of marine transport. Find out why – read on. Today the Panamanian government is faced with problems such ... Read More>>>Back to Top Pirates Release Belgian Ship--Two Vessels Attacked in Malaysia--Arab States Join to Fight Pirates Belgian ship has been held since April 2009: Somali pirates released the Belgian ship, POMPEI, and 10 crew members who were hijacked in April. The ship was seized north of the archipelago republic of Seychelles on April 18, 2009. The Belgian-flagged ship is a ... Read More>>>Back to Top EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2009 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316